Bidets are fairly new to the United States but are becoming more and more popular for homeowners worldwide.
They are an excellent option for those who want to minimize their overall waste, lower costs, and feel fresher after a trip to the restroom, but many people do not know how to measure a toilet for a bidet properly.
To Measure A Toilet For A Bidet, You Will Need To Do Three Things:
- Determine the shape of the bowl (round, elongated, square, or D-shaped)
- Measure the distance between the bolts along the length of the bowl
- Measure the distance between the bolts along the width of the bowl
Measuring your toilet is a fairly easy process, but we will break it down step by step to make the process simpler.
Once you have your measurements, you will be able to choose the best bidet for your needs and install the device. From measurement to installation, it is a simple process if you follow the proper steps.
Start By Establishing The Type Of Toilet You Own
Bidet users will experience a cleaner and healthier bathroom experience. You can purchase standalone bidets, or you can add a bidet to practically any toilet.
The first step is to know what type of toilet you own and find a bidet that fits properly. First, decide if you have a one piece or a two-piece toilet.
This is a pretty easy process, as you can expect one-piece toilets to have the tank as part of the bowl. Two-piece toilets refer to those that have a tank separate from the bowl but attached with bolts. Traditionally, two-piece toilets are the most used in traditional homes.
If you have a two-piece toilet, you have far more bidet options and almost any bidet company will have devices available for your needs. On the contrary, one-piece toilets have much more limited options and you may only find a few bidets that fit your toilet.
Pay Attention To Bowl Shape
Once you have established if you have a one-or two-piece toilet, it is time to decide the shape of your toilet bowl. This may sound very self-explanatory, but it can be vital in the measuring and bidet choosing process.
There are several toilet bowl shapes available, but the main shapes are:
- Elongated – This toilet shape is similar to an elongated circle or oval. They can also be referred to as pointed since the front of the bowl does come to a slight point.
- Round – This is common for traditional toilets and appears smaller than most other toilet shapes. These toilet bowls are very circular.
- D-Shaped – Another modern option, this toilet bowl appears like an upper-case D. They are flat along the back of the bowl with a rounded front.
- Square – Popular in modern bathrooms, these toilet bowls are exactly how they sound—square.
How Do I Measure My Toilet?
Now that you have established the type of toilet you have, you can narrow down your bidet search significantly. However, to ensure you get the best fit for your toilet, you will need to measure your toilet bowl.
This is an easy process, only taking a few key steps:
- Step 1 – You will want to look at your toilet bowl with the seat off, there will be two holes at the rear of the toilet. Use a tape measure to measure the distance between these two holes at the back of the bowl (usually 5.5 inches/13.97cm).
- Step 2 – Next, measure the bowl width. Start by finding the widest part of the toilet bowl and measure it from edge to edge. These will usually fall between (14 and 14.5 inches/35-37 cm’s), depending on your toilet shape.
- Step 3 – This final step becomes a little tricky depending on your bowl shape. Since elongated and round are the two most common options, these are the ones we will focus on.
- Elongated Bowls: Start the center front edge of the bowl. You will measure from the bowls front to the back bolt holes. Most elongated toilets will measure between (18 and 19 inches/45-48 cm’s).
- Round Bowls: Once again, place your measuring tape on the front edge of the bowl and measure to one of the back bolt holes. Most round bowls measure between (16 and 17 inches/ 40-43 cm’s)
Types Of Bidets
Now that you know more about how to measure your toilet bowl, it is time to jump into your search for a new bidet.
There are a few key types of bidets, depending on your needs and budget. Some popular bidet types are:
This can be used on any type of toilet and size or shape does not matter. For this reason, they are often the easiest choice and they are also the least costly. However, they do much less and tend to be very basic.
This style of bidet attaches to the existing toilet bowl, underneath the seat. These are usually a basic sprayer type attachment, not allowing for temperature control and no drying ability. However, for those who are new to bidets or want something affordable, this is not a bad option.
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These seats make it necessary to measure your toilet as you will want the perfect fit.
This style of bidet will replace your current toilet seat with a new combo toilet seat and bidet attached. The spray jets for the bidet are located inside and under the seat.
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Of course, this is a more involved design and leads to higher pricing. However, these come with more advanced options that can make the price worth it for most homeowners.
They usually come in both an electric and a non-electric version, with the electric being a little pricier.
These electric options allow you to plug your bidet into a power source. This gives you additional features like water heating, seat heating, warm air dryer, a fan driven deodorizer, and more.
You will want to look into the exact bonus features offered from the bidet you are considering.
Hand-Held Bidet Sprayers
This is similar to the bidet attachment but a little more basic. It can be hard for new users to master this technique because it does require some finesse.
Instead of attaching to your toilet seat, it instead attaches to the water line itself and has a long hose with a faucet type attachment at the end.
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Handheld sprayers are exactly as they sound, which means you must spray yourself upon completion of using the restroom. This puts you in charge of the water spray, which can be a little difficult.
These also do not have a ton of features and many find them hard to use, but they can be a good choice if you want something affordable.
Installing Your Bidet Seat
A major part of purchasing your new bidet is installing it.
Bidet seats are often the most popular choice for homeowners who want to make the switch to using a bidet, but they also take the most installation effort.
The basic installation process for your bidet is:
- Installing both a bidet seat and an attachment will require you to shut off the water supply to your toilet.
- Once you have the water shut off to your toilet, you will want to replace the old valve with a two-pronged valve. This new valve should come with your bidet when you purchase, and you will simply use a wrench to unscrew the old valve and replace it.
- You will then attach the new supply hoses to the new valve. One of the hoses goes to your toilet and one will go the bidet itself.
- If you purchase a bidet seat, you will completely remove your old toilet seat and replace it with the bidet toilet seat.
Most bidets will come with instructions or even instructional videos. However, if you do not feel comfortable with installing your own bidet, you can consult a plumber for assistance.
If you are interested in getting a fresher, more efficient clean, a bidet is a great option but does require some work for proper installation.
Follow our previously mentioned steps to ensure you measure your toilet properly prior to purchasing your bidet.
Once you have a bidet that fits your needs, the installation process is fairly simple and in no time, you will be on your way to a better clean.
Sources: www.bidet-toilet-seat.com/ www.toiletreviewer.com/ www.toiletbidet.com/ www.consumerreports.org