# how do i tell what size "rough in" my current toilet is?



## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

Can't say myself - maybe one of the pros will chime in. Some toilets, including those in my house, have an adjustable tank to account for differing roughins.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

Measure from the wall to the center of the mounting bolts, and from the center of the mounting bolts to the front of the toilet, write those down, and take them to the store with you.


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## liverlipsyyz (May 3, 2011)

here's what i'm thinking. right now there is a 4" gap between back of tank and wall. there is 14" from wall to bolt. so, does that mean the toilet is probably a 10" rough-in toilet? and would that mean that if i put in a 12" rough-in toilet it would stick out another 2"?


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## VIPlumber (Aug 2, 2010)

Nope. The rough-in of a toilet is measured to the center of the hole and the bolts should be roughly where the center of the hole is. Therefore when you say you've already measured the bolts, and they're 14" from the back wall and you have 4" from the back of the tank to the wall, it sounds to me like there was a floor joist in the way that accounts for the difference or someone used an offset flange on the original install.

Normally there's ~ 1 or so between the back of the tank and the finished wall. Dexter's suggestion is spot on as there are different styles of toilet bowls to consider (elongated, round, etc...) if is it's tight space you're dealing with.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Measure from mounting holes in the bowl to back of tank to determine existing toilet rough in


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## liverlipsyyz (May 3, 2011)

TheEplumber said:


> Measure from mounting holes in the bowl to back of tank to determine existing toilet rough in


thanks! do you mean the bolts the hold the toilet to the flange?


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Yes, those bolts


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## liverlipsyyz (May 3, 2011)

TheEplumber said:


> Yes, those bolts


okay. i think that measurement is 10". so i assume my current toilet is a 10" rough-in sitting on a 14" rough-in floor. i'm guessing they used 10" because the toilette is between the vanity and the wall and in the back corner of the wall must be a pipe they dry walled. so the tank does not fit right against the back wall anyway, because of that bit of corner they had to dry wall. am i to assume that if i purchase a 12" rough-in toilet that it will stick out 2" more than my current one? if so, there won't be enough room to stand in front of the toilet. so, i'll have to look for a 10" rough-in toilet?


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Maybe not. Your best bet is to measure from the same holes to the front of the bowl and go to a store and measure their toilets to match yours. Or check online catalogs.


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## X10012 (Jul 6, 2012)

Ok here's the scoop as far as I read it. You have 14" from finished wall to bolt. You have a 10" rough toilet size, leaving you with a 4" gap between finished wall and back of tank.

Next, here's where I think you're backwards.. If you where to purchase a 12" rough toilet that would shrink your gap by 2 inches. The rough size measurement of toilets is used to determine the distance from flange bolts to finished wall. Consider the following example

Lets say you have 12" from bolts to finish wall, getting a 14" rough toilet wouldn't work because the tank would be holding you from setting the toilet on the flange. Now for instance you buy a 10" toilet, now you have a 2" gap from tank to wall...

In summary getting a larger rough toilet should shrink the gap not make it larger... At least that's how it works in my head.


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## svaic00 (Jul 2, 2012)

X10012 said:


> Ok here's the scoop as far as I read it. You have 14" from finished wall to bolt. You have a 10" rough toilet size, leaving you with a 4" gap between finished wall and back of tank.
> 
> Next, here's where I think you're backwards.. If you where to purchase a 12" rough toilet that would shrink your gap by 2 inches. The rough size measurement of toilets is used to determine the distance from flange bolts to finished wall. Consider the following example
> 
> ...


He is wondering if you go from a 10" to a 12" rough in toilet, will the toilet be longer in the front? Yes you will close the gap on the backside of the toilet by 2", but will the front half of the toilet also be longer. If its 2" longer in the back, will it be 2" longer in the front? If so, he will be losing 2" of space for people who use the toilet, and he cant afford to lose that space. 

Therefore like people had said, measure from the bolts to the front of the toilet, go look for a 12" rough in toilet, and measure those bolts to the front of the toilet, if its the same, you will not lose any space in the front, you will just close the gap in the back of the toilet by 2".


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## stever170 (Jul 20, 2012)

Thanks I am relaxing a toilet and going to by a new one tonight did not even think of measuring from bolts to wall. You all might have just saved me a trip.


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