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How to Install Bathroom Grab Bars. Your grab bars will be rock- solid if you anchor them to studs.
Photo 1: Mark the stud locations. Find the studs near your proposed grab bar location using a stud sensor or one of the techniques mentioned in the story. Make a light pencil mark at the center of each stud. Photo 2: Mark the sides of the studs. Find the edges of the studs by probing with a finish nail.
Make a series of holes in an inconspicuous location, like directly above the tile, and mark both edges of the studs. Photo 3: Transfer the stud locations to the tile. Extend the stud marks down to the grab bar location with a level. Place a strip of 1- 1/2 in. Photo 4: Place the grab bar over the studs. Position the grab bar (see “Positioning Your Grab Bars.”) so that at least two of the screw holes align with the studs. Then mark each hole with a grease pencil.
Photo 5: Drill into the studs. Drill a 1/8- in. If you hit solid wood, drill the remaining holes. If not, poke a piece of bent wire through the hole and probe until you feel the stud.
Reposition the grab bar and mark the holes Grab bars aren't just safety devices for hospitals and public restrooms. In your own home, a strategically placed and solidly anchored grab bar can mean the difference between a relaxing bath and a trip to the emergency room.
In your bathtub or shower, grab bars provide extra security for that first slippery step. In this article, we'll show you where to position grab bars and how to anchor them so they're rock- solid.
If you've mounted towel bars or other hardware around the house, you'll have no trouble installing grab bars. It shouldn't take more than a few hours. Download One Piece Movie 07 Sub Indo Hacksaw. You'll only need a hammer, a level, a drill and a few special drill bits. A stud sensor is optional. Your grab bars will be rock- solid if you anchor them to the studs.
If you're mounting your grab bars to standard wood- framed walls, first you'll have to precisely locate the vertical framing members called studs (Photos 1 and 2). Most grab bars have three screw holes in each mounting flange, but you'll only be able to anchor two of the three screws into a typical 1- 1/2 in. Use a plastic anchor for the third screw. As long as these screws penetrate at least an inch into sound wood, the grab bar will meet or exceed the 2. More important, it will be plenty strong to support you even in a fall. We'll show you how to mount grab bars to fiberglass tubs and showers, hollow walls and concrete.
Studs are easy to find in walls with only a single layer of drywall over the framing. Rap on the wall with your knuckle until the sound changes from hollow to a dull thud, or use a stud sensor (Photo 1). Thicker wall coverings like plaster present a greater challenge. Here are a few tips: Remove the access hatch behind the tub drain and peer behind the tub with a flashlight to look for studs. Go to the room or closet behind the long tub wall and look for clues to stud locations like nails in the baseboard. Then measure from a reference point you can identify when you go back into the bathroom. When you've located what you believe to be the center of the studs, confirm the stud locations and find both edges by probing with a nail (Photo 2).
If wall tile extends to the ceiling, drill 1/8- in. Patch the holes later with matching grout or caulk. Mark the studs and grab bar mounting holes (Photo 4). Then drill a 1/8- in. If you miss the stud, adjust the grab bar location accordingly and drill new holes. In most cases, the unused hole will be covered by the mounting plate on the grab bar.
Positioning Your Grab Bars. Even a solidly anchored grab bar is useless if it's in the wrong place. What location is best depends on the particular 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. For solid anchoring, stud locations are critical too. The bottom of the bar should be 3.
Position the bar so it can be anchored to a wall stud. Mount a bar at an angle between two wall studs on the long back wall of the tub (Photo 7). The bottom of the bar should be about 6 to 1. For studs 1. 6 in.
A person can use this grab bar to help lower himself and get up again. If this bar will be used primarily by a person sitting in a bath chair, raise the bottom to about 1. Fastening the grab bar.
Photo 6: Caulk the mounting flange. Caulk the back of the grab bar mounting flange with tub- and- tile adhesive or silicone caulk. Photo 7: Attach the grab to the wall. Screw the grab bar to the wall with the No. They should penetrate the stud at least 1 in.
Complete the grab bar installation as shown in Photos 6 and 7. Use a 1/4- in. Then use a 5/3. This will make driving the screws easier. Insert a plastic anchor in the holes in the tile that miss the stud Then screw the bar to the wall with No. Make sure the screws penetrate the studs at least 1 in. In most cases, 2- in. If you simply can't anchor to a stud, you have a few options.
The best alternative is to secure wood blocking between the studs. However, this requires opening a small hole in the wall and patching it after the blocking is screwed into place. If possible, work from the backside of the tub wall, where you're not hindered by ceramic tile or other tub finishes. If you're lucky, you'll have a closet or storage area where the wall patch doesn't have to be perfect. As a last resort, use toggle bolts or Wing. Its to mount the grab bar to the hollow part of the wall. The plaster, mortar or tile backer must be dry and solid and at least 5/8 in.
You're not done until you yank- test. Photo 8: Pull on the bar to see if it's secure. Attach a vertical grab bar near the tub edge, following the procedures shown in Photos 1 – 7. The bottom of the bar should be about 3. Yank both grab bars to test for a strong connection.
You're not done until you yank- test. Give the bars a good solid yank to test their holding power (Photo 8). 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. While you're at it, consider installing grab bars in other key locations.
A vertical or angled bar mounted on the wall to the side of the toilet or a vertical bar installed on the side wall in front of the toilet helps getting up or down. The expert we talked to recommended mounting a vertical bar beside the entry door from an attached garage. Usually there isn't a handrail, and negotiating two or three steps with a bag of groceries under your arm is a lot easier and safer with a grab bar to hang on to. Look around and you'll find other spots where grab bars would make everyday tasks safer and easier. The Best Way to Anchor Grab Bars to Concrete.
Plastic plug anchors hold screws tight in masonry or concrete. Anchor grab bars to concrete, concrete block or brick with 1/4- in. Drill a 1/4- in. Push the sleeve into the hole and drive in the screw.
Use plastic anchors after drilling a pilot hole. Grab bar fastened to the concrete wall. Buying Grab Bars. Grab bars are specially manufactured to hold at least 2. Towel bars and other light- duty bars are not strong enough. Most bars are stainless steel to resist corrosion, but you can also find them with a painted finish in a variety of colors.
We purchased our 1- 1/2 in. Thinner bars are available, but a standard 1- 1/2 in. Some bars feature added texture to reduce slipping. Here are a few guidelines for selecting grab bars: Purchase an 1. Before you buy a bar to mount at an angle or horizontally on the long tub wall (Photos 1 and 2), locate the studs.
Then buy a bar that reaches from one stud to the other, usually 3. Buy standard 1- 1/2 in. Thinner bars look more like towel bars and may not be strong enough for heavy use. Avoid grab bars that leave more than a 1- 1/2 in. A person's arm could slip into the extra- wide space and become trapped or break during a fall.