The 3 Best 14-Inch Rough-In Toilets-Best Flushing

Last Updated on August 14, 2023 by toilethaven

What is The Best 14-Inch Rough-In Toilet?

A toilet Rough-in is a distance between the finished wall behind the toilet and the center of the toilet drain. The standard rough-in of a toilet is 12 inches, but you will still find 10 and 14-inch rough-in toilets, especially in old houses.

While measuring the rough-in of a toilet, you should take care to make sure that you indeed measure from the finished wall and not the baseboard.

To measure the rough-in of an already installed, take the measurement from the wall to one of the toilet bolts. The bolts are normally at the center of the drain.

Finding a good 14-inch rough-in toilet is not as easy as it is to get a 12-inch rough-in toilet. There are not very many of them, and that’s why I have written this post. To make sure that I have linked you to the best 14-inch rough-in toilet in the market.

Apart from just the rough-in, I will give you all the other toilet dimensions and features to make sure that you end up with the best one you can get. And now, let’s look at them.

The Best 14-Inch Rough-In Toilets Are:

Toilet Features
1. Kohler K-3949-0 Highline 1.28 GPF
Elongated toilet
Two-piece toilet
Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches
Toilet dimensions: 31.625 X 18.25 X 30.75 inches
2. American Standard 215FC104.020 Cadet PRO 1.28GPF
Elongated toilet
Two-piece toilet
Bowl rim height: 16.5 inches
Toilet dimensions: 30.125 X 17.325 X 30.325 inches
2. Kohler 528484 K-3947-0 Wellworth 1.28 GPF
Round-front toilet
Two-piece toilet
Bowl rim height: 14.5 inches
Toilet Dimensions: 29.625 X 18.25 X 28. 75 inches

1. Kohler K-3949-0 Highline

KOHLER K-3949-0 Highline Two-Piece Elongated...
  • Comfort Height Elongated Toilet bowl - With a seat height comparable to that of a standard chair, Comfort Height toilets make sitting down and standing up easier for people of all ages
  • 14" rough-in
  • 31-5/8" (80.3cm) x 18-1/4" (46.4cm) x 30-3/4" (78.1cm)

Kohler K-3949-0 Highline is a single flush two-piece elongated comfort height toilet. It is available in white, almond, black, and biscuit, although it is a little difficult to find it in the other colors other than white.

The Kohler Highline uses Kohler’s Class Five flushing technology, which is meant for bulk flushing. The Class Five flushing technology involves the use of a canister flush valve instead of the ordinary flapper flush valve.

Unlike the flapper, which is hinged to the flush valve on one side, the canister lifts off completely during flushing allowing water to flow into the bowl via a 360 degrees angle.

This ensures that the water flows from the tank to the bowl faster, creating more force and, as a result producing a powerful flush. In addition, the canister flush valve is designed so that the water entry is larger than the exit.

That helps the water to build more pressure in the narrow exit, further aiding the flushing efficiency using only 1.28 gallons per flush.

The Highline’s bowl rim is at a height of 16.5 inches from the floor, making it a comfortable height toilet. It is, therefore, easier for seniors, tall, and people with limited mobility to sit and stand on the toilet. The elongated bowl further enhances your comfort while using this toilet.

Installation of this and other Kohler toilets is easy using their DryLock system. In this system, the tank bolts come preinstalled underneath the tank. The tank has no bolt holes reducing the chances of it leaking. All you have to do is mount the tank on the bowl and tighten the bolts.

You will, however, be disappointed because this toilet is sold without a seat, wax ring, mounting bolts, and bolt caps. You will therefore need to buy these things separately.

The Kohler K-3949-0 Highline dimensions are 31.625 inches in depth, 18.25 inches in width, and 30.75 inches in height. You will receive a 1-year limited warranty after the purchase.

2. American Standard 215FC104.020 Cadet PRO

American Standard Cadet PRO Compact Right Height...
  • Features the cadet flushing system, High Efficiency Toilet (HET), ultra-low consumption (4.8 Lpf/1.28 gpf), utilizes 20% less water; Meets EPA water sense criteria
  • Vitreous China,Space saving elongated bowl fits in space of a round front; Power wash rim scrubs bowl with each flush
  • Trade exclusive tank; Robust metal trip lever & metal shank fill valve,Includes EZ-Install tools w/color match bowl caps; Chrome finish trip lever is supplied

The American Standard 215FC104.020 Cadet PRO is a single flush two-piece elongated comfort height toilet. It is available in white, linen, and bone.

The 14-inch rough-in Cadet PRO uses American Standard’s Cadet flushing system, which incorporates the use of a 3-inch wide flush valve and an extra-large trapway.

That way, water is dumped in the toilet bowl faster and more forcefully, resulting in a power flush compared to a 2-inch flush valve toilet. Its consumption is only 1.28 gallons per flush, meaning it is WaterSense certified.

The bowl rim height is at a comfortable height of 16.5 inches. When you add the extra inch from the toilet seat, you should be sitting at a height of 17.5 inches. Coupled with an also comfortable elongated bowl, this toilet is a really good one.

Its surface is coated with the American standard patented EverClean additive, which inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and odor-causing bacteria. It, therefore, makes it super easy to clean the toilet and keep it that way for longer.

American Standard is not different from the others as you will also be required to buy a toilet seat and other accessories separately. They will, however, give you color-matched toilet bolt caps.

The American Standard 215FC104.020 Cadet PRO dimensions are 30.125 inches in depth, 17.325 inches in width, and 30.325 inches in height. It comes with a 5-year warranty.

