An ADA-compliant restroom is one that meets the Standards for Accessible Design in turning space, doors and provided elements. ADA standards apply to both public and employee restrooms. The ADA outlines how many single-user restrooms or stalls in multi-user restrooms must be compliant.
There are specific items that are required for an ADA toilet: A raised toilet seat for easier sitting and standing for the disabled. Tool-free removable arms, for more flexibility to users. Added height - there is an additional 17"-18" over a standard toilet.
Accessible Toilets
An ADA-compliant toilet should be at least 60 inches wide and have a seat between 17 and 19 inches from the base of the unit to the seat top. In addition, there should be 16 to 18 inches of room between the unit's centerline and the sidewall.
The newest and most popular comfort height is typically around 16 1/8” floor to rim. The standard ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) height toilets must have, a 17”-19” floor to bowl rim height, including the seat.
Stall Size
Wheelchair-accessible stalls must be at least 60 inches wide minimum. As far as depth, if the toilet is floor mounted the stall must be 59 inches deep minimum but if the toilet is wall mounted it only has to be 56 inches deep minimum. This space can include each of the items and spaces below but no others.
When selecting the water closet in commercial construction the IPC requires the water closet bowls be of the elongated type, rather than the round type you usually see in residential homes. Also, they require that the elongated bowl have a seat that is of the hinged open-front type.
ADA compliance is short for the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design. What that means is that all electronic information and technology—i.e, your website—must be accessible to those with disabilities. ADA is often confused with Section 508.
Comfort height is the height that meets ADA standards. It is more comfortable for taller people and for people who have a hard time getting up from a low seat, like the elderly or disabled. It will measure 17 to 19 inches from the floor to the seat.
ADA Requirements Overview:
By ADA standards, the clear width of a door opening must be a minimum of 32 inches. This clear width measurement is taken between the face of the door and the stop of the frame with the door open to 90 degrees (Figure A).
Users need to be able to activate the toilet handle without twisting or straining the wrist and with minimal force, less than 5 pounds. Flush buttons sometimes need more than 5 pounds of force, but most that use a lever-activated flush valve can meet the ADA toilet flush handle requirements.
Wheelchair Accessible Toilet Compartments
ADA bathroom requirements state that this type of stall shall be at least 56 inches deep for wall-hung toilets and at least 59 inches deep for floor-mounted toilets. The width must be at least 60 inches, as measured from the right angle of the sidewall or partition.
ADA Compliant Roll-In Shower Requirements
Roll-in showers require the following features to be classified as ADA compliant: An interior that measures at least 30” wide and 60” deep. Clearance of 30” wide and 60” long must be provided adjacent to the opening of the shower unit. A rounded threshold of no higher than ½”
If a wall mounted water closet is used, the depth of the stall is required to be a minimum of 56 inches (1420 mm). If a floor mounted water closet is used, the depth of the stall is required to be a minimum of 59 inches (1500 mm).
Standard toilet seats are usually no more than 15 inches from the floor, while the ADA requires toilets that are at least 17 inches and a maximum of 19 inches from floor to seat. These are generally called “comfort height” toilets.
No more than 50% for each use within a cluster must comply. Compliant toilet rooms and portable units must be labeled by the International Symbol of Accessibility unless all are accessible (§213.2, Ex. 3, §216.8).
There are two big reasons why “universal height” is different from “ADA compliant”: The height requirement for “universal height” (16.5″) is lower than the height requirement for ADA compliance (17″). This means that a 16.5″ tall toilet can be called “universal height”, but it won't be ADA compliant.
How do you set up a pocket door opening to meet ADA requirements? In a pocket door setting, the door must extend into the opening. A general rule of thumb used by inspectors is that the door's pull must have a 1 ½” space on both sides of the door in both the open and closed positions.
What's the minimum required space for an ADA compliant bathroom? Unfortunately, the answer to this question isn't so clear-cut. With a shower, the smallest ADA bathroom could be about 54 square feet. Without a shower, the bathroom can shrink to 37.5 square feet.
The ADA standards require the additional ambulatory accessible compartment when the room has more than 6 stalls/urinals. Both types of accessible stalls would need self-closing doors with pulls on both sides, as well as complying with the minimum clear width, 5-pound maximum opening force, maneuvering clearance, etc.
If your household is made up of adults, particularly if they are of advancing age, then a comfort height option might be for you. If people using your bathroom are shorter in stature or include children, you might be better with a traditional height toilet.
New technology and design advancements, such as pressure-assisted flushers and modifications to bowl contours allow high-efficiency toilets to flush better than first-generation low-flow toilets.
It prohibits disability discrimination. The ADA is divided into four main sections, which are called Titles: Title I covers employment; Title II covers public entities and public transportation; Title III covers public accommodations and commercial facilities; and Title IV covers telecommunications.
In general, minimum accessible bathroom size is 60 inches wide by 56 inches deep plus clearance space for fixtures.