Standard Bathtub Sizes: Guide to Common Tubs

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Updated on 11/28/22
Reviewed by

Johnathan C. Brewer II is a licensed general contractor specializing in kitchen, bath remodels, and general construction with two decades of professional experience.

Fact checked by

Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design.

The typical bathroom is already so starved for space that it can be like a jigsaw puzzle trying to comfortably fit everything in. Large pieces such as the toilet, shelving, and bathroom vanity already crowd into this tiny area, and every square inch is at a premium. And the one element that takes up the most space is the bathtub or bathtub/shower combination of which there’s no true standard tub size.

The standard tub size displaces more than 13 square feet of floor space; a corner shower stall unit, while it occupies about 30 percent less room, still takes up about 9 square feet. Since small full bathrooms can be as small as 36 to 40 square feet, positioning the bathtub is no easy feat.

What is the most common standard tub size?

While bathtubs differ, standard tubs typically have external measurements of about 60 inches long, 30 inches wide, and 14 to 16 inches high, with an apron at the front. Bound by three walls, it’s a versatile tub that fits in the alcoves of most small bathrooms. Soaking tubs measure 60 to 72 inches long.

Because bathrooms tend to be small spaces with many elements, space planning is of utmost importance. Homeowners and designers working out bathroom plans often find themselves nudging items by inches rather than by feet in order to get things just right. Knowing standard bathtub sizes is the first step toward smart, effective bathroom planning.

In practice, this may not be also possible, but even in small, cramped bathrooms, the toilet or vanity cabinet should be spaced at least 12 inches away from the edge of the tub, and the rest of the tub should have open floor space at least 24 inches wide.

Typical Bathtub Sizes

Averages and ranges for bathtub sizes for standard bathtubs, plus specialty tubs like oval, corner, and whirlpool bathtubs.

In the context of a bathroom, an alcove is defined as a space bounded by three walls. This is often the most logical position for the bathtub within small or standard-sized bathrooms.

In narrow bathrooms, a typical configuration is to situate the tub alcove so that the two long walls of the room form the ends of the alcove and the back wall forms the enclosure’s side. The room’s walls naturally form the alcove. This generally works well in a small 6-foot-wide bathroom that’s considered the minimum size for accommodating a full bathroom.

However, in larger bathrooms, the walls are often too far apart to form a natural alcove. In this kind of bathroom, an extra partition wall might be constructed to isolate the tub alcove from a small privacy alcove for the toilet. Larger bathrooms have many more options for positioning the tub within the space.

Bathtubs designed for alcoves generally have a finished front panel called an apron. The two side ends and the back side are open since these sides will be covered by the walls of the alcove. Alcove bathtubs range in size from 5 to 6 feet long, and 30 to 36 inches wide, which lets you choose a tub appropriate for your space.

Small Alcove Bathtubs

Very small bathtubs are not common but they are slowly gaining acceptance, largely because of the popularity of the tiny house movement.

If you have a very small bathroom, your best bet is to forego the tub altogether and install a shower instead. But if you don’t love the idea of giving up a spa-like bath in your tiny bathroom, this size is your best option:

• Length: 54 inches
• Width: 30 inches
• Height: 15 inches

Moderately Sized Bathtubs

Millions of bathrooms are outfitted with this standard-sized bathtub, which fits the natural alcove size in most bathrooms. In most remodeling projects, this will be the type of alcove tub you install, since other options would require a build-out to change the physical size of the bathroom itself.

• Length: 60 inches
• Width: 32 inches
• Height: 18 inches

Long Bathtubs

This popular segment of the alcove tub market adds an extra foot to the length and several inches to the width of a standard alcove tub. This supersizing of the tub will accommodate larger sized bathers or two people. Or it is the perfect bathtub for people who simply want more space to splash about.

This long bathtub will not fit in most natural alcove spaces, but it can be a good option for new construction projects or for remodels that involve moving walls for added space.

• Length: 72 inches
• Width: 36 inches
• Height: 20 inches

Tip

Large tubs are not one-size-fits-all. If you want a larger tub, triple-check the measurements, and be sure to bring a tape measure while shopping to ensure you get the proper size.