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Discussion Forum

toilet rough in

CCI | Posted in General Discussion on September 12, 2006 04:06am

This may actually belong in the plumbing or the construction folder but I am not sure how to post the same question to multiple folders so it is here by default.

I am laying out a bathroom and the toilet is in a corner.  What are the dimensions for the center of the toilet flange.  I mean how far out from the back wall (either the studs or the finished wall) and how far away from the side wall (same idea).

I am trying to mark this all on the rough floor since I find it easier to “walk through” the room than to look at it on paper.  I am trying to pick shower and vanity sizes and to see if I have room left for a linen closet.

The room is not large 8ft x 9.5ft and the toilet position is fixed due to proximity to the stack.  Everything else is up to me and my wallet.

Thanks.

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Replies

  1. allaround | Sep 12, 2006 04:22pm | #1

    Standard toilets are 12" rough-in - that is 12" inches from the rough studs to the center of the toilet opening. I like to set them a little further out - 12 1/2" to 13" out. It gives a little more leeway if someone later adds thickness to the wall. You can get both 10" and 14" RI toilets, but they're more expensive.

    As for side-to-side, here in WI code requires at least 15" clearance from the center of the opening to cabinets, sinks or walls on either side of the toilet. Again, if I have any choice in the bathroom design, I'll opt for at least 18" from center to any side obstructions.

    -P

    1. CAGIV | Sep 12, 2006 04:47pm | #2

      yep, nothing worse then sitting on the crapper and knocking knees with a cabinet.

      1. rez | Jul 28, 2008 08:24pm | #7

        What's a normal distance from the front of the toiletbowl to a wall?

        And what are the code minimums?

         

        Thanks.

         

        Edited 7/28/2008 1:24 pm ET by rez

        1. arcflash | Jul 28, 2008 09:24pm | #8

          I think its a foot. I'm not a plumber but it has to do with the toilet you buy as well. I believe the generally accommodate two distances from the wall. I'm not sure about code references. The instructions for your new toilet should tell you.

          1. peteshlagor | Jul 28, 2008 09:30pm | #9

            "from the front of the toiletbowl"

             Methinks you mean the center of the flange?

            Bowls come in all sorts of sizes...

            Edited 7/28/2008 2:31 pm by peteshlagor

          2. Piffin | Jul 28, 2008 10:08pm | #14

            That is called the framing offset from center line of the waste flange to the wall. There are 10" 1" and 12" offsets, maybe even a 14" I think I have seen. 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        2. CAGIV | Jul 28, 2008 09:32pm | #10

          you screwing with me?

          24" Min clearence in front of either a stool or lav under the plumbing code our juristicion is under.

          I believe the IRC allows for 22".

           

        3. CAGIV | Jul 28, 2008 09:37pm | #12

          REZ! you have me responding to messages that are 2 years old.....  didn't realize it until after I poste.

          BITE ME

          1. Piffin | Jul 28, 2008 10:16pm | #16

            Yeah, what a dingle dangle! 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        4. Piffin | Jul 28, 2008 10:07pm | #13

          to the wall behind the tank/bowl from front of bowl is 28" on a couple i have measured just this past week.Or are you talking free space out in front of the bowl where you stand up 

           

          Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        5. User avater
          Heck | Jul 29, 2008 02:16am | #18

          Around here it's two diamond marks. 

                 

          1. fingersandtoes | Jul 29, 2008 04:31am | #19

            You got those on your tape too? They are really hard to rub off huh?

          2. rez | Jul 29, 2008 07:05am | #20

            Thanks all. Actually it was a serious question. Was researching data using the search function and came across this thread.

            I'm putting in a new stool and have the floor all ripped up and the client wants a 48 inch shower unit in there.

            The bath is like 5 ft wide, door on one end with window on the other and a radiator stuck to one side by the window end so inches are counting.

            Once a 25" wide sink and the framing for the shower unit gets added it is a question of what is minimum depth for comfort from the front of the bowl to the shower wall enclosure.

            Don't need code minimums but the actual 'this will work ok without being too cramped when standing' deal.

            Has to do with shelf space for the sink and if I'll have enough room. Was going to grab the dimensions tonight but plum forgot.

            Thanks again.

             

            Edited 7/29/2008 9:07 am ET by rez

          3. CAGIV | Jul 30, 2008 08:22pm | #23

            ok, I retract the above statment ;)

            I'd say 24" in is really about the least you can pull of and have any degree of comfort but even that is tight.   Anyway to reconfigure the bathroom a little different or steal space from an adjacent closet or other room?

             

          4. rez | Jul 30, 2008 08:34pm | #25

            Nah, too much already towards a done deal so looks like the small sink area will be the final and let the toilet have the space.

            Thanks 

          5. CAGIV | Jul 31, 2008 08:07pm | #26

            touch decesion, you can always put a small movable piece of furniture in front of the stool for extra storage.

          6. rez | Aug 01, 2008 06:48am | #27

            Place was a real mess. Someone had built a new floor on top of the old running 2x6s standing on stilts made from cast off 1x flooring shorts nailed perpendicular 8ft apart so there was a few inches of space between the bottom of the 2x6s and the old floor.

