Toilets come in varying sizes. Some are big and others are small. However, to avoid confusion, most people settle for standard toilets as they are commonplace options and you cannot go wrong with them.
But the question is, how exactly do you make the right choice if you don’t know the dimensions of a standard toilet? Guess what, today is your lucky day. We are going to highlight the specifics of a standard toilet and the measurements you need to pay attention to.
Standard Toilet Dimensions
A toilet is regarded as standard if it has a height of 27-32 inches, depth of 28-30 inches, a wideness of about 20’’, and a rough-in between 10 and 14 inches. Any toilet that goes way off from the above dimensions is not a standard model and you would need special bathroom space for it.
How do I know what size toilet I need?
The first and most important step in buying a toilet is ensuring it fits your bathroom. So it goes without saying you must have your bathroom measurement in mind before settling for any unit. Keep reading to know what parts matter when deciding on a fixture of your choice.
Measuring a toilet
Here are the key areas you need to measure:
Toilet Seat Height
Using a tape measure, find the length from the floor to the seat. If you get a reading of between 17 and 19 inches, you have yourself a comfort height toilet (also called ADA compliant toilet). However, if you get a height of 15 inches, then that is a standard toilet and could be great for all members of the family.
The next thing you want to do is measure the height from the floor to the top of the toilet tank. This measurement is important to consider if you have storage racks in the bathroom that you don’t want to get rid of.
Toilet Depth
This is the measurement from the front of the bowl to the back. Typically, you should have approximately 24 inches of free space remaining for moving around. If upon opening the bathroom door it hits the toilet or passes right next to it, then you need a smaller toilet-possibly a round bowl model.
Toilet Width
For this, you need to measure from one edge of the tank to the other. You should do the same for the toilet bowl and identify the widest section. No matter the dimensions, ensure you have at least 24 inches to the sides and front of the toilet.
Rough-in
You may want to ignore a toilet’s height, depth, and width but you cannot afford to ignore the rough-in measurement. Rough-in is simply the distance from the wall behind the toilet to the center of the bolts. Standard toilets have a rough-in of 12 inches. Small toilets come with a 10-inch rough-in while large and extra-large go above 12 inches.
Bowl Shapes
Conventionally, the two most recognized bowls for standard toilets are round and elongated. The latter is the most common because of its unrivaled comfort and it is 2-3 inches bigger than a round bowl. You are not limited to these two; there are also square-shaped toilet bowls and other special designs in case you want to steer off ordinary fixtures.
Wrap up
You already know the right dimensions of a standard toilet. While a bit commonplace, the best part about that is that it will be easier to find repair kits should it need replacement or modification.
Besides dimensions, understand that standard toilets come in different shapes and installation styles. If your space is too small, spend a little more on wall-hung or round bowl toilets so you can move around with ease. Take a look around our blog for some great toilet reviews.
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