3. Kohler 528484 K-3947-0 Wellworth

KOHLER 3947-0 Wellworth Two-Piece Round-Front...
  • Two-piece toilet.
  • Round front, standard height toilet bowl
  • Seat and supply line not included.

The Kohler 528484 K-3947-0 Wellworth is a single flush two-piece round-front standard-height toilet. It is available in white, black, almond, and biscuit.

Like the Kohler Highline 14-inch rough-in, this toilet also uses the Class Five flushing technology meaning its flushing power is great. With a consumption of only 1.28 gallons per flush, this toilet is WaterSense certified and can therefore be sold anywhere in the United States.

Although comfort height toilets are the go-to toilets these days, standard height toilets still have their “fans,” and Kohler 528484 K-3947-0 Wellworth is one such toilet. Its bowl rim is at a height of 14.5 inches from the floor. Standard-height toilets are a great choice for people who are not very tall and also children.

This toilet has a round-front bowl. Although elongated toilets are comfortable, round-front bowls are a great choice if you have a small bathroom and want to save every possible inch of space.

Kohler Wellworth 14-inch also uses the DryLock tank installation system. This system uses 3 bolts, making the tank sturdy and preventing leaks between the tank and the bowl.

It also does not have a seat, wax ring, mounting bolts, or bolt caps. Buying this item separately will, of course, slightly increase the total price of the toilet.

The Kohler 528484 K-3947-0 Wellworth dimensions are 29.625 inches in depth, 18.25 inches in width, and 28.75 inches in height. It has a 1-year limited warranty.

How to Buy the Best 14-Inch Rough-In Toilet

So what factors should you consider while buying a 14-inch rough-in toilet? Although your choice is only limited to 3 (if you follow our guide), there are still some things you should consider before making the ultimate purchase. A toilet is a long-term investment; therefore, you should take your time before settling on a certain product.

1. Standard Height vs. Comfort Height Toilet

A standard-height toilet has a toilet bowl rim height of about 15 inches, while a comfort-height toilet has a bowl rim height of about 17 inches. Comfort height toilets are also called right height, chair height, universal height, or ADA-compliant toilets.

Comfort height 14-inch rough-in toilets are a great choice for seniors, tall, physically impaired, or just about anyone who would have a problem sitting and standing from a standard-height toilet. On the other hand, standard-height toilets are more suitable for not-too-tall people and children.

If you would like to explore this topic further, check the pros and cons of standard height vs. comfort height toilets here.

2. Round vs. Elongated Toilets

Round-front toilets have a circular bowl, while elongated toilets have an oval-shaped bowl. A round-front bowl is 16.5 inches long, while an elongated bowl is 18.5 inches long on average.

The main advantage of installing a round toilet is that it takes less space in the bathroom compared to an elongated toilet. Elongated toilets, on the other hand, provide you with a bigger surface to sit on, which is streamlined in accordance with your body and hence are more comfortable.

If you would like to read further on this topic, check out this post I wrote on the pros and cons of round vs. elongated toilets.

3. The Brand

The brand matters big time. If a brand has a history of making great products, you tend to trust it more. The opposite is also true.

In this post, we have only focused on Kohler and American Standard, both well-known brands in the United States and among the top 3 toilet manufacturers. Both have different patented flushing styles, which have been proven to work repeatedly.

4. Color

Yes. Color! It is not always that toilets have to be white. In fact, in the 50s and 60s, when bathrooms were a bit more colorful than they are today, they were sold in different bright colors and had colored toilet paper to match.

People have toned down these days, although the colors are slightly coming back, not the bright blues and pinks. Black toilets are, for instance, really cool to have. If you would like a different color other than white, don’t be afraid to get one. Personally, I like bone from American Standard and black from Kohler.

5. Water Consumption

All the toilets we reviewed here are low-flow toilets with a consumption of 1.28 gallons per flush. It, therefore, means they are very water-efficient and, as a result, WaterSense labeled and can be sold all over the USA without restrictions.

Despite their low consumption, they flush amazingly well due to the engineering enhancements that have been done on their flush valves.

If you replace an old 3.5 gallons per flush 14-inch rough-in toilet with any of these toilets, your water bills will come down, and you will enjoy a strong flushing toilet.

How Do You Measure a Toilet Rough-In?

The method of measuring a toilet’s rough-in differs depending on which type of toilet you are measuring. Standard, rear-discharge, and corner toilets have different methods of rough-in measurement.

To measure the rough-in of a standard toilet, take a measuring tape and measure the distance from your toilet’s rear finished wall to the center of the toilet drain. With an installed toilet, you take the center of the drain where the toilet bolts are.

A ½ inch error is allowed. If you, therefore, get a measurement of 13.5 or 14.5 inches, you should automatically convert it to 14 inches.

FAQs

1. Can you replace a 14-inch rough-in toilet with a 12-inch rough-in toilet?

Yes, you can. But before you celebrate, I will also go ahead and inform you that a 2-inch gap will be left between the tank and the wall. If you are a perfectionist, you won’t like that. In that case, the only solution will be to replace a 14-inch rough-in toilet with another 14-inch rough-in toilet.

2. Does Toto have 14-inch rough-in toilets?

No. Toto uses a unified adapter to convert a 12-inch rough-in toilet into a 14-inch rough-in toilet. The adapter, however, does not work with all toilet models. It can only be used with skirted Toto toilet models.

If you would be interested in a good 14-inch rough-in Toto toilet, get the Toto Vespin II. It is the skirted version of Toto Drake II and comes with the unfit adapter.