Purchasing a new toilet seat? Learn how to measure and get it right the first time.
Time 5 minutes
ComplexityBeginner
Cost$0 to $10
Introduction
It's well worth your time to quickly measure your toilet before buying a new seat. It's completely beginner-friendly, costs nothing and only takes five minutes, but will save you the frustration of buying the wrong size seat.
To do this, you'll take three measurements: length, width, and the width between the seat bolts. Measure the toilet itself, not the existing seat. Elongated toilet seats are about 18-1/2-inches long, and round seats 16- to 16-1/2-inches. Both share a width of around 14 inches, and bolt spread is commonly 5-1/2-inches from the center of each bolt.
Why measure in three places? You may have an older or specialty toilet with non-standard measurements. In that case, you'll need to contact a plumbing supply store or order a custom seat from a manufacturer.
I've changed out many toilet seats in my home, customers' homes and my rental properties. This measuring system, a real time-saver, has never let me down.
One of my rental properties has wall-mounted toilets installed in 1972. These toilets pre-date modern standard sizing and require special-order seats every few years. Hopefully, your toilet seats don't need this kind of special attention. But if you're armed with the right measurements, you can buy with confidence every time.
Tools Required
- Pencil
- Tape measure
Materials Required
- Paper
Watch How To Measure a Toilet Seat Properly
Project step-by-step (3)
Step 1
Measure between the bolts
- Locate the bolts that attach the seat to the toilet.
- Measure the distance between the center of each bolt.
- Record that measurement.
Step 2
Measure the toilet length
- Place the end of your tape measure at the approximate center point between the toilet seat bolts.
- Measure from this point to the outside edge of the front of the toilet.
- Record that measurement.
Step 3
Measure the toilet width
- Place the tape measure hook on the outer edge of one side of the bowl at its widest point.
- Measure across the toilet to the outer edge of the opposite side.
- Record that measurement. You’re done!
