How Far Should A Bathroom Sink Be From The Wall?

Bathrooms tend to allocate only limited floor space in most house designs. With such a little space to work on, it is crucial to plan out the positioning of every key bathroom element. One of the most important is the sink. Where is the optimum placement of a basin within such a limited space? Obviously, you most likely won’t have the option of extending your bathroom, so you have to work with what you have.

When measuring from the center of the sink to the wall, there should be 15-inches of space. According to many local building codes, 15-inches is the bare minimum requirement between the sink and wall, but the recommended distance is at 20-inches. Also, there should be an extra 4-inches from the basin’s rim and other large solid objects. 

Again, to get the proper measurement, remember to start from the sink’s centerline or the drainage hole. 

Required Bathroom Floor Space for Sinks

To further detail, the minimum clear floor space required at the front of the basin is approximately 30 x 48-inches. In addition, 19-inches of the 48-inch floor space can be placed underneath the sink if it is a freestanding model. 

As for the right sink height, it will be subjective to the size of the people who will be using it. Standard sink height is between 29 to 36-inches high from the floor. 

How Far Should a Single Sink Be from the Wall?

When it comes to the standard single sink, the perfect distance from the sink to the wall is 20-inches. If you are working with limited space, though, you can reduce that down to a snug 15-inches. However, avoid going lower than that as it would prove to be detrimental in the long run. 

A 15-inch distance from the center of the sink to the wall will provide just enough wiggle and elbow room to use the washbasin properly. Adding some more space with the recommended 20-inches will add some convenience and comfort.

Going more than 20-inches from the wall will allow for easier cleaning of the sink and improved overall comfort, thanks to the added space. You can also opt for smaller single basins to maximize the limited floor space available.

How Far Should a Double Sink Be from the Wall?

For double sinks, the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) recommend that homeowners still follow the standard measurements for single sinks. The main difference is that the dual sink’s rim or edges should have at least 4-inches of space from the wall and other large bathroom fixtures such as cabinets. 

As for the space between the two sinks, the recommended distance is 36-inches in between both sink’s drainage holes. However, if limited space is a factor, you can go down to at least 30-inches apart. 

Conclusion

All in all, the appropriate distance between the sink and wall should be 20-inches with a minimum length of 15-inches. The measurement is essentially unchanged for double sinks, but the space between the two sink’s centers should be at an ideal 36-inches and no less than 30-inches.