The primary purpose of the toilet seat is to maintain hygiene. However, more advanced toilets feature toilet seats that bring comfort to the bathroom. Some toilet seats are durable, while others are not. When your toilet seat wears out, cracks, or breaks, you will have to replace the old toilet seat with a new toilet seat.
But before that, you need to measure your toilet seat before buying a new one unless you want to end up with a toilet seat that doesn’t fit on your toilet correctly.
Different Toilet Seats Measurement Chart:
Regardless of the kind of toilet you have in the bathroom, you can still measure its toilet seat. However, the procedure is different, and that’s what we want to elaborate on so that you can select the best toilet seat size for your toilet.
| Toilet Seat Type | Length | Width |
| Elongated Toilet Seat: | 18.5″ | 14″ |
| Round Seat: | 16.5″ | 14″ |
| Square Seat: | 17″ | 13.5″ |
| U-Shaped (Oval) Seat: | 18.5″ | 14.8″ |
| Narrow/Economy Toilet Seat: | 10.7″ | 10.1″ |
| D-shaped Seat: | 17.5″ | 14.2″ |
| Bidet Toilet Seat: | 17″-21″ | 14.5″-16″ |
How to measure a toilet seat for a standard toilet?
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Step 1: Measure the toilet’s seat length from the bolts to the front.
To install a new toilet seat, take your tape, hold it from the bolts at the back of the seat, and draw the other end to the front most of the toilet bowl. Write down the measurements. If you want to attain accurate measurements, hold the tape measure in the middle of the two bolts and the toilet bowl’s front tip. For instance, you can view the toilet as a clock and take measurements from 12 O’clock to 6 O’clock.
Step 2: Measure the distance between the bolts at the back of the seat.
Secondly, you should measure the distance between the bolts at the back of the toilet seat. These are the bolts that hold the seat in position. If your toilet comes with flaps, you should pry them off before taking the measurement. Utilize your fingers or a flat-head screwdriver to pry off the flaps. Next, you can measure the distance between the toilet seat mounting bolts.
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In the U.S., the regular bolt spread is around 5.5 inches, but some toilet models have a distance of 7 to 10 inches. But in Europe, the traditional space is approximately 6 to 6.5 inches. It’s important to note that non-standard toilet seats may have to be ordered directly from the manufacturer.
Step 3: Measure the width of the toilet.
After noting down the distance between the bolts and the length of the toilet, next is taking measurements of the toilet seat width. This is vital as it helps you find the perfect fitting replacement toilet seat. Hold the tape from one side of the seat to the other. Make sure the tape is centered, and measure the length between the outermost edges. For instance, you should view it as measuring the 9 O’clock to the 3 O’clock on a Clock.
Even though the sizes are standard, there are several variations. The toilet seats may have the same length but differ in width. Therefore, it’s vital to get the closest match.
How to measure a toilet seat for a specialty toilet?
If you don’t have a standard toilet or have both a standard and unique toilet in your home, measuring the seat is the right procedure to change it with a new toilet seat.
Step 1: Measure the length and width of the toilet seat.
As usual, you should start measuring the distance between the bolts of the toilet seat and the front tip of the toilet bowl. Measure the length between the seat bolts to the outside edge of the front of the bowl. You don’t need to turn off the water supply line. Next, measure the width of the toilet seat from one side to another. For standard toilets, the width is not as crucial as for special toilets. Some special toilets have a unique design that the seat may end up not fitting properly.
Step 2: Measure the distance between the bolts at the back of the seat
At the back of the toilet bowl, measure the distance between the bolts that hold the seat in place. Like with a standard seat, the bolt distance is usually 5.5 inches, but it can be larger than that for some special toilets. For European toilets, it should be between 6 and 6.5 inches.
Step 3: Find out the distance between the bolt holes and the back of the toilet.
Unlike regular toilets, most special toilets usually require a clearance between the toilet bowl and the tank. Thus, if you’re buying a special toilet seat, you may need to measure the distance between the tank and bowl and know if the seat will fit. Some of the special seats include bidet seats, seat warmers, raised seats, and much more.
Step 4: Measure the current seat if you’re purchasing a Snap-On attachment
If you have a Snap-On toilet seat, you should take its measurements before replacing the toilet seat with a new one. You don’t have to measure your toilet seat in the same manner. You measure a standard toilet. Some of the typical Snap-On toilet seats include accessible raised seats for people with disabilities and potty training seats.
Although you can estimate your toilet seat’s size, you should still measure the seat. Note that most sellers don’t accept buyers going to their stores with an old toilet seat and only prefer giving them measurements.
How to measure a toilet seat for replacement?
If you have a standard toilet at home with standard dimensions, you don’t need to take measurements. As long as you know your toilet seat’s dimensions and type, you can buy a replacement from any store, and it will fit perfectly.
Related article: Five ways to remove hard water stains from a toilet
What types of toilet bowls do you have: round or elongated? If you’ve got a toilet with a standard round bowl and a length of 16 ½-inches, you can pick a round toilet seat. In the U.S., the standard size of round toilet seats is between 16 and 17 inches. And if the toilet has an elongated bowl, a toilet seat with a length of around 18.5 inches will be great. Most toilets with elongated bowls are comfortable with toilet seat sizes of 18 to 19 ½-inches. Finally, if you’re from Europe, the standard length of a bowl is 18½-inches, and toilet seats of between 18 and 19 ½-inches will fit perfectly.
Bottom line
It is necessary to measure the old toilet seat correctly to replace it with a comfortable new toilet seat. Measuring your toilet seat helps you to find a perfect new toilet seat for your bathroom. A wrong toilet seat will make you uncomfortable, and it may spoil quickly. Since there are different toilet designs, such as round, elongated, and even oval, you should not guess but take your toilet seat’s measurements for the best toilet seat.
With this guide, you can measure all types of toilet seats without any challenges. Whether it’s around, elongated, or a special toilet seat, you won’t have any problem. We hope you’ve found the information you’ve been looking for!
Some best bidet seats are:
Hi, this is Robert Crossan, the owner of this website, has 17 years of experience in the installation, maintenance, and repair of toilets and plumbing systems. After completing the Level 2 Basic Plumbing course in 2005, I started working in both domestic and commercial buildings as a professional plumber. So I can figure out the core difference between different toilet models and brands. It also helped me monitor their work performance and setbacks.