Falls are the greatest source of injury and accidental death around the
home, so it's no wonder more and more people are installing grab bars to make
their bathrooms safer. But doing the job right takes a bit of planning and
care; otherwise the bar may pull loose at the first good tug.
There are two major types of grab bars: tub safety bars, which clamp to
the side of the tub, and wall-mounted grab bars, which screw into the shower
wall. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Tub-mounted safety bars are the easiest to install. Some models
require only 10 minutes, a socket wrench and a screwdriver to tighten the
clamps. Also, you can remove one of these safety bars later without leaving
permanent marks on the tub. Keep in mind that many tub safety bars aren't
designed to support a heavy weight and don't meet safety codes for people
with disabilities. Consider them strictly as an assist. Also, many tub safety
bars only attach well on smooth, parallel tub sides. If you install them on a
tub with a tapered profile or textured surface, the support brackets won't
clamp as securely as they should, and the bars may give way when you apply a
load.
Wall-mounted grab bars not only handle heavier loads (as much as
1,000 pounds for single-piece tubular bars), they can be installed anywhere
you need them: in tub and shower areas, next to a toilet or sink; even near
doorsills and steps in other parts of the house. These bars are your best choice
if you're outfitting a bathroom for a disabled person. To get the advertised
support, however, you must screw the grab bars into wall studs or into
blocking additional 2-by-4s that you nail in between the studs.
Positioning a Wall-mounted Grab Bar Wall-mounted grab bars come in
several lengths. Deciding which length to install depends on how the bar will
be used. For example, if you're putting a main grab bar on the side wall of a
tub enclosure, the National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends using a
bar at least 24 inches long. If you're adding a second bar for support
on the showerhead wall, it should be at least 12 inches long.
You always want to install grab bars either horizontally or at an angle.
Horizontal bars offer better leverage to a person trying to get out of a tub,
but a bar placed at a 45-degree angle to the tub's rim is easier for people
of differing heights to reach. Another advantage to angled bars: a 24-inch
bar installed at a 45-degree angle will exactly span wall studs spaced 16 inches
apart, and you can screw into the studs on each end for maximum support, with
no need for blocking. Horizontal bars should be located 33 to 36 inches above
the floor of the tub and close enough to the showerhead wall to support a
person adjusting water temperature. In most cases, this means the bar will be
screwed to the first and second studs.
If the drywall above your tub enclosure is exposed, you can use any of the
standard techniques for locating the studs. But if the studs are buried
behind a tiled wall, you'll need to use a few tricks of the trade to find
them. Here are the key steps for installing a wall-mounted 24-inch bar at a
45-degree angle on a fully tiled wall.
Step by Step 1. Locate the wall studs. Using one of these techniques, find the
studs you'll attach the grab bar to:
·Run an electronic stud finder
along the wall until it detects a stud, and then mark the location with a
fine-point permanent marker.
·If the grout line between the
tiles is more than 1/8 inch wide, use a metal tape measure to mark off
16-inch increments from the nearest perpendicular wall. Then, at one of these
points, make a hole in the grout line using a variable-speed drill with a
1/8-inch masonry bit or glass and tile bit. If you don't hit a stud on the
first try, bend a piece of stiff wire and insert it in the hole. Spin the
wire left and right until it contacts a stud. Re-drill in the new spot, and
you should hit the stud. Measure 16 inches from this point to find the second
stud. (To patch a hole, shoot in a dab of silicone
caulk, flatten it so it doesn't protrude into the grout channel, and give it
two to three hours to dry. If you're using powdered grout instead of
premixed, mix up a small amount in the lid of a jar. A Popsicle® stick
makes a good touch-up applicator its rounded edge nicely matches the concave
shape of most grout lines.
·You can spare the tile if you
have access to the other side of the wall if it's part of a common wall
between the bathroom and a bedroom, for example. Use a stud finder to locate
studs on the other side of the wall, measure the distance to the nearest
perpendicular wall, and then transfer the measurements to the tiled wall.
2. Mark the screw locations. Measure up from the base of the tub
and mark the height where you want to install the grab bar. Then, hold the
grab bar against the tile with each end over a stud, and mark the locations
of the holes in the mounting brackets.
3. Drill mounting holes. If you try to drill
through tile without first marking a starting point, the bit may skate over
the slick surface. So, before you drill, scribe the tile to create a starting
point for the drill bit. Use a sharp awl or the tip of a carbide glass and
tile drill bit or masonry bit; twist the tool to grind a slight impression
into the surface. Don't use a center punch you're likely to crack the tile.
Drill holes through the tile with a glass and tile drill bit. If you have
to use a masonry bit, go slowly and put tape over the tile to help prevent
shattering. To avoid fracturing the tile when you turn the mounting screws,
leave a little clearance as you drill the holes. (This won't prevent the
screws from holding; the studs will hold them in, not the tile.) How? Use a
bit that's at least 1/32 inch wider than your mounting screws.
Mount the bit in a variable-speed drill and start the bit at slow speed to
keep it from sliding off your mark. Apply light, even pressure as you drill
so you don't crack the tile. Drill only through the tile and its backing.
Then switch to a wood bit that's 1/16 inch narrower than your screws,
and drill pilot holes in the studs.
4. Mount the bar. Apply silicone caulk to the holes before you
mount the brackets. This keeps water from leaking behind the screws and
damaging the backing board under the tile.
Screw the grab bar to the wall. If it comes with plain steel or
chrome-plated screws, replace them with stainless steel screws. Common steel
and even chrome-plated screws will rust over time. Tighten the screws firmly,
but don't over-tighten, or you could crack the tiles.
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Socket wrench
Stiff wire
Screwdriver
Grab bar
Electronic stud finder
Silicone caulk
Fine-point marker
Stainless steel screws
Tape measure
Variable-speed drill
1/8-inch masonry drill bit or carbide-tip glass and tile bit
Awl
Wood bit set
Carbide glass and tile bit set
