Bath Tub Grab Bars Installation Tips:

Bathroom safety is paramount for elderly parents, as most accidents and falls happen in the bathroom. Here are six tips for grab bar placement and safety for you or your elderly parent’s home.

Grab Bar Height

There is no standard height requirement for residential installation of grab bars, and everyone’s needs are different. But as a rule of thumb, in ADA-compliant bathrooms, grab bars are installed 33-inches to 36-inches off the finished floor.

Grab Bar Length

Grab bars should cover as much of the shower wall as possible. If you have a large shower, have a bar for each wall to ensure safety.

Attach to Studs

Your grab bars will be rock-solid if you anchor them to studs. Find the studs near your proposed grab bar location using a stud sensor.

Test Strength

You’re not done until you yank-test. Give the bars a good solid yank to test their holding power. With a helper standing by in case the bar comes loose, pull with all your strength. Now’s the time to make sure the bar will hold up when it’s really needed.

Proper Placement

Even a solidly anchored grab bar is useless if it’s in the wrong place. What location is best depends on the situation. If you’re installing the bars for a person with a disability or injury, have this person help you decide which location will be most helpful. A physical therapist or an occupational therapist also can help with this decision.

Placement Suggestions

Here are some locations where grab bars are helpful:
Outside of the Shower or Tub. Having a small grab bar placed vertically outside of the shower or tub entry is great for assistance stepping to and from a wet surface.
Tub Deck. Soaking tubs are all the rage in bathroom design. However, trouble can come quickly if someone is unable to exit the tub. Install a grab bar on the wall behind the tub and/or a small grab bar on the tub deck. Be sure the grab bar is in a place where a foot cannot trip on it while entering or exiting a tub.
Towel Bars with Strength. Let’s face it, when you are about to fall you’ll grab on to anything close by – including a towel bar. Why not make towel bars safer by replacing them with grab bars?
Toilet Paper Holder. For those who have a hard time getting up from a seated position, there are some grab bars that can also be used as a toilet paper holder, while still maintaining its strength of supporting 250 pounds of force.

Instructional video on selecting a grab bar for your bathroom safety. Grab bars are particularly important in preventing dangerous bathroom falls. For Seniors, 85% of falls in the home occur in the bathroom and may have been prevented if the proper support was available. Add grab bars to your shower and tub BEFORE you think you need them. Selecting Grab Bars for Bathroom Safety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QPkdTV3HZ0

Know Before You Shop for Grab Bars

Tile might seem fragile, but it’ll seem like an impenetrable barrier to standard twist drill bits, which will crack your tile. Instead, use a 1/4-in glass / tile drill bit for mounting bars over studs or a 1/2-in glass/tile drill bit for installations using special wall anchors. (Odds are you’ll need both.)

Avoid mounting grab bars on acrylic tub and shower surrounds that stand out from the drywall underneath. These walls bend and flex.

If someone in the family lacks grip strength, choose smaller-diameter bars. Then decide whether the bar finish can be a glossy piece of bathroom bling or if it needs to be textured for better grip by wet hands.

Some grab bars are specifically made to mount vertically, horizontally, or in either position. (There’s no “right” mounting, so choose what works for you.) Check the package to be sure the model you want works in the position you want.

Where to Install Grab Bars

Try climbing in and out of your tub or shower—minus the water—to get an idea where grab bars should be placed, and mount them where they work best for everyone using that bathroom. Always mount grab bars into a stud that sits behind the wall. Or, if the stud can’t be located, use an anchoring device. Be sure there is adequate room within the hollow area behind the wall so an anchoring device will work. Grab bars can be placed vertically, horizontally or diagonally depending on your needs.
At the entry to the shower or tub.

To help facilitate entry and exit, install a grab bar vertically in front of the shower or tub. A smaller grab bar (12-in, 16-in, or 18-in) works well for this purpose, although longer ones can accommodate users of various heights. Having a grab bar here helps prevent the tendency to reach for towel bars, sliding glass doors or other unstable fixtures.

Vertical grab bars are also good for both shorter and taller people to grip at a comfortable height.

In the shower or tub.

Horizontal grab bars mounted inside the tub or shower provide added stability, whereas diagonal grab bars provide added stability when lowering to sit on a shower seat.

Generally a 16-in grab bar or a grab bar that is a multiple of 16 (16-in, 32-in, or 48-in) works best. In most cases studs are located 16 inches apart on center. Always attach grab bars to studs or use secure mounting anchors the manufacturer recommends.

Near the toilet.

Installing a grab bar near the toilet can provide great assistance in both sitting or standing. Used in conjunction with a chair height toilet or raised toilet seat and this can further improve comfort and ease of use.

Generally, a grab bar is installed either horizontally or diagonally near the toilet.

A diagonal grab bar is more in tune with the natural movement of the hand and wrist and puts less strain on the wrist. They also offer the ability to grip at varied heights, making them comfortable for both shorter and taller people.

When installed diagonally, a grab bar may not reach between studs. If this is the case, it can be mounted with secure mounting anchors used at one or both ends of the grab bar.

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Selecting Grab Bars for Bathroom Safety

Grab Bar