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Standard Bathtub Sizes: Guide to Common Tubs

Standard Bathtub Sizes

The Spruce / Melissa Ling

The typical bathroom is already so starved for space that it can be like a jigsaw puzzle trying to comfortably fit everything in. With large fixtures, such as the toilet, shelving, and bathroom vanity, arranged into a tiny area, every square inch is at a premium. The bathtub or bathtub/shower combination typically takes up the most room, yet there's no true standard tub size.

The standard tub size displaces more than 13 square feet of floor space; a corner shower stall unit, while it occupies about 30 percent less room, still takes up about 9 square feet. Since small full bathrooms can be as small as 36 to 40 square feet, positioning the bathtub is no easy feat.

In practice, this may not be also possible, but even in small, cramped bathrooms,

What is the most common standard tub size?

While bathtubs differ, standard tubs typically have external measurements of about 60 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 14 to 16 inches high, with an apron at the front. Bound by three walls, it's a versatile tub that fits in the alcoves of most small bathrooms. Soaking tubs, which are designed to submerge your entire body, measure 60 to 72 inches long.

Space planning is critical to fit everything into a bathrooms, especially when you're faced with a smaller space. Homeowners and designers working out bathroom plans often find themselves nudging items by inches rather than by feet in order to get things just right. Knowing standard bathtub sizes is the first step toward smart, effective bathroom planning.

In practice, this may not be also possible, but even in small, cramped bathrooms, the toilet or vanity cabinet should be spaced at least 12 inches away from the edge of the tub, and the rest of the tub should have open floor space at least 24 inches wide.

Typical Bathtub Sizes

Averages and ranges for bathtub sizes for standard bathtubs, plus specialty tubs like oval, corner, and whirlpool bathtubs.

 Type of Bathtub  Length Width Height
Small Alcove Bathtub 54 inches 30 inches 15 inches
Alcove Bathtub 60 inches 32 inches 18 inches
Drop-in Bathtub  45 to 72 inches  30 to 32 inches 14 to 20 inches
Oval Bathtub 60 inches 41 inches 24 inches
Whirlpool Bathtub 60 inches 32 inches to 36 inches 18 inches to 23-1/4 inches
Corner Bathtub 60 inches 60 inches 22 inches
Freestanding Bathtub 55 to 72 inches 27 to 32 inches 15 to 20 inches
Long Bathtub 72 inches 36 inches 20 inches
  • 01 of 06

    Alcove Bathtubs

    Alcove bathtub

    krooogle / Getty Images

    In the context of a bathroom, an alcove is defined as a space bounded by three walls. This is often the most logical position for the bathtub within small or standard-sized bathrooms.

    In narrow bathrooms, a typical configuration is to situate the tub alcove so that the two long walls of the room form the ends of the alcove and the back wall forms the enclosure's side. The room's walls naturally form the alcove. This generally works well in a small 6-foot-wide bathroom that's considered the minimum size for accommodating a full bathroom.

    However, in larger bathrooms, the walls are often too far apart to form a natural alcove. In this kind of bathroom, an extra partition wall might be constructed to isolate the tub alcove from a small privacy alcove for the toilet. Larger bathrooms have many more options for positioning the tub within the space.

    Bathtubs designed for alcoves generally have a finished front panel called an apron. The two side ends and the back side are open since these sides will be covered by the walls of the alcove. Alcove bathtubs range in size from 5 to 6 feet long, and 30 to 36 inches wide, which lets you choose a tub appropriate for your space.

    • Small Alcove Bathtubs: Very small bathtubs are gaining popularity because of the tiny house movement. If you have a very small bathroom, your best bet is to forego the tub altogether and install a shower instead. But if you don't love the idea of giving up a spa-like bath in your tiny bathroom, this size is your best option.
    • Moderately Sized Alcove Bathtub: Millions of bathrooms are outfitted with this standard-sized bathtub, which fits the natural alcove size in most bathrooms. In most remodeling projects, this will be the type of alcove tub you install, since other options would require a build-out to change the physical size of the bathroom itself.
    • Long Bathtub: This adds an extra foot to the length and several inches to the width of a standard alcove tub. This supersizing of the tub will accommodate larger sized bathers or two people. This long bathtub will not fit in most natural alcove spaces, but it can be a good option for new construction projects or for remodels that involve moving walls for added space.

    Tip

    Large tubs are not one-size-fits-all. If you want a larger tub, triple-check the measurements, and be sure to bring a tape measure while shopping to ensure you get the proper size.

  • 02 of 06

    Drop-In Bathtubs

    Drop-in style bathtub

    Nazar Abbas Photography / Getty Images

    Another popular style of bathtub is the drop-in tub, which is designed to fit into a constructed deck with the top and exposed sides finished off with tile or another material. These tubs have no factory-finished sides at all; they simply drop into a cutout in the deck, much the way a drop-in sink fits into a vanity countertop. This is a style often used for luxury whirlpool tubs or large two-person tubs.

    In medium-sized bathrooms, the deck for a drop-in tub is sometimes fitted into an alcove, with the deck exposed only on one side. But in larger bathrooms, the tub deck can fit into a room corner and be left exposed on two sides. In very large bathrooms, such tubs can even be fitted into pedestal decks that are exposed on all sides.

