Bathroom Grab Bars Installation Guide

Bathroom grab bars are essential if you want to create a disabled-friendly bathroom. They offer people with physical disabilities and mobility problems to use the bathroom facilities safely and avoid injury. You need to install sturdy and resilient grab bars that would withstand pressure and weight and offer people a secure grip.

While the bar itself should be well-made and strong, the handicap railings installation is the key. If the bar isn’t installed properly, it won’t handle the pressure and will come off the wall. At Boston Ironworks, we suggest you follow the steps listed below to install it securely.

Find the Studs- Studs support drywalls and can handle considerable amount of pressure and weight. If you anchor the grab bar on the plain drywall, it’ll come off at the slightest pressure. However, if you anchor the bar on the studs, it would stay secure unless you apply unreasonable amounts of pressure on it. The first step is to find the stud locations with a stud sensor and mark it with a pencil.
Mark on Tile-Once you have found the location of the plain drywall, use a large ruler along the edges of the stud and transfer the stud location on the tile where you want to place the grab bar. You should ensure the ruler is perfectly straight to get the most precise location. Place a masking tape on the tile and mark out the exact location and shape of the stud.
Positioning-After you’ve marked the location of the studs, place the grab bar at the right position. The location of the bar is very important because it should be within easy access and offer proper grip and leverage to help a person get to their feet. The bar should be at least 18 to 24 inches long and should be placed 32 to 38 inches above the ground. Once you have the bar in the right position, you should mark the holes.
Drill and Install-Once you’ve market the holes locations on the studs, drill a 1/8 inch hole in the tile to confirm the presence of the stud. Once you do that, drill deep as you can go, and install the bar in place.

If you want to know more about handicap railings installation or our other services, you can call Boston Ironworks at 617 657 3117. You can also fill in this contact us form. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.