If you're staring at a leaky bathtub or planning a bathroom remodel, picking up an ab&a tub drain kit is probably one of the smartest moves you can make. It's one of those things you don't think about until it stops working, but once you've got a puddle on the floor or a tub that won't hold water, it suddenly becomes the most important thing in your house. AB&A has been a staple in the plumbing world for a long time, and there's a good reason why pros usually grab these off the shelf instead of some generic knockoff.
Why This Specific Kit Matters
When you're looking at your bathtub, all you see is the shiny stopper and maybe the overflow plate. But behind the scenes—or rather, under the floor—there's a whole network of pipes doing the heavy lifting. An ab&a tub drain kit is essentially a "waste and overflow" system. It handles both the water draining out the bottom and the emergency exit for water if you accidentally leave the tap running too long.
What sets these kits apart is the build quality. Let's be honest, nobody wants to tear out their ceiling or crawl under a floorboard twice because a cheap plastic thread stripped during installation. AB&A kits are known for having thick, durable walls and seals that actually do what they're supposed to do. Whether you're working with PVC or ABS piping, they've got a version that fits, and the tolerances are tight enough that you aren't fighting the material the whole time.
Choosing the Right Stopper Style
One of the coolest things about the ab&a tub drain kit options is that you aren't stuck with just one way to plug the tub. You've got choices based on how you like to use your bath.
The Classic Lift and Turn
This is the old-school favorite. You just lift it up and give it a little twist to keep it open. It's simple, there are fewer moving parts to break, and it's really easy to clean out hair (which, let's face it, is the main enemy of any drain).
The Toe Touch
If you're a bit more modern or just don't like reaching down into the water, the toe touch is great. You literally just push it with your foot to click it shut and push it again to open it. It feels a bit more high-end, though you do have to make sure you don't accidentally kick it while you're relaxing.
The Push eN' Lift
This is sort of a hybrid. It's very reliable and tends to be the go-to for rental properties or heavy-use bathrooms because it's almost impossible for a guest or a kid to break it.
What's Actually Inside the Box?
When you buy an ab&a tub drain kit, you're getting the full package. Usually, that means the overflow pipe, the waste shoe (the part that connects to the bottom of the tub), the T-joint where they meet, and all the trim.
The "trim" is the part you actually see—the chrome or brushed nickel bits. One thing I really like about AB&A is that their finishes are tough. Some cheap kits look great for a month, but then the "chrome" starts peeling off like a bad sunburn. You don't get that here. Whether you're going for a classic polished chrome or a trendy matte black, the finish is meant to handle harsh cleaning chemicals and daily scrubbing.
Installation Isn't as Scary as it Looks
I know, messing with plumbing feels like a recipe for a disaster, but installing an ab&a tub drain kit is actually a pretty straightforward DIY project if you've got a little patience.
First off, you've got to do a "dry fit." Don't go slapping glue or putty on anything until you've held the pipes up to the tub to make sure they line up. Every tub is a little different—some are deeper, some have different angles. Most AB&A kits are designed to be adjustable, but you want to know where your cuts are going to be before you commit.
One pro tip: don't skimp on the plumber's putty. When you're setting the drain flange (the metal ring in the bottom of the tub), roll a nice "snake" of putty and wrap it around the underside. When you screw it down, you want to see that putty squeeze out evenly all the way around. That's how you know you've got a watertight seal. If it doesn't squeeze out, you didn't use enough.
Dealing with the Overflow Gasket
The overflow gasket—that rubber washer that sits behind the tub wall—is where most leaks happen. If it's not seated perfectly, water will sneak behind the tub every time you take a splashy bath. The ab&a tub drain kit usually comes with a high-quality sponge rubber gasket.
The trick here is to make sure the tub surface is totally clean. If there's old crusty silicone or gunk from the previous drain, the new gasket won't sit flush. Give it a good scrape and a wipe with some rubbing alcohol, and the new kit will seal up like a charm.
Materials: PVC vs. ABS
You'll notice that these kits come in two main types of plastic: white (PVC) and black (ABS). You need to match what's already in your house. If your pipes are black, get the ABS ab&a tub drain kit. If they're white, go with PVC.
Why does it matter? Because the glue you use is specific to the plastic. PVC glue won't properly bond ABS, and vice versa. There are "universal" cements out there, but most plumbers will tell you to just stick to the matching material for a permanent, "welded" joint.
Keeping it Running Smoothly
Once your ab&a tub drain kit is installed and you're enjoying your first leak-free bath in months, you'll want to keep it that way. The biggest killer of these kits isn't the water; it's the stuff we put down the drain.
Try to avoid those super harsh chemical drain cleaners if you can. They're really hard on the seals and the plastic over time. If things start slowing down, usually just unscrewing the stopper and pulling out the hair clogs with a little zip-tool will fix the problem. Since the AB&A kits are built with smooth interior walls, they don't catch gunk as easily as some of the thinner, corrugated pipes you see in cheap kits.
Is It Worth the Extra Few Bucks?
You can definitely find generic drain kits at the big box stores for a few dollars less. But honestly, when you consider that this kit is the only thing standing between your bathroom and a massive water damage insurance claim, that extra five or ten bucks for an ab&a tub drain kit feels like a no-brainer.
The threads are cleaner, the plastic is thicker, and the trim looks like it belongs in a nice home rather than a budget motel. Plus, if you ever need to replace just the stopper or the overflow plate down the road, AB&A parts are universal enough that you can actually find replacements without having to rip out the whole system again.
Final Thoughts for the DIYer
If you're taking this on yourself, just remember to take your time. Plumbing is 90% preparation and 10% actually tightening things. Check your measurements twice, make sure your seals are clean, and don't over-tighten the plastic nuts—hand-tight plus a quarter turn with a wrench is usually plenty.
The ab&a tub drain kit is designed to make the process as painless as possible, but it still requires a steady hand. Once it's in, you can forget about it for the next decade or two, which is exactly what you want from your plumbing. No leaks, no drama, just a tub that drains when it's supposed to and stays full when you want to soak.