Accessible Children's Bathroom Sinks

[rosegamble]

Hi everyone,

I am designing a bathroom for children's use. I cannot for the life of me find an accessible height for children's lavatories. A117.1 606.3 is silent on this matter. ADA and Chapter 11 of the IBC are also silent. For adults, the max height is 34" as we all know.

606.2 mentions clear floor space exceptions for children, but this isn't the info I'm after.

I see articles online referencing a "29 inch max" height for children's but cannot find the source of this information.

Any tips?

Thanks,
Rachel

 

[Joe.B]

This might be one of those things that are considered a design choice. if 29" is the max then you have a lot of room to design. It also might be that there's a reference standard I'm not aware of...

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Looks like the code allows lavatories to be lower than 34" because it is a maximum. But you still need the knee and toe space under it. My guess that the code thinks a stool for the kids to reach it would be safer.

 

[BayPointArchitect]

Before there were ADA dimensions for childrens toilets and grab bars (unenforceable guidance), I would simply multiply the adult dimensions by two-thirds. My thinking was that kids are smaller than adults - but I don't know where to fact-check this idea.

Meanwhile, it is a joy for me to see little kids washing their hands at a sink height of only 22 or 24 inches. But the big-bad inspector asked why there was not 29 inches of knee clearance underneath. So there is the conundrum. Because we can not fit a wheelchair that is 29 inches high underneath a counter top that is only 24 inches. And that is why we need reasonable and practical minds in a litigious world that wants to create a new rule for every single situation.

 

[rosegamble]

Thanks for the input. It's odd because the height of other bathrooms are clearly spelled out for children. It does appear that knee and toe clearance is required, unless the children are under a certain age in which case parallel approach at the sink is permitted. In this case, would you say the parallel approach "rectangle" has to be centered relative to the fixture? I'm not seeing this as a requirement.

 

[rosegamble]

The section I'm referencing is A117.1 606.2 Exception 4 (clear floor space at sinks). It does not say "centered" anywhere, unlike 602.2.1 for drinking fountains (children's floor space must be centered on drinking fountain).

 

[steveray]

2017 ANSI

3. A knee clearance of 24 inches (610 mm) minimum
above the floor shall be permitted at lavatories and
sinks used primarily by children ages 6 through 12
where the higher of the rim or counter surface is 31
inches (785 mm) maximum above the floor.

 

[rosegamble]

Right. I should have specified this is for kids under 6. That's where Exception 4 comes into play. Still wondering if that parallel approach has to be centered on the sink though...

And I guess in this scenario the height of the sink is up to me?

 

[Jean Tessmer-HI]

Hi everyone,

I am designing a bathroom for children's use. I cannot for the life of me find an accessible height for children's lavatories. A117.1 606.3 is silent on this matter. ADA and Chapter 11 of the IBC are also silent. For adults, the max height is 34" as we all know.

606.2 mentions clear floor space exceptions for children, but this isn't the info I'm after.

I see articles online referencing a "29 inch max" height for children's but cannot find the source of this information.

Any tips?

Thanks,
Rachel

pre-school toilet and grab bar heights for Baby Devero Flo-Wise Flushometer Toilet #2292.001

609.4 Position of Grab Bars. Grab bars shall be installed in a horizontal position, 33 inches (840 mm) minimum and 36 inches (915 mm) maximum above the finish floor measured to the top of the gripping surface, except that at water closets for children's use complying with 604.9, grab bars shall be installed in a horizontal position 18 inches (455 mm) minimum and 27 inches (685 mm) maximum above the finish floor measured to the top of the gripping surface. The height of the lower grab bar on the back wall of a bathtub shall comply with 607.4.1.1 or 607.4.2.1.

Hi everyone,

I am designing a bathroom for children's use. I cannot for the life of me find an accessible height for children's lavatories. A117.1 606.3 is silent on this matter. ADA and Chapter 11 of the IBC are also silent. For adults, the max height is 34" as we all know.

606.2 mentions clear floor space exceptions for children, but this isn't the info I'm after.

I see articles online referencing a "29 inch max" height for children's but cannot find the source of this information.

Any tips?

Thanks,
Rachel

Please refer to 606.2, 4. and 5. for children's lavatory heights. See attached file for highlighted text for children