# Freestanding Lavatory placement & Euro Style Vanities



## ZanneJ (May 18, 2015)

Hi, I haven't visited this site in a long time and all of my projects have been on hold due to life being crazy.

I have a question involving something a website claimed about code, but I could not actually find the code.

According to this site http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/bath.design.rules.htm#.VVml0CHBzGc down at Guideline 5 it says



> Building Code Requirement:The minimum distance from the centerline of the lavatory to a wall is 15". (IPC 405.3.1)
> 
> The minimum distance between a wall and the edge of a free standing or wall-hung lavatory is 4". (IRC R 307.2)


But I went to http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2012/icod_irc_2012_3_sec007.htm?bu2=undefined  and looked up R307.2 and it has no mention of lavatories. It talks about showers. I checked the code from previous years on that site as well and none of them seemed to list this rule about four inches. Was this an old code that was removed? Or is it a new code that was added after 2012?

The current text of R307.2:

*R307.2 Bathtub and shower spaces. *

Bathtub and shower floors and walls above bathtubs with installed shower heads and in shower compartments shall be finished with a nonabsorbent surface. Such wall surfaces shall extend to a height of not less than 6 feet (1829 mm) above the floor.

Now, IF I assume that the 4" rule actually does apply, what qualifies as a freestanding lavatory? I know pedestal sinks count-- but what about Euro-style vanities?







Do those count as freestanding since the lavatory part takes up the top and there is no counter space?

IF they count as freestanding and IF the 4" rule applies, would I be able to put a small shelf next to it (at about the height of the top rim) to bridge the gap between it and the wall (so I won't have stuff falling in there)?

Something like this:






Also, if the code applies, could someone tell me where specifically it is cited so I can make sure to document it?

If not, then I will be able to have the vanity about 2 or 3 inches from the wall (since I do want some elbow room). The vanity is about 26" wide.


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## north star (May 18, 2015)

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Which code edition are you you using as your reference ?



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## ZanneJ (May 18, 2015)

north star said:
			
		

> *~ : ~ : ~*Which code edition are you you using as your reference ?
> 
> 
> 
> *~ : ~ : ~*


The 2012 edition that I linked. I couldn't find a more recent version available online. I also looked at the 2009 version and the diagram did not have anything about the 4 inches.

However, I forgot to look at the 2006 version and I see the diagram there Figure R307.1. It just says "lavatories" without any specific detail.

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2006f2/icod_irc_2006f2_3_sec007.htm?bu2=undefined

Image from 2006 edition:






The rule about lavatories seems to be missing from later editions. So, does this mean it was moved elsewhere in the code and I just haven't found it? Or was this particular rule eliminated?

And I couldn't find anything to indicate whether or not the euro-style vanities count as lavatories.

Thank you for the reply! (sorry that I wasn't more clear in the first post about my reference).


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## ZanneJ (May 18, 2015)

Brief update: I managed to get the right word search combination on google to find proposed revisions to the 2007-2008 version of the IRC. One of the suggestions was to remove the diagram of the lavatories with 4" separation since it was not supported anywhere in the text of the code and was impractical in application.

See http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/codes/Documents/2007-08cycle/ProposedChanges/V2_RB1-100.pdf and look for R307.1 (it is referenced a few times, but the drawing will be present in discussion of why it was requested to be removed).

So, my guess is that it went through prior to 2009 and the 4" rule is no longer a requirement.


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## Paul Sweet (May 19, 2015)

I think the intent of the 4" distance is to allow enough clearance to clean the edge of the lavatory, so putting a shelf next to it would meet the intent, because there wouldn't be an exposed edge to clean.  The shelf should be caulked to prevent water damage from spills.


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## ZanneJ (May 19, 2015)

I need to find the document with the proposed changes again because they actually commented on the intent, but I can't remember what it was. I think they suggested something about elbow room. Regardless, the rule has been eliminated, although the 15" from center applies, but given that a sink can sit on or under a countertop, I think putting a small shelf or 2" strip between the vanity and the wall would be ok. I'd use exterior grade paint and be sure to caulk the seam. I considered having one of those pull out narrow shelves between the wall and the vanity-- kind of like this:






But then, I'd have to make sure I had the right amount of distance from the wall.

Thanks for the response!


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