Bathroom design consideration: Where should you put the toilet?

We can all agree that the toilet is one of the most essential bathroom parts, so when it comes to designing this space, you will want to take the time to figure out exactly where the toilet should be located.

This is an important decision both aesthetically and functionally. Houzz explained that plumbers and framers need to know where the toilet will go, where the water supply needs to be and whether the toilet be mounted to the floor or the wall. Additionally, you must consider wall paneling, tile installation, baseboards and shower doors in relation to toilet placement.

Luckily, other bathroom choices such as opting for a shower tub combo or a stand-alone clawfoot tub and whether or not you want brass faucets will be based more on your own personality and tastes. Choosing the toilet itself will also fall into this category, but here are some helpful considerations to keep in mind when deciding where to put it:

Privacy or open concept
Generally, bathrooms are an open space without walls separating different areas, but in some cases you may want to create some privacy for the toilet part of this room. You can include what’s referred to as a toilet room, according to Active Rain, that fully blocks the toilet from the rest of the bathroom within its own walls. With this, you can opt to include a door as well. This can be useful if your home only has one bathroom that’s shared between your family, as it allows for more than one person to use this room at a time. You can also install a half-wall that offers some privacy without boxing you in, or you can choose to have an open concept bathroom without any additional walls. If you go with this design, keep in mind that you might not want the toilet to be the first thing you see. Position it accordingly on the side of the tub that’s further from the door.

Be mindful of shower doors
Houzz noted that in order to meet building codes, a shower door must be able to open both in and out, so if you’re placing a toilet next to the shower, you need to ensure that there is enough space for this. If the toilet is too close to the door, it can create flow problems. Additionally, if the door is glass, there’s a higher risk of it cracking or breaking if it hits the toilet too hard.

Special details
The source also noted that toilets are most often roughed-in 12 inches from a finished wall, which is fine in most cases. However, if you are installing a toilet that needs anchoring clips it can interrupt radiant heating. Before deciding where to place the toilet, it’s necessary to make sure the anchors won’t affect water lines or heating cables. Additionally, if you plan on using any special wall treatments like baseboards or unique paint such as stripes, you might want to finish these projects before installing the toilet as it can be heard to reach behind the tank.