PLANNING A BATHROOM LAYOUT CODE

Since a 34' (2-10) interior door is typically a special order custom door, this standard is usually met with a 36' (3-0) standard door.For example, a 32' clear opening requires a 34' door, and a 36' clear opening requires a 38' door. To achieve a clear opening, the door size must ordinarily be at least 2' larger.Any other width and any door wider than 36' is generally made as a custom door. For bathrooms complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the clear door opening must be 32' wide with the door fully open which usually requires a 34' wide door at a minimum.

PLANNING A BATHROOM LAYOUT CODE

Many communities have, however, supplemented the basic code by requiring a minimum 30' door opening in most rooms, 24' for bathrooms, at least one 36' exterior door, and a minimum door height of 6'-8' (80'). The International Residential Code is silent as to door widths and heights of interior doors.Always check your local codes for requirements not in the national code. We will also use comments to introduce recommendations and rules-of-design that are not a part of the guidelines published by the NKBA.īuilding Code Requirement: No International Residential Code requirements. If we want to clarify or expand on a guideline, this is where we will do it. Your local code authority may have modified or added to national requirements, so always check with your local code authority before making any changes to your bathroomĪre remarks by the publishers of the rule, standard or guideline used to clarify or expand the standard or guideline.Īre our observations and explanations.

But if you are building or remodeling for a person with limited mobility, they provide a good template for how things should be built. Most ADA standards do not apply to private residences. These are taken from Standards for Accessible Design published by the U.S. Where appropriate, the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act are also indicated. Refers to the International Residential Code (IRC) and associated plumbing, electrical, mechanical and access codes. The verbatim text of an NKBA guideline recommendation. For more information and to locate an NKBA member in your area, contact The National Kitchen and Bath Association. The NKBA guidelines are used for academic and educational programs in bathroom design, evaluation of bathroom plans, and testing the competencies of designers seeking certification. We have included these in comments where applicable. These guidelines are not the only bath design rules, however.ĭesigners and contractors have worked out some rules of thumb over many years that do not rise to the level of official national standards but represent a distillation of years of experience and generally accepted industry practice. See how many your existing bathroom violates for a better understanding of why it may seem awkward and dysfunctional. The National Kitchen & Bath Association developed the Bathroom Planning Guidelines to provide designers with good planning practices that consider the typical needs of users.Ī committee of experts in bathroom design reviewed relevant research, lifestyle, and design trends, and Model Building Code requirements to assure the updated guidelines promote the health, safety, and welfare of consumers.Ī bathroom that follows all of these rules is almost guaranteed to be both functional and safe. The Illustrated Rules of Good Bathroom Design The Rules of Good Bathroom Design Illustrated

Planning a bathroom layout