How would YOU seal around this shower drain?

[Chris R.]

Our shower was remodeled 25 years ago. The original grout around the drain lasted around 20 years (at least I think it was grout). Now over the past 5 years or so, we can't get any grout to hold up. Including when we had it professionally done, which lasted about 10 months.
We have well water which doesn't help.
The drain is sunken beneath the tile floor approx. the depth of a tile.
I know the grout job now looks bad, it was an emergency rush job and I don't do this for a living. Last time, there was a nice gap that eroded on the side of the drain that led under the floor. Predictably, this current job will not hold.
I'm really tempted to use silicone around the edge of the drain. But I'd like to hear some good ideas.
Thank you!

 

[Geofd]

I would think you would want to take the trainer cover off grout, dry,then reinstall
Unless that's what you did

 

[Chris R.]

Hi, actually the area surrounding the diameter of the drain pipe is the problem.
The floor eroded so there were gaps between the floor and the outer edge of the drain line.

 

[Geofd]

So if the floor eroded so that means you lost the stability of of part of the floor??????

 

[havasu]

Please explain "floor eroded" for me. Can you get under this drain? Did the drain drop? The floor lift? did the seal around the drain Can you re-support the drain line?

 

[Chris R.]

There is nothing wrong with the drain.
Imagine the opening around the drain is larger than the diameter of the drain. There was grout around the diameter of the drain that wore away. We try to reapply grout, but it never stays.

 

[havasu]

A shower drain should not be kept watertight with grout alone. There must be a mechanical seal, or was at one time. Can you access the area under the drain, like a basement or lower floor?

 

[Chris R.]

There is a pan under the floor. What I would like to know, what material would work around the outer edge of the drain?