Tub Spout Height Above Tub (How High Should Spout Be?)

What should be the standard tub spout height above tub? How high should a tub spout be above the tub? In this guide, I will explain to you what the standard tub spout height should be above the tub!

Maybe you’ve looked at your old spout, shower head, or tub filler recently and had a few questions about it. Maybe you’re getting a new one and don’t know where you should attach it.

Maybe you aren’t sure about what kind of tub filler or spout is right for you. If so, this guide and its plethora of answers are for you.

How high should the tub spout be above the bathtub?

As a minimum, you should try to install a bathtub spout 4 inches above the rim of the tub on the low side and 12 to 18 inches on the higher side. Bathtub spouts that are installed too high could lead to water splashing outside of the tub which might be problematic when drawing a bath.

The shower head should be even higher, at a height of at least 72 to 80 inches above the floor. If you need to adjust the height, the shower head can be roughed-in at either a lower or higher position, as long as it fits with the rest of your aesthetic and plumbing arrangement.

One of the most difficult things about figuring out how high above the tub a spout should be is that the size of the spout and the tub are, of course, variable.

You’ll also want to consider where the spout sits in relation to the wall, as well as the thickness of the tile. Just as important, if not more so, is allowing enough room for the overhang of the spout over the basin of the tub.

You don’t want the spout to be too short or too close to the wall, therefore, or the water will splash down the edges and sides of the tub and back out all over your bathroom floor.

On the other hand, if it protrudes too far out, it can be obtrusive and rub up against or poke you in the back. All of this contributes to the ultimate height of the spout above the tub.

You don’t want it to be too high, as this can cause the stream to splash violently as it hits the bottom of the basin. This can get worse at higher rates of flow.

Finally, you’ll need to consider whether you are installing a spout for a tub that is for baths only or for showers as well.

Finally, make sure that the valve, shower head, and spout are all centered. The last thing you want is to have them off to the side and create backsplash that way.

How Far Should Tub Filler Be From Tub?

Before we tackle this, however, it is worth asking – just what is a tub filler in the first place? For the uninitiated, a tub filler is the name for a larger faucet that is specifically designed to help fill up your tub as fast as possible.

Baths can hold lots of water, so if you want to draw a bath for a nice, relaxing evening, music and lit candles and all, you want it to be filled as quickly as possible so the water doesn’t have time to cool and you can get on with your relaxation.

Tub fillers can help with that immensely. They can pour out anywhere between 30 to 80 gallons. You might wonder whether you can use a sink faucet for your bath.

Maybe there’s a stylish sink spout that has caught your eye and you think it would be perfect with your tub. However, this simply isn’t possible because when it comes to the types of spouts used by both baths and sinks, they are not mutually interchangeable.

Much of that has to do with their plumbing arrangement. For example, if you have a sink in your bathroom or kitchen that is connected to a pipe that has a certain length and width, this is likely to be narrower than the pipes used for your bath.

Faucets that are connected to a bathtub are in turn connected to pipes that have more water pressure and thus fill faster, meaning they are not compatible with the narrower faucets used for bathroom and kitchen sinks.

In addition, sinks often have flow restrictions that are designed to save time, money, and water, which can also cause them to become incompatible with bath fillers.

You can turn a handle for your kitchen or bathroom sink so a full stream comes out, or ease the pressure so it’s only a little trickle.

By contrast, for many tub fillers, the idea is to fill the tub as quickly as possible, so things are typically set so the water always comes out in a full, consistent stream.

The location and the build of your tub can also impact how far the spout should be from the tub. For example, if the tub features an alcove design, you’ll want to leave the fourth side open and ensure that it is unobstructed.

If you don’t, well, how will you be able to get in and out of the tub? This also means that the tub faucets for these alcove designs need to be installed directly onto one of the walls, the height of which will in turn dictate the height of the spout.

By contrast, a freestanding tub will not have these same restrictions. You’ll also want to consider any water supply connections and restrictions. Your specific inlet and drain setup may dictate where the faucet goes in relation to them.

How to Choose the Right Tub Filler

As alluded to above, you’ll want to make sure that any faucet spout is the right size for your tub. Measure any faucet ahead of time (and, as the old saying goes, “measure twice, mark once” before installing anything) from the body to the middle of the faucet’s water outlet.

Make sure that any faucet you choose has controls that will be easily accessible whether you are sitting inside or standing outside your tub.

Your tub filler provides yet another chance to show off your sense of aesthetic flair and add some style to your bathroom décor.

As mentioned above, make sure that any tub filler you choose is designed to minimize the splash zone. Modern tub fillers can be a great option for those who have a taste for minimalist design.

These tend to be flat, sleek, and again, minimalist, making them a great choice for those who love a “less is more” approach to bathroom design.

In addition, a lot of these tub fillers have flat, nontraditional designs that create elegant water flows. Traditional tub fillers, by contrast, represent the kind of traditional spout designs modern versions eschew.

These are often long, curved, and also have something of a “less is more” design ethos about them. If you want something that is noncontroversial and can fit in with most bathroom designs, these are accessible options.

Antique tub fillers, on the other hand, represent a blast from the past. If you’re someone who revels in vintage designs and wants your bathroom décor to exude classic classiness, these are fantastic options to consider.

There is a lot of variation here according to the period you wish to evoke. Maybe you want a mid-century-style spout in your bathtub.

Maybe you like the idea of turning the tap and clock back to Victorian times with some 19th century brass-accented class. Whatever your taste, you’re sure to find a tub filler that fills out your tub décor elegantly.

Contemporary tub fillers have a way of taking convention and turning them on their head. However, while modern tub fillers are typically more minimalist, these are often a bit more eye-catching.

They are also much larger, which means that you’ll need to move the spout even further away from the rim of the tub as well as the wall.

Industrial tub fillers have that same issue as well. Their large size means that they often require special piping to be installed on the side of the tub, which pushes the spout upward and far out over the basin.

Commercial tub fillers are a lot more basic and bare bones in their design. On the plus side, they are often among the most affordable tub fillers on the market.

Finally, there are tub fillers that blur these lines. For example, among the most intriguing options on the market today are faucets for clawfoot tubs. These tubs feature a Victorian-inspired design with hints of contemporary influences.

These and other transitional tub fillers are an interesting spin on freestanding tubs, and tub fillers designed for them likewise fuse the past and present to create faucets that will look great well into the future.

That said, these clawfoot tubs often come with predrilled holes, which are necessary for accepting a faucet that is meant to be wall or rim-mounted.

These designs are attached directly onto the body of the tub, which in turn means that the water lines connect to the spout in such a way as to be directed via the holes in the tub.

In Conclusion

A tub filler is a great chance to fill your bathroom décor with elegance while ensuring that your bathtub is filled with hot water nice and quickly.

That said, installing a spout can quickly turn into a disaster if you aren’t careful about where you install it, which type of spout you install, and how far from the wall and the rim of the basin you install it.

As long as you take all of those factors into consideration, however, this can be a great chance to up your bathroom décor game while enjoying the hot bath of your dreams.