            Then separated into a kitchen and bath by a wall built of 2x4s stood sideways so the wall is like 1 5/8s thick with  old plasterboard, decades of wallpaper and funky paneling.

            She said something was leaking thru the ceiling and when I opened it up a 3ft horizontal castiron drain running from the stool to the stack

            didn't have any slope from error or settling and the water had been sitting in the pipe and rotted thru the bottom leaking into the plaster lath on the first floor ceiling.

            128" by 57 1/2 and he said she said it needed a shower with seats so women can shave their legs and that he wants ceramic tile on it.

            heh heh I told him I always do impossible things for impossible people and it's by the hour to his specs.

            Wonder if he's wishing he'd done things differently now.

              

          7. CAGIV | Aug 02, 2008 12:37am | #28

            sometimes it's best to just punt ;)

          8. rez | Sep 01, 2008 03:36am | #29

            So now he wants the shower alcove cut into the wall adjoining a bedroom. Plasterboard on plaster and lath.

            Scoping the deal out today I wanted to dryfit the base and walls to check dimensions before approaching the wall and what did I find when I open and inspect the showerwalls carton?

            Freaking back wall section has a crack. The one carton I pried open one corner and just did a cursory glance. See what ya get fer not being diligent?

            The first base was cracked so it as taken back and it's replacement also was cracked so upgraded to a Kohler

            and of course checked that and sure enough it also had a crack. Luckily there was one other in stock that was ok.

            Now there was another trip back for a replacement wall.

             I'm telling you, check them packages. 3 out of the 5 cartons in this transaction had cracked goods.

            And the layout for the 32x48" unit says get this...14 studs. heh heh 14. And there are tolerances in the instructions stating 1/32 inch.

            Freaking heading toward rocket science I say. 

          9. Shep | Sep 01, 2008 04:51am | #30

            1/32"?

            who are they expecting to frame that, a machinist?

            sounds like you might be better off just getting a pan, and tiling the walls. So you won't have to be looking for cracks in all the pieces.

            At least this isn't a contract job LOL

             

            I still haven't had a chance to look at any of those comic sites, but I've got 'em bookmarked.

          10. rez | Sep 01, 2008 06:01pm | #31

            I'm thinking fiberglass beats plastics hands down in an open contest over prefabs.

             

            be 3 outta 5 

        6. 802Mike | Jul 29, 2008 01:32pm | #21

          Here in Vermont it's 21" from front of bowl to wall.

  2. User avater
    BossHog | Sep 12, 2006 05:05pm | #3

    Ditto what allaround said - 12" behind, and 18" on the side.

    Carelessly planned projects take three times longer to complete than expected.
    Carefully planned projects take four times longer to complete than expected, mostly because the planners expect their planning to reduce the time it takes.

    1. CCI | Sep 12, 2006 09:50pm | #6

      Thanks to all for the info.  I have the room to do it right - I just wasn't sure what right was.  My plumber does a good job - except for the part about returning phone calls and actually showing up when he should - so I did not want to wait for him to look at it.

      The toilet is near a corner so I was worried about the spacing from the back and my left side when in the "reading" position.  I have plenty of knee room but wanted enough  elbow room without having the toilet look like it was placed in the middle of the floor.

      Thanks again.

  3. PlaneWood | Sep 12, 2006 06:29pm | #4

    I did one with a 9" setback.  The concrete guys accidently moved the flange while pouring.  I got a stool with a 10" setback and then put a recess in the finished wall behind the tank that was 1.5" deep.  No one has ever noticed it or said a thing.  No, I take that back.  My son complimented me for my creativity.

    I thought about just letting the back of the tank be visible from the living room.  Now that would have been a conversation piece!

    PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
    PlaneWood

  4. BenM | Sep 12, 2006 08:48pm | #5

    There are toilets made for corners; that  might be an option depending on room layout.

  5. CAGIV | Jul 28, 2008 09:35pm | #11

    Most stools require 12" from the back wall to the center of the flange, there are 10" and 14" models ifyou need them.  Side wall to center of flange is 15" min but 18" sure makes it more comfortable. 

    These are per our local building department, your's may be different.

    I think Kohler makes a stool/tank that can be mounted at an angle in the corner if that would help your layout.

    Team Logo

    1. Piffin | Jul 28, 2008 10:12pm | #15

      I tried to make a corner one work once. My conclusion is that it is a design statement, but actually takes up MORE floor space in a room.We typically frame a 13" offset from framing which would normally be 12-1/2" from finished wall, but you never know what will end up happening with tile, wainscot, etc, and we like to have some extra airspace for ventilation for this time of year when the tanks sweat so bad 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

    2. User avater
      FatRoman | Jul 29, 2008 12:07am | #17

      What size copper pipes would you use for this?'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb

      1. CAGIV | Jul 30, 2008 08:20pm | #22

        bout 1"

        up rez's ####

        1. User avater
          IMERC | Jul 30, 2008 08:23pm | #24

          78589.19 

          Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

          WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

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