The terms are often used interchangeably, but in practice a linear drain refers to a slim bathroom channel with a decorative or tile-insert grate, while a trench drain refers to a wider, heavier-duty channel with a load-rated grate, used externally or in commercial floors.
Comparison
| Linear / shower drain | Trench drain | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical width | Slim — visual element | Wide — capacity element |
| Grate | Steel or tile-insert, lightweight | Load-rated: pedestrian, trolley or vehicular |
| Body material | Stainless steel | Polymer concrete, HDPE, stainless steel |
| Application | Showers, wet rooms | Driveways, car parks, commercial floors, pool surrounds |
| Flow capacity | Moderate | High |
| Debris handling | Hair trap | Debris basket, larger openings |
| Cleaning | Frequent, light | Less frequent, heavier |
Where the confusion comes from
Manufacturers and specifiers use the terms differently. A European specification may call a bathroom channel a “linear gully”; a civil works specification may call an external channel a “linear drainage channel”. The deciding factors are load class, body construction and the grate — not the word used.
How to tell what you need
- What passes over it? Barefoot, shoes, trolleys or vehicles — this sets the load class
- Where is the water coming from? A shower head or a rainfall catchment area
- What debris arrives? Hair, or grit and leaves
- Is it inside or exposed? External drains face UV, temperature cycling and frost
Practical guidance
For a bathroom, specify a shower drain — slim, stainless, with a hair trap. For external or heavily trafficked areas, specify a load-rated channel. Where a wet room opens to an external terrace, both may be needed, in different areas with different specifications.
See our linear shower drain range for bathroom applications.