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ANSI Z765 and NEN 2580
Stored in the EU
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Bathroom layouts with dimensions
The rule that shapes every bathroom layout: 15 inches from the center of a toilet or sink to a wall or anything beside it, 30 inches center to center, and 21 inches clear in front (IRC P2705.1). Below are five layouts drawn by the editor that meet it; open any size and change it.
Floor area from the calculation engine; clearance checks from the bathroom check (IRC 2021)
Five bathroom layouts
Layout
Floor
Checks met
Full bath, 5 × 8 ft
40 sq ft
3 of 3
Half bath, 4 × 5 ft
20 sq ft
4 of 4
Three-quarter bath, 6 × 7 ft
42 sq ft
5 of 5
Jack and Jill bath, 12 × 8 ft
96 sq ft
3 of 3
Primary bath, 10 × 12 ft
120 sq ft
5 of 5
The golden rule for bathroom layouts
These are the minimums in the International Residential Code; your area may have adopted another edition or its own changes. The National Kitchen & Bath Association recommends more room than this.
Toilet or sink: 15″ from its center to a side wall or anything next to it.
Two fixtures side by side: 30″ center to center.
In front of a toilet or sink: 21″ clear.
A shower: at least 900 square inches, and no side under 30″ (IRC P2708.1).
Tile and the wall behind the tub
Each wall can have up to four bands, like tile to 6 ft and paint above. The wall elevation draws them to scale with the tub in front, and the card of the wall counts the square feet and the tiles per band.
Wall A of the 5 × 8 ft full bath, drawn by the editor: the tub across the end wall, tile to 6 ft.
1Open the editor with a bathroom of the size you want, or draw your own room. The size is the inside size, between the walls.
2Turn on Interior and pick a tub, shower, toilet and vanity from the library. Each lands with its back to the wall.
3Open the Bathroom and kitchen check: for each fixture it shows the clearance it measures next to the code number, and says what is tight. It never blocks you.
4Split a wall into bands, like tile to 6 ft and paint above, and see each wall to scale in Wall elevations.
5Look at the room in 3D, and export a PDF, PNG or DXF.
Keep 15 inches from the center of a toilet or sink to a wall or the next fixture, 30 inches center to center, and 21 inches clear in front. That is IRC P2705.1; the bathroom check in the editor measures it for you.
What is the ideal layout for a bathroom?
One that fits the room and the plumbing. In a 5 × 8 ft bath the tub goes across the 5 ft end and the toilet and vanity share the long wall; larger baths add a separate shower or a second sink.
What is the smallest bathroom layout?
A half bath with a toilet and a small sink. Our 4 × 5 ft half bath meets the IRC clearances; the check shows each number.
How do I plan the layout of my bathroom?
Measure the room inside the walls and mark the door, the window and the drain. Place the biggest fixture first, then the toilet and sink, and check the clearances. Squaremetry lets you do this on your own size, free to draw; a clean export costs $5 per home.