Bathroom Floor Plan
A bathroom has little room to spare, so a bathroom floor plan has to place every fixture and the door swing before anything is built. This page gives typical sizes from a WC to a full bathroom, the common fixture layouts, and the clearances codes and designers use. The example is a 2.5 × 2.0 m (8 × 7 ft) bathroom with a bathtub, toilet and sink that you can open and rearrange.
A full bathroom with bathtub
Drawn to scale. The links open this room with the same furniture, ready for you to add doors and windows and resize anything.
Typical bathroom sizes
| Metric (typical) | Imperial (typical) | Fits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WC or powder room | 0.9 × 1.5 m to 1.2 × 1.8 m | 3 × 5 ft to 4 × 6 ft | Toilet and a small sink |
| Shower room | 1.5 × 2.0 m to 1.8 × 2.4 m | 5 × 7 ft to 6 × 8 ft | Shower, toilet, sink |
| Full bathroom | 1.5 × 2.4 m to 2.5 × 2.7 m | 5 × 8 ft to 8 × 9 ft | Bathtub, toilet, sink; larger rooms add a shower |
What sets the size of a bathroom
Most bathrooms are sized around the longest fixture. A standard bathtub is about 1.5–1.7 m (5–5′ 7″) long, so a tub across the end of the room sets its width; the toilet and sink then line up along the long walls. A shower room can be narrower, since a shower tray is often 80–90 cm (2′ 8″–3 ft) square.
The 5 × 8 ft (1.5 × 2.4 m) bathroom is a common compact full bathroom in North America. Smaller rooms work as a WC or a shower room.
Bathroom layouts
Everything on one wall
Sink, toilet and tub or shower in a row. It keeps the plumbing together and suits narrow rooms.
Bathtub along the long wall
The tub runs along one long wall, with the toilet on the end wall and the sink opposite the tub. The example plan uses this layout.
Shower instead of a tub
A 90 × 90 cm (3 × 3 ft) shower frees space for a larger sink or storage in a small room.
Separate WC
In a family home a toilet in its own room takes pressure off the main bathroom.
Door, window and fixture placement
The door is the fixture people forget. An inward-swinging door must clear the toilet and sink as it opens; if it does not, flip the swing, move the door along the wall or use an outward-opening or sliding door. Opposite the door is the view everyone gets when it is open, which is why many plans put the sink there rather than the toilet.
A window over the tub or beside the toilet is common. Keep it away from where a shower screen or tall unit would block it, and note its sill height: a low window in a shower needs to be suitable for a wet area.
Clear space at fixtures
In the US, the International Residential Code (IRC) sets minimums of 15 in (38 cm) from the centre of a toilet to a side wall or fixture, 21 in (53 cm) of clear floor in front of a toilet or sink, and 24 in (61 cm) in front of a shower entrance. The NKBA recommends more, such as 30 in (76 cm) in front of the toilet. Other countries set their own rules, so check the ones that apply where you build.
In the example, the toilet centre is about 50 cm (20 in) from the bathtub and 60 cm (2 ft) from the wall, with about 60 cm (2 ft) of floor in front of the toilet and 65 cm (2′ 2″) in front of the sink.
Bathroom fixtures in the library
Default sizes of the library fixtures. Resize the bathtub for a 150 cm (5 ft) tub, common in smaller bathrooms.
Toilet
40 × 70 cm (1′ 4″ × 2′ 4″). The depth includes the cistern; wall-hung models are shorter.
Sink
70 × 45 cm (2′ 4″ × 1′ 6″). Widen it for a vanity unit or a double basin.
Bathtub
170 × 75 cm (5′ 7″ × 2′ 6″). Fits across the end of a room about 1.8 m (6 ft) or more wide.
Shower
90 × 90 cm (2′ 11″ × 2′ 11″). Resize it for a rectangular or walk-in shower.
Washer
60 × 60 cm (2′ × 2′). Some layouts put the washing machine in the bathroom.
Storage and where the bathroom goes
Bathroom storage is usually a vanity under the sink, a mirror cabinet and somewhere for towels. A wider sink unit adds storage without adding floor area.
A main bathroom is easiest to reach from a hallway rather than through a bedroom. Placing it beside or above the kitchen or laundry keeps the drains short, and an en-suite usually sits between the bedroom and its closet or along the bedroom’s outside wall for a window.
Common bathroom planning mistakes
A door that hits a fixture
Draw the door swing on the plan; it is the most common clash in a small bathroom.
Toilet squeezed beside the tub
Less than the side clearance from its centre to the tub or wall makes it uncomfortable, and may not meet local rules.
No space to dry off
Leave a patch of clear floor outside the tub or shower, not only the minimum in front of each fixture.
Forgetting the plumbing wall
Fixtures spread over three walls need more pipe runs. Grouping them on one or two walls is often simpler to build.
Plan your bathroom in the editor
Measure precisely
In a small room a few centimeters matter. Type the exact wall lengths; the room’s area updates on the plan as you go.
Place the door
Add it with D, then flip the swing until it clears the toilet and sink.
Place the fixtures
Start with the bathtub or shower, then the toilet, then the sink. They snap flush to the walls.
Check the gaps
Use the measure tool between fixtures, and look at the room in 3D.
Bathroom templates and tools
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest size for a full bathroom?
A common compact full bathroom is about 1.5 × 2.4 m (5 × 8 ft), with a 150 cm (5 ft) bathtub across the end. Local building rules may set minimums.
How much space does a toilet need?
The US IRC asks for at least 15 in (38 cm) from the toilet centre to each side and 21 in (53 cm) clear in front. More, such as 75 cm (30 in) in front, is more comfortable.
Can I plan a shower instead of a bathtub?
Yes. The library has a 90 × 90 cm shower tray; resize it to your enclosure.
Which way should a bathroom door open?
Whichever way clears the fixtures and does not block the hallway. Draw it and flip the swing in the properties panel to compare; a sliding door needs no swing space at all.
Can I plan plumbing or electrics?
Yes, as a layout sketch. The Pipes & cables tool (P) draws water, waste, electrical and gas runs, and the symbols include sockets and switches. It is not an engineering design: sizes and routes follow local rules and a qualified installer.