Whether it’s the first thing in the morning at the end of a long day, a nice refreshing bath is one of the best ways to relax. However, not everyone has the luxury of a large and lavish bathroom. If you’re someone with a small bath, then you know what we mean. Moving around feels like such a tight squeeze, and your elbows probably bump into something while you’re washing up. It’s highly likely that your bathroom wasn’t measured right when it was made.

You can opt for a bathroom expansion, or you can reexamine your current space and change out some fixtures. Regardless of which option you go for, it’s important to keep in mind the essential measurements you need for a well-functioning bathroom. Otherwise, you’ll just go back right where you started, except maybe your bathroom is just a little bigger this time around. Read on below to find out what are the key bathroom sizes and measurements you should pay close attention to for your new home or renovation.

Common Bathroom Sizes by Type

Powder Room

Powder rooms or guest bathrooms are also known as a half bath. It only has one sink and one toilet. These are often small spaces of about 15 to 20 square feet. It can be larger, of course, but after a certain point, you may just be wasting space.

Three-Quarter Bathroom

The next step up from a half bath is the three-quarter bath. It has a sink, toilet, and shower –no bathtubs. These are increasingly common as they don’t take up plenty of space. It’s perfect for smaller homes and apartments. They range anywhere between 25 to 40 square feet.

Full Bathroom

As you may have guessed from the pattern so far, a full bathroom has everything the three-quarter bath has plus a bathtub. These are at least 40 square feet. At this floor area, the space can accommodate a sink, toilet, and a tub/shower combination lined up next to each other.

Master Bathroom

Connected to the largest bedroom in the house, the master bathroom is also often the largest bathroom in a home. Technically speaking, it’s simply a full bathroom but larger. However, it’s common for master baths to have more features such as a double sink vanity, a separate soaking tub, or even a sauna. These larger master bathrooms typically range from 100 to 200 square feet.

Bathroom Fixture Dimensions

Toilet

On average, toilets can range from 30 to 36 inches in width and 54 to 60 inches in depth, depending on the manufacturer. At a minimum, you have to leave at least 30 inches clear space in front of your toilet. If space is tight, you can consider installing a wall-mounted toilet instead of the conventional floor-mounted one. This saves space as the water tank is built into the wall, which can save you about 10 inches in depth. Another advantage they have is the ability to adjust the height of the toilet to your need. A taller person may find it more comfortable to sit on a higher toilet. You don’t have this luxury with the traditional variant.

Vanity and Sink

The size you need for your vanity or sink depends on what setup you plan to go with. A single sink configuration would need about 30 to 48 inches in width. Double sink configurations will need 60 to 72 inches in width. If space is particularly limited, you can instead opt for a pedestal sink. These can be as small as 16 inches in width, but more commonly at about 18 to 22 inches wide. Don’t forget to leave 3 to 4 inches of clearance on each side.

If you decide that a vanity is something you must have, you also need to know the appropriate size for them. Vanity countertops are often at the range of 34 to 36 inches high. These can be made even higher to about 40 to 42 inches for taller users. They can also be lowered to accommodate children or wheelchair users. Vanities should be at least 30 inches in width, and 20 to 24 inches in depth.

Showers

While the minimum required size for a shower is at just 30x30 inches, you want at least one that’s 36x36 inches to give you enough space to move. Most people would be more comfortable with a shower that’s about 36x48 inches. This also gives you more space to work with for a shower seat, or a ledge for your bath products. Most showers have a threshold or curb to delineate the space. These measure about 3 to 4 inches high and 4 to 6 inches wide. Glass enclosures should have a height of 70 to 76 inches from the floor to the top of the glass.

Aside from the shower stall, it’s also important to install the shower itself at the correct height. The standard height of a shower head is at 78 to 80 inches from the floor. This is enough to accommodate most people, but if you have a family member taller than 6’8” then you’d want to install higher. Shower controls are at about the same height from the floor as an ordinary doorknob, at 38 to 48 inches from the floor.

Bathtubs

Bathtub sizes vary greatly depending on type and manufacturer. On average, they are about 60 inches long, 36 inches wide and 20 inches high. However they can even go as small as 54x30x15”. Corner tubs tend to take up the most space, so it’s a good option for those with large baths. For freestanding tubs, an additional clearance of 3 to 4 inches all around should be accounted for. Lastly, a clearance of at least 30 inches in front of the tub is recommended so you can safely get in and out.

Accessories

On top of the various fixtures, you’ll likely want to add various bathroom accessories as well. We’ll go over the most common ones.

• Towel Bar – Mount it at 40 to 48 inches from the floor for single towel bars. If you want to have two towel bars stacked, the lower one should be at 30 inches from the floor or just around the height of your vanity counter top. The higher towel bar should be mounted at 48 inches from the floor.

• Robe Hook – These should be mounted high at 70 inches from the floor. You can adjust up or down from there depending how easy or difficult it is for you to reach. Should you have multiple of them in a row, they should be spaced at least 9 inches apart.

• Towel Ring – These often go above the vanity, and mounted at about 50 to 52 inches from the floor. The important consideration here is that they’re mounted high enough so the towel doesn’t brush against the vanity counter. If you opted for a higher vanity, you should adjust accordingly.

• Toilet Paper Holder – These mounted 26 inches from the floor and at 8 to 12 inches to the front of the toilet rim.

Importance of Correct Measurements

Measuring your bathroom is an essential part of any new construction or remodeling project. It allows you to plan effectively and make the most efficient use of your available space. With this we can avoid unnecessary headaches such as a bathtub that doesn’t fit or a towel bar you can’t reach. Correcting these errors can easily inflate construction time and cost. Aside from the financial benefits, having a correctly sized bathroom ensures convenience and comfort for you, the user. You can easily sit, stand, reach, and move about a properly fitted bathroom. Keep in mind these key bathroom sizes and measurements for your next remodel, and you too can have a comfortable and highly functional bathroom that you just love to use.

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