# Toilet and Shower Rough In Dimensions



## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

you can eliminate the foam insulation in the immediate area of the shower and toilet...
or you can break open the floor and redo the pipe to get the extra inches.


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## jaydevries (Jan 29, 2012)

shower rough in very, toilet rough in is 12". drywall is 1/2" wall usually and 5/8" on ceiling in residential. so you have 1 inch foam tight to wall i would seal seams in foam and then fasten 2x4 's flat against foam that will give you 3 inches total. which will work if you want to you could always add another 1/2 of foam over lapping other foam seams.
here is a link of what a company sells for basement walls
http://www.ovrx.com/basement-wall-panels.html


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## jaydevries (Jan 29, 2012)

i would leave the foam on that is one of the best way to finish a basement if heated due to heat transfer from concrete wall


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## a7ecorsair (Jun 1, 2010)

You could buy a toilet with a 10" rough in:thumbsup:


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## Canucker (May 5, 2011)

VikingDinKC said:


> Hello
> 
> For me, I have 1 inch foam,* ½ inch gap*, 3-1/2 inch bottom pressure treated sill plate, and then I will add ¾ inch of sheet rock. So I have a total of 5-3/4 inches. So that means I am going to have 10-1/2 inches for my rough in toilet from finished wall. Based on this, should I remove the 1 inch foam? Doing that, I am only at 11-1/2 inches. Another option is to use 2x2 for the bottom sill plate instead of the 2x4 but this would make it difficult to then add the fiberglass insulation.


 Do yourself a favour and eliminate that gap between the foam and stud wall. Especially if you're using fiberglass insulation.


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## VikingDinKC (Jan 17, 2012)

Thank you for the feedback and for pointing out that a 10 inch rough in toilet was an option and sheet rock is only ½ inch thick. Is it a fair assumption that a 10 inch rough in toilet flushes as well as a 12 inch rough in? Also, I am kind of embarrassed but I had a math error in my first post. Based on all the feedback and correcting my error, here is what I got:

PVC pipe 15-1/2 inch from wall, then subtract 1 inch for foam insulation, 3-1/2 inches for bottom sill plate, 1/2 for drywall (total 5 inches). That leaves me 10-1/2 inches which will fit for a 10 inch rough. Please let me know if I made another error  

As for my shower, my PVC pipe is 18-1/2 inches from the wall. I have looked online for a while now and cannot find the dimensions for a pre-purchased center draining shower pan (just a basic white one – my wife hates the thought of cleaning the tile floor). At Home Depot, the sign said 15.3 inches but the .3 worries me. Any feedback on the rough in dimensions? Here is what I am thinking I will have: 1 inch for foam insulation, 3-1/2 inches for bottom sill plate, 1/2 for drywall (total 5 inches). That leaves me 13-1/2. I am thinking it might be a good idea to go and purchase the shower pan just to make sure I am roughing it in correctly but I did not want to spend $160 yet  

Any feedback is appreciated.


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

VikingDinKC said:


> PVC pipe 15-1/2 inch from wall...


less 12" for a STANDARD toilet leaves you 3 1/2" for wall structure and insulation.




> As for my shower, my PVC pipe is 18-1/2 inches from the wall.
> ..the dimensions for a pre-purchased center draining shower pan (just a basic white one... At Home Depot, the sign said 15.3 inches but the .3 worries me. Any feedback on the rough in dimensions?


1) Go to the pan makers website and get THEIR cutsheet...
2) don't build ANTHING until you have the pan at your house



> Any feedback is appreciated.


As stated above... regardless of how you build the other 200LF of wall in your basement... the 30" behind the toilet and the 36" at the end of the shower really and truly can be done differently.

f'rinstance: the 6 or t studs at issue can be made narrower or turned on their side to 1 1/2" or you can decide that the 3 1/2" of insulation in the stud cavity will be an adequate compromise. 

