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Putting a 12' toilet in a 14' rough In Space

12 years ago

I would like to put a 12" toilet in a 14" rough in space because I would like to use a toto toilet but don't have the additional cash to buy the unifit system. The choice of toilets with this unifit system is also limited. I know there will be a small space behind the toilet. My questions are: are there any problems/potential problems I could run into doing this? What could I use as a brace/bumper for the back of the toilet to give it the support that the wall normally does? The back wall is tile. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

Featured Answer

Terry Love

9 years ago

Renovator, you mention a toilet that swivels between 10" and 12". Caroma makes a 270 bowl that does that.

That doesn't help someone that is asking about a 14" rough.

The TOTO 14" Unifit adapter, like their 12" Unifit, replaces the lower portion of a trapway. It's made of plastic and installs "over" the closet flange. The bowl then drops down onto the adapter, which complets the trapway.
With those bowls, depending on the adapter you choose to install with, you have choices of 10", 12" and the 14" rough.

Most toilets that advertise as a 14", install using a 12" bowl. This leaves the bowl pretty far out into the room. TOTO at least gives you the option to shift the bowl back closer to the wall.

And yes, they work great!

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Comments (8)

User
12 years ago
I have this situation caused by a dim witted plumber who unfortunately was a friend.

The tank of a modern two-piece toilet is not intended to rest against the wall and should not need it for bracing. In any case, the tank lid would touch first and possibly break flip up. The only drawback of your plan is a space as large as 3 inches behind the toilet.

IMHO you will soon forget the savings and wonder forever why you bought the wrong toilet. I think about replacing mine every day. How much does the 14" Toto cost?
sherwoodva
12 years ago
We lived with that for a week and then ripped out the toilet, gave it to Habitat for Humanity, and installed a 14" It does not go with the sink like the first one did, but at least it does not look like it is sitting in the middle of the room! I could not stand it, as we have a very small bathroom.
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kudzu9
12 years ago
Can you bring the wall out 2" or so to resolve the gap issue?
Debbie Downer
12 years ago
Post this in plumbing- there are these offset collars that can adust spacing of the toilet from the wall... I cant remember how ours was done, it might have been taking it down from 14 to 12.

Having the toilet sitting out that far is just WRONG!.
lazypup
12 years ago
Kashka,,, I am a plumber and for the record the offset flange you describe is now prohibited by code.
User
12 years ago
The offset adapter fits above the floor for toilets that are designed to use it. The toilet would have an 11" actual rough in and the adapter would be placed to decrease or increase the rough in dimension by one inch (to 10" or 12") by being reversed.

Any other kind of 2" offset adapter would require having enough room to offset below the floor.

In general it is not a good idea to make it any harder for waste to pass through this critical part of the system if you want to avoid backups.
mbake44
6 years ago
I understand that if you're used to toilet backs being very close to the wall, it might look weird to have one a couple of inches out. But in my house, one toilet's cover almost hits the wall, another is about 1 3/4" out and the third is a good 2 1/2" from the wall. I never even noticed it until I decided to replace them and measured the rough-in (by measuring the distance from the wall to the bolts). At first I thought I had one 12" rough-in, and two 14" - which wasn't at all pleasant because the selection of 14" rough-in toilets is dismal. It was only when I went back and measured again that I realized the toilets were not the same distance from the wall. I guess the builders just weren't consistent.

So I don't share the sentiment of most commenters here, and would say that unless there's some substantive reason that no one has mentioned, and you don't think it's going to bother you personally, go for the 12" rough-in Toto.

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