How to replace a shower drain cover with a broken screw hole
When a shower drain cover's mounting screw hole is broken, standard installation methods fail and leave the cover loose. This forces people to resort to makeshift fixes like holding it down manually, preventing a secure and permanent repair without proper alternative securing techniques.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 6 people.
- This comes up 13.6× more often in r/Plumbing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
How to replace a shower drain cover with a broken screw hole
- 1Holding the drain cover down with a foot while washing petsDid this help you?
- 2Trying to drill a tiny hole into the top portion of the pipe for a new screw holeDid this help you?
- 3Using a hair catcher product like ShowerShroom instead of screwing a cover downDid this help you?
- 4Looking for sink drain stop replacements on Amazon to attempt a DIY fixDid this help you?
- 5Using a vacuum hose and clamps to bridge the cut pipeDid this help you?
- 6Applying spray sealer or waterproof tapeDid this help you?
- 7Tightening the slip joint nut or replacing the rubber gasket insideDid this help you?
- 8Using a WingTite drain without opening the ceilingDid this help you?
- 9Holding the plumber accountable for the repairDid this help you?
- 10Chiseling away old brittle plumbers puttyDid this help you?
- 11Packing the underside of the rim thick with fresh plumbers puttyDid this help you?
- 12Applying silicone around the edge of the drain assemblyDid this help you?
- 13Using a hub saver, socket saver, or ram bit attached to a drill to remove the broken pipe from the fitting.Did this help you?
- 14Cutting the pipe leaving a short stub and gluing a coupling directly against the drain hub.Did this help you?
- 15Wrapping a rubber Fernco or Husky band over the cracked section of the pipe.Did this help you?
- 16Attempting to patch the crack with JB Weld.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“So yeah that’s definitely broken and the plumber definitely didn’t care when they put it in because the blue plastic should have been pulled before installing the shower drain”source ↗
“The drain needs to be replaced. It will cause thousands of dollars in damage.”source ↗
“New build. How concerned should I be about the cracks around the flange? Anything else not right with this?”source ↗
“the broken flange and nested pipes is giving me concerns.”source ↗
“When the shower is running with nobody in it, everything is fine, but if I stop the drain and let a little water accumulate in the pan, we get a ceiling drip on the floor below.”source ↗
“The weight of a person standing in the pan probably flexes the whole assembly just enough to open up a hairline crack somewhere in the seal, which is why it only leaks when you're in there and the water pools.”source ↗
“Had a similar nightmare in my place last year where the leak was actually a pinhole in the brass body right under the rim, invisible until I sanded it down”source ↗
“I am working on a bathroom remodel, I installed the Kerdi drain, when cutting the riser from the crawlspace I cracked the pipe vertically! Yes I know I am a hack. What are my options? I don’t want to tear out the shower tray and the drain flange?”source ↗
“If I fuck up the flange then I’m totally screwed on the topside of this bathroom.”source ↗
“Or do I just JB WELD the shit outa the crack and pray!”source ↗
“The hole that you would use to insert a screw to hold the cover on is broken so that will not work.”source ↗
“I basically have to hold the drain cover down with my foot while I wash him which can be a little bit tricky.”source ↗
“Would it be a difficult task to replace the sink drain stop mechanism in my bfs bathroom sink? It barely pops up anymore, is gunked up & the outer ring part came off.”source ↗
“I want to try to replace it but not sure if this is something easily done or if I should look into hiring someone.”source ↗
“A leak as started when the shower is running from the circle part and it drips down the trap to the pipe the arrow is pointed and ultimately goes on the concrete floor where I have a mess to clean up.”source ↗
“If I was to replace the plumbing it would be my first time.”source ↗
“I am very ignorant on this topic but willing to learn if pointed in the right direction.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Toilet escutcheon replacement after new flooring
- 27Can you fix a cracked or broken kitchen sink yourself?
- 31How to fix a stripped or jammed shower handle
- 3How to replace a roof pipe boot with a cap
- 2Why is my bathtub overflow leaking behind the wall?
- 6How to find a replacement for an obsolete plumbing plug