Lot's of (zero cost) compromises to be had. Choose one.

hth


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

TarheelTerp said:


> less 12" for a STANDARD toilet leaves you 3 1/2" for wall structure and insulation.
> 
> 
> hth


12" is to finished wall, so even with the 2x4 wall slammed to the concrete (probably not good) he's going to be shy 1/2"


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Shower pans come in a multitude of sizes.


What size are you looking for? Most of them come with center drains, however they usually center the drain between the back wall and the inside of the dam, so they will have the drain around an inch or inch and a half off center of the entire unit, and usually a little closer to the backside.

Being that the floor is concrete, i'd recommend buying the pan that you want before you set the p-trap, that way you know for sure that it's going to be in the right place.


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## VikingDinKC (Jan 17, 2012)

Thank you for all the feedback. For the toilet, sounds like the 10 inch rough in is the best bet. I would prefer to keep the walls framed at 3-1/2 inches since I will most likely be running drain pipe in the walls. On the other side of the bathroom, I am going to have a wet bar so I think the drain for the sink will drain into the bathroom.

For the shower, I am thinking 36 x 48 or maybe even 34 x 60. I have room for either and at this moment, I cannot think of a down side for going larger. It sounds like I need to make the shower pan purchase so I can make sure the rough in is correct. Any product brand better than another… looking at Lowes and Home Depot, American Standard and Kohler are brands I recognize.

Thank you again for all the feedback.


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

VikingDinKC said:


> Thank you for all the feedback. For the toilet, sounds like the 10 inch rough in is the best bet. I would prefer to keep the walls framed at 3-1/2 inches since I will most likely be running drain pipe in the walls. On the other side of the bathroom, I am going to have a wet bar so I think the drain for the sink will drain into the bathroom.
> 
> For the shower, I am thinking 36 x 48 or maybe even 34 x 60. I have room for either and at this moment, I cannot think of a down side for going larger. It sounds like I need to make the shower pan purchase so I can make sure the rough in is correct. Any product brand better than another… looking at Lowes and Home Depot, American Standard and Kohler are brands I recognize.
> 
> Thank you again for all the feedback.


 yep do a 10" rough in closet...as far as shower look around for some different rough in ...it could be adjusted by breaking concrete.... not that big of a deal:yes:


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

If you can get your hands on an aquaglass, they make a pretty nice shower base with a fancy front edge and some real nice heavy legs and steel frame underneath it.


http://www.aquaglass.com/products.php?product_id=1879&page=2

I can't tell by the picture if it's the same one, but if you click on the little hammer button up by the image, you can see the outline of the steel frame underneath.

I'm not sure how much they were, but I really liked these units.


I'm sure everyone else has favorites as well.


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## VikingDinKC (Jan 17, 2012)

Thank you again for the responses. The bathroom I am working on is in the basement on a concrete floor. Is it a fair assumption that the P-Trap for the shower is in the concrete? If not, I am not sure there is enough space to put one in under the shower base.

Also, just as an FYI, this is a pretty helpful article.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-P...lumbing/plumb--install-a-shower-base/View-All


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Yes, the p-trap will be under the concrete. If it isn't, you need to put one there.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Here is a link with more details on the rough in....

Professor Toilet......the guy really knows his sh!t.....



Sorry.....couldn't resist....


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## VikingDinKC (Jan 17, 2012)

Thank you for the Professor Toilet post but it appears to state things differently than I understand.

Here is what the site states:

When talking toilets, the toilet rough in is the distance from the wall behind the toilet to the center of the outlet pipe where the waste leaves the toilet. The most common distance is 12 inches, so most toilets have a “12-inch rough.”

Is the outlet pipe where the waste leaves the toilet the PVC pipe in the floor? If so, I thought it was 12 inches from the wall to the closet part of the PVC pipe in the floor (not the center). Should I be measuring from the center of the pipe to the wall?

Also, just as an FYI, I went to Home Depot and they have VERY few 10 inch rough in toilets. I am going to do everything I can to make the rough in 12 inches just so I do not have to special order a toilet… don’t want to spend all my money on a toilet.


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