    Drop-in bathtubs are usually best suited for larger spaces since the constructed deck takes up a considerable amount of extra space in the room.

    It's standard practice to construct the deck for a drop-in tub so there are at least 6 inches of flat deck space around all sides of the tub. This means the deck structure needs to be at least 1-foot longer and wider than the tub itself.

    Remember that during planning you'll need to add a full foot to both the length and width to accommodate the constructed deck that surrounds the bathtub.

  • 03 of 06

    Oval Bathtubs

    Oval bathtub

    Robert Daly / Getty Images

    Oval bathtubs come in either drop-in or free-standing models. Even though oval tubs appear to be more generously sized in all directions, in reality, they are only wider, not longer. And garden tubs are taller soaking tubs.

    Comparing a standard-size oval bathtub with a similarly sized alcove tub (60 inches), the oval proves to be up to 6 inches wider. For the drop-in variety of oval tubs, this means that you must build a wider apron for the tub to rest in, which you must plan for as you design the bathroom layout.

    Oval bathtubs may be an impractical choice for small bathrooms. Fitting one in can be tricky even in a medium-sized room. They can be quite effective in larger bathrooms, or medium-sized bathrooms with a long configuration, in which the extra width of the tub is not a problem.

  • 04 of 06

    Whirlpool Bathtubs

    Whirlpool bathtub

    rothivan / Getty Images

    Even though whirlpool bathtubs might visually appear to be larger than normal, in many cases these tubs come in standard alcove-ready sizes, since so many standard-sized tubs are now being outfitted with jetted, whirlpool mechanisms. Whirlpool tubs also come in styles designed for drop-in installation.

    The thin acrylic shell provides ample interior space for hiding the tubes for the jets and the pump unit. Six-foot rectangular sizes are available, as well as high-sided whirlpool walk-in tubs.

    A whirlpool tub can be a viable option in almost any medium- to large-sized bathroom that can accommodate a standard alcove tub or drop-in tub.

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  • 05 of 06

    Corner Bathtubs

    Corner bathtub

     

    Marje / Getty Images

    Corner bathtubs are a great option for a primary bathroom, especially when you love nothing more than lounging in a tub with a good book or watching a wall-mounted television. Corner bathtubs are more about luxury, fun, and treating yourself well than about getting clean.

    For placement, it helps to think of corner bathtubs as square-shaped, not triangular, since they dominate a hefty footprint in the bathroom. Essentially, a corner tub is a square with one corner ​snipped off. A corner tub can be configured in several ways. Some tubs are indeed shaped with a triangular shell, but it is also possible to use a drop-in style tub that is fit into a triangular-shaped deck built into a corner of the room.

    Many standard-sized corner bathtubs can fit in alcoves, but they will take up a good amount of space. These are tubs best suited for rather large bathrooms.

  • 06 of 06

    Freestanding Bathtubs

    freestanding clawfoot tub

    David Papazian / Getty Images

    In addition to the standard-type bathtub that is set into an alcove or a drop-in style that is mounted into a constructed deck, there are also many freestanding bathtubs available, ranging from reproductions of the old-style clawfoot bathtubs to ultramodern pedestal tubs.

    With a freestanding tub, it's accepted practice to provide an extra 3 inches of space around the ends of the tub and 4 inches between the side of the tub and the wall. So if you want to fit this tub into a natural alcove space, it will need to be about 6 inches shorter than the alcove's width (3 inches at both the head and foot of the tub). In other words, when planning the tub's location in the room, use a footprint size that is 6 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the tub's actual dimensions.

    However, remember that the tub's style may change the space required in the bathroom. And remember that the tub will require extra clearance around the ends and sides of the tub. These are bathtubs that are best suited to large bathrooms, or to medium-sized bathrooms with a shape that accommodates such a tub.

FAQ
  • How many types of standard tubs are there?

    There are six different sizes of standard tubs, plus three sizes of alcove tubs — small, moderate, long.

  • Can two people fit in a standard tub?

    The size of the people will determine if they can fit. Some may fit in a 60-inch tub but may not find it comfortable. Also, if it's a standard alcove-type tub, one person may not be happy having the faucet jutting into the back of their head or body. You might want to look at tubs greater than 66 inches long, 33 inches wide, and 22 inches tall for a two-person tub. Also, consider center-mounted faucets along one long end.

  • What is a good depth for a soaking tub?

    When looking at an ideal water depth measurement, most people are happy with a minimum depth of 15 inches, usually deep enough to cover most people. Standard tubs meet this minimum requirement. Japanese soaking tubs are generally deeper, with depths of up to 22 inches deep.

  • How much space should I have in front of my tub?

    As you plan the location for your tub, remember that designers recommend the free space in front of the tub should be a minimum of 60 inches long and 30 inches wide, to allow users to safely enter and exit the tub.

  • How deep is a standard tub?

    Most standard tubs are between 14 and 20 inches deep.

  • What is a good depth for a soaking tub?

    A soaking tub should be at least 22 inches deep to allow a person to submerge most of their body.