"Due to space restrictions, the vanity is placed against a wall."

Naween:

Do you mean adjacent to a wall?

I've never seen doors on an ADA compliant vanity.

This post was edited by Trebruchet on Mon, Dec 1, 14 at 11:34

Trebuchet, yes, I meant in a corner, adjacent to a wall. My apologies, I shouldn't type while tired!

Eg, Kraftmaid makes a sink cabinet in their 'passport' line, which is billed as accessible, and comes in both 30" and 36" wide.

"Kraftmaid 1

"Kraftmaid2

Kitchencraft also lists a variety of Universal Design sink bases, on pg 231-233
"Kitchencraft

This post was edited by Naween on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 8:37

How about posting links Naween? Most people (me included) will not be bothered to have to copy and paste because you cannot properly post the links.

There you go millworkman. Now you have to respond!

This post was edited by Naween on Tue, Dec 2, 14 at 11:09

Kraftmaid 1 is not accessible. Kraftmaid 2 is a possibility.

You've got to get this right. These are civil rights, not mere building code.

Trebuchet, its for my own custom home, not a commercial building. So the only human rights are my own, and some wiggle room is allowed.

But thank you for the comments on the two cabinets.

As Treb said the #1 would not work due to the center mullion. #2, maybe I am missing something but that is not a cabinet so I do not see what benefit you will get from using it.

Naween, I am trying to make my 5x8 bathroom with a shower/bath combo off to the side into an accessible bathroom "just in case", so I know a bit about what you are going through. I am still in the design phase. My issue is that the entry door is on the 5 ft wall, so if I make it a 36" door, as I must, I end up with an 18" wide vanity space.

Given that issue, I see the utility of Kraftmaid 2, somewhat, I think it is a 12" deep vanity base for a overhanging one-piece ceramic sink top. The front is there for when no knee access is needed because no chair user is using the sink. It is removable for when knee access is needed. Since the vanity is 27" high, maybe it is a thick china Eurosink like one by Duravit, and it does not over hang the vanity, giving the need for knee space for a chair user to use it.

Maybe I am wrong and I am thinking this way because this is the issue I am having designing my bathroom - how to get the most utility out of it while I can still walk, while making it easily convertible to a wheelchair-accessible space should the need ever arise.

You really need a design professional who's been down this road before to assist you. Neither of your choices is optimal. And, much is dependent on the vanity location within the bathroom as well. Often, wall hung sinks are the easier choice, but again, placement within the room is key to this actually working.

Are you also examining appropriate entry (to bathroom) door widths and turn around space?

Even an "accessible" vanity can not be accessible if it's located in the wrong spot for proper clearance to it. You have to design this as a whole, from the access route to the room, to the entry into the room, to how each fixture is able to be approached.

Yes, as I said, I've been following the linked article and trying to allow for all turning radii, etc...

However, I cannot seem to find the answer to my question in any book. Seems silly to have to contract a design professional for 1 question, so was hoping to find the answer on the forums...

Naween, it seems to me that if there is room for a wheelchair to pivot in front of the vanity so that the user can get into position to wheel their legs under the sink, then the second vanity would be wheelchair accessible with the right sinktop installed on top of it. The sinktop would have to meet ADA criteria.

So look at the vanity and the place you would install it. Look at the sink you would put on it. Then look at the diagram in the clicky below. In that space in your bathroom, can a wheelchair user wheel the chair into position so that the clearances in the diagram are true? If yes, you have a wheelchair accessible space. It is a combination of the hardware and where you put it.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2133498}}

ADA says that the 27" high space for knees needs to extend from the front of the counter/vanity toward the back for a minimum of 8".

Here is a mfg that makes ADA vanities. We've installed one and it looked nice. ADA vanity

Another option rather than the wall-mounted sink -You could drop an ADA sink into a counter top and support it with appropriate bracing - that way you get the accessibility and still have the counter space for all of your stuff. Cut to fit the space available.