7 Important ADA Restroom Requirements For Your Commercial Space
Opening a commercial business is a very rewarding yet complex experience. When you’re in the process of designing your establishment, the restrooms are often the last thing on your mind. But due to their many code requirements, restrooms should actually be toward the top of your to-do list—especially if you want to prevent unexpected roadblocks that could affect your timeline or budget.
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations may not be a part of the International Building Code, but the law is an important one and comes with necessarily strict guidelines. Here are seven broken-down and clarified restroom requirements for your bar or restaurant.
One: Turn-Around Radius
When it comes to floor clearance, there are two different options or rules to follow. The clearance route typically seen is known as the 5-foot turning radius. This means that there is a 5-foot circle of clear floor space for a patron in a wheelchair to turn around within the restroom stall itself.
The other option is the T-shaped turning radius. This is just as it sounds. There is T-shaped area of clear space on the floor for a wheelchair to back up and then turn to either the right or left. The overall dimensions of clear space needed for this turn-around method is a 60-by-60-inch square, but the T-shape gives some allowances on either side of the wheelchair. This method is especially effective in small or oddly shaped restrooms.
Image Source: Page 03 of the Bobrick Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms
Two: Grab Bar Heights
There are three different grab bars needed in a commercial ADA accessible restroom. The first two bars should run horizontally. One horizontal grab bar is 36 inches long and should be mounted on the wall behind the toilet. The other horizontal bar is 42 inches long and should be mounted on the wall that’s adjacent to the toilet. In addition to the horizontal bars, ADA law requires an 18-inch-long bar to be mounted vertically above the 42-inch grab bar. The diagram below shows mounting heights and distances, as well as different solutions that accommodate sanitary disposals and toilet paper holders around the grab bars.
Image Source: Page 09 of the Bobrick Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms
Three: Toilet Seat Height And Distance
Before purchasing plumbing fixtures, be sure to check for ADA compliance. An ADA-compliant toilet would have a seat height of 17 to 19 inches. All other ADA qualities are dependent on the location of the toilet and the placement of the grab bars, but the center of the toilet should sit 16 to 18 inches from the adjacent wall and your 36-inch grab bar should be mounted accordingly. The diagram below shows the distances allowanced for each grab bar from the toilet.
Image Source: Page 07 of the Bobrick Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms
Four: Door Accessibility
Because restrooms aren’t exactly the money-maker of a restaurant, we typically try to keep the square footage as low as possible in these areas. But, less square footage means less room for clearances and this could affect the accessibility of your restrooms. There are many different ways to approach designing for a door and its necessary surrounding clearance, and some variables that could affect clearance requirements include the direction of approach, door swing direction, handle type and so much more. The following diagram illustrates the necessary clearances for each variable.
Image Source: Pages 125-126 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Five: Sink Clearance
There are multiple different design solutions for bathroom sinks, but all variations are required to be ADA compliant. Sink-height requirements are consistent throughout all solutions and should be no more than 34 inches high. If the sink is under-mounted and built into the countertop, then the countertop surface should be 34 inches, too.
However, if you’re using a vessel sink that sits above the surface, you’re actually required to account for the height of the sink itself and reduce the height of the countertop or cabinetry accordingly. This helps ensure that the overall height of the lavatory doesn’t exceed 34 inches.
In addition to height requirements, you’ll need to account for clearance below the sink so that a wheelchair can comfortably pull-up to and under the sink. In all instances, from the front of the sink, you need to have 8 inches of clear space for the patron’s knees. When concealing the P-trap with a protective panel, the depth from the front face of the sink to the base of the P-trap should be no less than 11 inches, so that it can accommodate the patron’s knees, legs and toes.
Image Source: Page 05 of the Bobrick Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms
Six: In-Wall Fixtures
There are many in/on-wall accessories or dispensers needed in a restroom, like soap, paper towel dispensers, and seat cover and sanitary dispensers. The mounting height varies from accessory to accessory, but the dispenser opening should be no more than 48 inches from the floor. Another accessory with a height requirement is the mirror. Vanity mirrors are typically seen installed over a sink, and in this case, the maximum distance from the floor to the bottom of the mirror is 40 inches. If it’s installed elsewhere, the bottom of the mirror should be no more than 35 inches from the floor.
Image Source: Page 03 of the Bobrick Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms
Seven: Projection
When we think ADA, we typically assume that we’re talking only about wheelchair accessibility because it’s what we most commonly see. However, when designing any space, it’s important to consider accessibility for the blind as well. Floor clearance may not be as big of a concern for people who are blind, but items projecting from the wall are. Between 27 inches from the floor and up to 80 inches from the floor, items on walls cannot project more than 4 inches in depth into the path of travel, unless their projection extends into the 0- to 27-inch wall space. This includes light fixtures, shelving, bathroom accessories and more.
Image Source: Page 116 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design