Toilet-to-wall distance

I bought a new shower/tub surround that specs the alcove to be 60-1/8" between rough-in walls. Based on that, the center of the toilet drain (fixed into the concrete floor) to the rough wall would be 10-3/8", assuming a straight 90-degree wall. I plan to use 1/2" greenwall reducing this new distance to 9-7/8". I havn't purchased a toilet yet but I'm concerned there may not be enough space. Would it be better to purchase a toilet before installing the wall? When I looked at other installed toilets each had various sized gaps (1/8" to

1-1/4") between the tank and the wall. My other options might be

  1. Using thinner greenboard or panels for walls

  1. Slightly angle the wall to make a toilet-to-wall custom fit
  2. Put a small jog in the wall

What makes this so confusing is all the different toilet dimensions.

Reply to
Phisherman
Loading thread data ...

Reply to
Don & Lucille

"Rough-in" dimensions for toilets can be 10", 12" or 14". With 12" most common.

I find the term rough-in a little confusing since it's actually the dimension from the toilet discharge centerline to the back of the tank.

imo nothing rough there, better have a least that much room from waste line centerline to finished wall (drywall or tile surface).

But you're in luck there is a "fitting" called an offset closet flange that can be used to bump the waste line centerline, I think you can get 1.5" or 2" offset but using one will require some concrete demo. :(

Otherwise you could fool around with making the wall between the tub & the toilet "thinner".

I assumed that the toilet backed up against the wall between the toliet area & the tub?

I recently (well, not that recently) went through the headache of having a rough in dimension too small. They didn't account for the wall mud & tile when the bathroom was built in 1930. I struggled with getting a 1930 wall tank (cracked) out & replaced with "no room" to spare. I should have dismounted the toilet, chipped away some tile & mud and installed an offset to make my life easier. .....next time.

cheers Bob

Reply to
BobK207

Round bowl vs. elongated toilets have different distances from the drain center to the wall. What kind are you thinking about installing?

Reply to
The Postman

The rough-in dimension has nothing to do with the shape of the bowl.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

The rough-in dimension has nothing to do with the shape of the bowl.

R

Agreed, The different shapes come in a variety of rough-in sizes.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

Reply to
Don & Lucille

I slightly prefer the elongated toilet to match the other toilets in the home. I didn't realize that bowl type was connected to distance to the wall. I'm willing to go with either type with a strong preference to a good fit.

Reply to
Phisherman

No, the waste drain on elongated toilets is further from the rear wall than the one on a round bowl. Guess you haven't installed too many toilets ;-)

Reply to
The Postman

I went to New Orleans a couple of years ago when my church was sponsoring the rehab of a flooded church building. The church had 18" brick and stone walls.

Once upon a time, someone decided they needed a bathroom, and for some reason the rough-in for the plumbing was too close to the wall. Instead of going under the *wooden* floor and moving the plumbing, they chiseled a four-inch "grotto" into the exterior wall so the toilet would fit.

I wish I had a picture....

Reply to
SteveBell

I guess you're confused. ;)

Here's one toilet available in both round and elongated bowls and the spec sheets showing the same rough-in and distance from the wall dimensions.

formatting link
Maybe you should call the manufacturers and tell them their spec sheets are wrong. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

It's not. The rough-in dimension is a nominal dimension and there is some leeway.

Here's one Toto 10" rough toilet:

formatting link
shows a more-or-less standard 3/4" clearance from the toilet to the wall. If you're not tiling the wall behind the toilet you should be fine.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Unless you are a plumber, I would guess that I have installed at least as many in this lifetime as you have.

I stand by what I posted. I also have one of each in my own personal home and they are the same distance from the wall.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

=2E..in _this_ lifetime? What about in previous lifetimes? I hadn't realized we needed to keep track of previous-lifetime accomplishments. ;)

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Speaking of Toto toilets, I had recently renovated my in-laws bathroom, and I had roughed in a standard 12" toilet drain. We had ordered a Toto ADA compliant elongated 12" 2 piece toilet, and to my surprise after we installed it there is still a good 1 1/2" of space between the tank and wall. And I confirmed that this is a standard bowl for 12" rough in. Why this happened, I don't know, but just a suggestion, do some field measurements of the toilet bowl at the showroom. Some manufacturers might do things differently.

Reply to
Mikepier

The standard for both elongated and round is 12". Colby and Rico are correct.

I have installed between 35 and 50 toilets in my life, including 7-8 elongated bowl, 4-5 10" rough round front toilets, and three 14" rough round front toilets. I haven't seen any elongated toilets other than

12" rough, but I wouldn't doubt that they exist.

JK

Reply to
Big_Jake

toilet:

formatting link
> It shows a more-or-less standard 3/4" clearance from the toilet to the

I'm beginning to think that a spec of 12" to the wall may or may not include a 1.5" space between the tank and wall. I'm guess that allows for tiling, wanes coating, paneling, etc. Not what I intended, but it looks like I'm going to buy the toilet BEFORE putting up the wall.

Reply to
Phisherman

Wise choice. The spec sheet will always indicate the clearance to the wall as well as the rough in dimension. There's always room back there.

I think that Toto understates the clearance from the tank to the wall. The 3/4" indicated on their cut sheets in actuality is a _very_ heavy 3/4". 1" plus is more like it.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Check whether the clearance is to the back of the tank or to the back edge of a lid hanging out past the back of the tank.

Reply to
SteveBell

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.