peter2018

Toilet Room Size

Peter
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

I'm designing a toilet room with an inward-swinging door. Currently, the specified size is 36" x 72". Is this large enough to comfortably enter the room and use the toilet? The door pictured is 30". Would 28" be better?


The toilet is about 30" deep.


I've searched the forum for similar questions, but I can't find anything addressing the door position and swing.


Thanks!




Comments (37)

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Yes, it large enough to enter and use the toilet. A 28 inch door is just fine and it should swing TOWARD a wall OPPOSITE the toilet ...just as above. Where may I ask is the sink, or is this I hope simply one part of a larger bathroom ?

    Peter thanked JAN MOYER
  • User
    6 years ago

    Curious here too... where's the sink going?

  • User
    6 years ago

    If this is a separate area, it's plenty of room.

  • roarah
    6 years ago

    I am guessing this is part of a master bath. I hate toilet rooms without a sink the germaphobe in me hates to imagine the inside door knob under a black lamp... so I would make it big enough for a small second sink.

  • User
    6 years ago

    Designs don’t happen in a vacuum. It has to work in the overall space.

  • Peter
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Hey everyone,

    Thanks for the feedback! This is a separate enclosure inside a master bathroom.

    Here's a larger picture:

  • dchall_san_antonio
    6 years ago

    Mmmm, each to their own, but that is not sanitary.

  • millworkman
    6 years ago

    You may thibk of having that door swing out in case of a medical issue and someone has a problem. If they fall off that toilet you're not getting that door open.................

  • apple_pie_order
    6 years ago

    This is exactly the same too-tight problem as with airport restroom stalls: nowhere to stand while opening the door. Use a swing out door for safety and space.

  • User
    6 years ago

    Our house has a bathroom with a similiar design, except the shower is next to the toilet. But, we don't close the door everytime we use the toilet, so no sanitary issues there IMO.

  • pds290
    6 years ago

    I too would recommend either a sliding door or a door that swings out for safety purposes. From unfortunate experience, I know that this can be a very problematic layout in a medical emergency.

    Peter thanked pds290
  • PRO
    Wow Great Place
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Looks like you would have room for a pocket door instead, unless you have a plug on the left wall when you stand at the vanity? Alternatively, I have done a frosted glass door that swings inward or outward in a similar layout.

    Peter thanked Wow Great Place
  • PRO
    Jodie White Designs
    6 years ago

    Most codes require at least 15 inches (measured from the center of the toilet) from any side wall or obstruction and not closer than 30 inches center to center to any other sanitary fixture. (The NKBA actually recommends 32 inches.) There should be at least 24 inches of clear space in front of a toilet or bidet.

    Separate water closet for privacy is ideal in a bath IMO. Can you do a pocket door?

    Peter thanked Jodie White Designs
  • Peter
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks for all the opinions!

    The interior width of that whole bathroom is 6'. We could go out to 7', but obviously it costs more.

    Is it necessary?

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    A toilet centered in 36 inches gives you 18!! inches to each wall. It is fine. In a six foot length there will be at least 36 inches to the far wall. What is the issue!? Heavens, if you're in there alone..... most don't even bother to close a door. They especially don't bother with a pocket.

    Personally, I like NO door. Toilets are a fact of life. Body functions are as well. Unless this is the ONLY bath in a house? I'm not big on sharing bath time AND the functions that tend to go with it : ) Take your stink to another or wait until I am out : )

    An extra foot of drywall and framing costs "spit". Seven feet is lovely if you plan to spend the day in there.....reading. Me ? Not so much......

    In any scenario, don't forget the fan/light COMBO door or no door

    Peter thanked JAN MOYER
  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    6 years ago

    I never understand this waste of space inside a a master bathroom , I would shoot anyone who wanted to use the toilet while I was in the bathroom. In europe where these are separate rooms not connected they make sense.

  • PRO
    Bates Design Associates, LLC
    6 years ago

    This is appropriate spacing. The 30" door size works, but you won't lose much if you go with a 28" and it will give you a little more space to work around the commode. Good luck with your project!

  • Snaggy
    6 years ago

    Why is the loo in a room in the bathroom ?


  • User
    6 years ago

    I agree with Patricia! I absolutely despise those separate little rooms with just the toilet. They are never big enough to be comfortable, especially for anyone with mobility issues or needing to use a walker or wheelchair, even temporarily. Or for anyone who is visiting who happens to be larger. As for "privacy", seriously....do you constantly have other people in your bathroom when you have to potty? NOT. Just close the door to the bathroom and lock it if you think someone is going to come on in. I say no door at all; the space is too small to be that closed off. I wouldn't even have a partial wall, and put in a smaller vanity to make more room between the toilet and the vanity/sink.

  • maureen214
    6 years ago

    I had this size toilet room in a bath and found it awkward to close the door which swung inward. As a practical matter I did not close the door if I was alone and if someone else was in the other part of the bath I would not use the toilet. I would rethink whether it is something you really want and consider leaving it open. A pocket door would be better but they are not great either, it looked good in the magazines I saw but didn’t add to functionality.

    Peter thanked maureen214
  • kudzu9
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I have just such a room in my master bath. I didn't choose it, and never had one before, but I like it. Mine is a little wider, a bit shorter, and has a pocket door. It also has its own separate fan, of course, and that can be a benefit if one person is using the rest of the bathroom while the other is using the toilet. It's plenty roomy, and the pocket door means you don't have to worry about access in an emergency, or have wasted door swing space. You can even have electrical on the other side of the wall if you plan carefully so you can use a shallow box, or you can make the wall a bit thicker and use a standard box; you just have to route the wiring so that there is no possibility of the sliding door rubbing against the cable and wearing the insulating jacket over time.

