What’s a ‘standard’ bathroom anyhow? This time on the American Bath Remodeling, Inc. blog, we are looking at some of the standards when it comes to bathroom, from standard shower size to typical tub length. After all, it helps to know what the ‘norm’ is when it comes time to roll up the sleeves and start remodeling.
Whether you want to break from the norm or make sure everything is coming in as expected, here are the numbers, dimensions, and sizes to care about.
Bathroom Builds and Standard Shower Sizes
When it comes time to lay out the tile, put in a liner, or installing a fresh shower. You gotta know what the limits are. Most folks will only ever build a shower once in their lives, if that, so having all the know-how and expertise you can beforehand is critical.
Minimum Bathroom Dimensions
The smallest you want to go for building in a bathroom is 8ft x 5ft. This minimum width of 5ft is based on having a tub going from wall to wall, and their standard size of about 60 inches. If you are going for a bigger tub (or shower area) then you’ll want to build up larger than that.
Half Bath
A half bath can be a bit smaller for obvious reasons. Since the tub is the main deciding factor of size in a full, small bathroom, then removing it and just having a sink and toilet can bring the size down to as a much smaller area (assuming you’re also using pocket doors). Here in the US, the absolute minimum you can build, by code, is 5ft x 2.5ft. Probably build in some leg room though huh?
Standard Toilet Size
A key fixture in any bathroom, whether it’s a full or half, is the toilet. A toilet has a few standards of sizes, a standard depth, for instance, is about 16 inches from seat hinges to the front of the bowl, though longer models are out there.
Toilets are not the only piece with specific measurements that you can follow. There are even suggested distances for the toilet paper holder – ~12 inches from the front of the seat and ~30inches off the ground- and minimum clearances to be up to code (from edge to wall, minimum of 4 inches, from any other obstruction at least 15 inches).
Tub Dimensions
The smallest standard size for bathtubs is 5ft by 2 ½ ft. The minimum bathtub clearance from tub edge is 21 inches, to be kept clear and the controls should be 33 inches above the floor, accessible both inside and outside the tub.
Standard Shower Dimensions
The absolute smallest you should go with a shower is a 32 x 32 in. shower, this means you’ll be standing rigidly upright. If you have the room and ability, going for a slightly larger, rectangular shower dimensions of closer to 36 by 48 inches, you can have more elbow room and make for a more comfortable showering experience.
Some other fun shower standards: a minimum clearance of 24 inches is necessary and any hinged shower doors need to open outwards.
And of course, a bathroom wouldn’t be complete without lightning! All those electrical components and their fixtures themselves have their own specifications, requirements, and minimums to create a bathroom up to code.
Chances are, after reading all that you’re feeling a bit intimidated by the sheer amount of numbers, dimensions, and how they all interact with each other. If it’s a first time DIY project, renovating a bathroom can often be a bit too much for folks to handle. Even if its bringing in a professional just to wire or set the plumbing, by trusting experts you can save yourself a whole mess of a headache down the road.
If you’re working on more than one bathroom, well hiring professionals is a no-brainer. Contact us at American Bath Remodeling, Inc. and let us worry about the necessary standard shower dimensions. We’ll remodel your bathroom into its brand new, best version.