    My toilet room has no sink, but in 12 years of using it I never once thought about germs until I read this thread. And I still don't worry about them. Any germs are either from my own body or from someone I live closely with and whose germs I am going to already be sharing. That's a non-issue for me. If you're going to worry about germs, you should be more concerned about public restrooms and airplane lavs, not your own home.

    As far as the utility of pocket doors, I have 4 bath or powder rooms in my home and every one has a pocket door. If I ever have another home, that's what I want. In my experience, those who have complaints about pocket doors are those who have had them installed using lower quality hardware, and they have problems with them moving smoothly or needing repair. If you use quality pocket door hardware, like Johnson brand (http://www.johnsonhardware.com/pocket-door-hardware), you should have zero problems; the Johnson hardware is beefy and the wall framing kit has steel-jacketed studs to keep the pocket walls sturdy and warp-free. My house is 17 years old and the pocket doors remain trouble free and still glide effortlessly.

    Peter thanked kudzu9
  • User
    6 years ago

    The space is just too small for an in-swinging door.

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Unless you are a candidate for reality TV and" The Biggest Loser " .....................you're fine. Use the 28 inch door, or consider no door. Share "events" as little as possible : )

    PS 28 inches is a common entry to a full bathroom, not just a poo closet. You'll fit. Don't wring your hands, just wash 'em.

  • Najeebah
    6 years ago
    In-swing door, or no door.
    An outward swing would mean that the person busy at the sink closest to the toilet would need to move aside for the other to pass through.

    And regarding the size yours is certainly fine, more than meets code.
    But I don't like them. The times you're sick, retching, fainting, on crutches, in an awkward cast, never mind wheelchair... space around you comes in handy. I like the concept of separate toilets and see the practicality of them for shared bathrooms but I would only design one for myself that way with excess space for the worst case scenario.

    Door handle.
    Most people wash their hands after touching it.
    Peter thanked Najeebah
  • Peter
    Original Author
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Good point. What about the shower door? Is that too tight for the person at the vanity? Code says it has to swing out.

    Because the bathroom is 6 feet wide, it's about 4 feet from the front edge of the counter to the back wall.

    Also, we decided to move the entrance to allow for a towel bar by the shower.

  • roarah
    6 years ago

    Swing the shower door towards the wall. The proper hard ware might cost a bit more to do this but it is an option. Or have a double hinge where you can swing it in or out. This is a bit more money.

  • kirkhall
    6 years ago

    3x6 interior dimensions will be fine, even with inswing door (though I generally prefer outswing or pocket for safety... but a full 6' length, you can more easily push the body out of the way. A 5' "room", that is near impossible.)

  • kudzu9
    6 years ago

    Code requirement is that there be 24" of unobstructed space in front of a toilet. In my toilet room, my elongated toilet extends 28" from the wall, and I have 35" clear space (total of 5'-3"), which feels more than adequate; it would even be ok if it was somewhat shorter. And with a pocket door, I don't have a door swing or safety issue to be concerned about.

  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    A shower door can swing both ways!! Frameless and heavy glass with no issue.

  • Najeebah
    6 years ago
    agreed, shower doors can swing in & out.

    good decision to move the entrance door.

    seems you'll have no direct natural lighting in the vanity area. are you sure you're ok with that?

    pocket doors are best for doors that often stay open, and in dry locations.
    not a major issue as the shower is somewhat separate, but it's not a good idea to have inaccessible grooves in steamy areas.
    Peter thanked Najeebah
  • kudzu9
    6 years ago

    Najeebah-

    Quality pocket doors hang from nylon rollers on a galvanized steel track. There are no grooves involved, hidden or otherwise. I have three showers in my house with pocket doors nearby and have had no problems with moisture affecting them for the 15 years I've lived here.

  • PRO
    AC Design, LLC
    5 years ago

    Make it a pocket door.

  • Olychick
    5 years ago

    Since this thread is over a year old I suspect the decision has been made. Not sure why you're reviving it?

  • qofmiwok
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I'm shocked that people are questioning whether 36x72 is big enough when most toilet rooms I've ever been in are 36x60 and they are just fine.

  • hydeparkgirl
    3 years ago

    I know the thread is old, but I was looking here to get thoughts on a toilet room (or WC), which we are now seriously considering. Here is one more reason in favor of it: toilets aerosolize particles, which can get on your toothbrush (and other things) if you don't close the lid. It actually seems like, if you're worried about the ick factor, you'd rather have a doorknob to clean than a toothbrush and other surfaces! Here's a NYT piece on the coronavirus and toilets, although that's not, presumably, a big concern in your own house. Just one more thing to consider!

    https://www.cnet.com/how-to/is-your-toothbrush-covered-in-poop-heres-how-to-thoroughly-clean-it/#:~:text=Every%20time%20you%20flush%20your,bathroom%20%2D%2D%20including%20your%20toothbrush.&text=Your%20toothbrush%20is%20gross.&text=This%20phenomena%2C%20known%20as%20%22toilet,the%20Journal%20of%20Applied%20Microbiology.


    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/health/coronavirus-toilets-flushing.html

  • Cleng D
    last year

    Mine is 42" x 72" with a barn door closure. I had to enclose the toilet for the 30" double-hung window between the toilet and vanity to ventiliate the area. The closet doesn't have any window or anything, its all in one space, no separation door, no wall, through & through. I thought of to just enclosed the closet at first but it will be dark & plus no ventilation at all. Works fine to us :). Anyway, I have 10" × 18" master closet & bath combo

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