Where to Install a Grab Bar in a Shower

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Grab bars provide extra security in the bathtub for that first slippery step. Installed properly, good-quality grab bars are specifically manufactured to hold up to 250 pounds, giving you security and safety in your shower or tub. You can learn where to position grab bars and how to anchor them so they're rock-solid.

1. 1

   Assemble the necessary tools. Grab bars are relatively simple to install for experienced home repairers as well as weekenders with the proper tools. To do the job right, you'll need:

   • Pen or pencil
   • Masking tape
   • Electric drill
   • Grab bar, available at home repair stores
   • Drill bits for tile, one the size of the wall anchors and one smaller for pilot holes.
   • Wood bit for pilot holes into wall studs
   • Hand screwdriver
   • Wall screws to mount into tile and cement board if not mounting into studs.
   • (4) Heavy 2 1/2" ( cm) wood screws if mounting into wall studs.
   • Silicone shower caulk

2. 2

   Examine the grab bar kit. Take everything out of the box, making sure the grab bar is in good condition. Check to see what screws are included and whether or not the anchors match the diameter of your tile bit. If not, you'll need to get a new tile bit.

3. 

   3

   Determine the mounting location. This will depend on who will be using it, and the location of the wall studs if you are mounting it to them, and the locations of the joints between the tiles. In general, the bar needs to be about waist high for the shower users. The bottom of the bar should be 6" to 10" (15 cm to 25 cm) above the top of the tub. ^[1]

   • If the wall is not tiled, use a stud finder to locate the two studs to screw the grab bar to. Studs are normally spaced 16 inches (40.6 cm) apart, measured from center to center. Carefully find both edges of each stud and mark the exact centers. If you put a screw into the edge of a board, it could crack and the screw would have almost no strength.
   • If the wall is tiled, but not all the way to the ceiling, you could use a stud finder to find the studs above the tile. However, if there is cement board where you will mount the grab bar, you do not need to mount to the wall studs. ^[2]
   • If the wall is tiled to the ceiling, a stud finder probably could not be used. Tiled shower walls are almost always covered by cement board, and a stud finder cannot detect studs through it and the tile. The grab bar will then be mounted using wall anchors in the cement board, as grab bars normally are. If wall anchors are packaged with your grab bar, this is what they are designed for. If wall anchors are not in the package, buy the heaviest short, plastic wall anchors available. These must have 14 gage pan head screws in the package to be strong enough.

4. 4

   Mark the locations for the screws. ^[3]

   • If you have located the studs above the tiles, use a 48" (1.2 m) level to find their locations where the grab bar will be mounted.
   • If the wall is tiled, put masking tape where you will drill the holes. This is to keep the drill bit from skating across the tile and scraping it up, and to prevent the tile from cracking. .

     

   • Place marks on the masking tape to drill the holes.
   • Instead of marking all of the holes, there is a method that guarantees that the holes will be in the perfect location. Drill only one hole and mount the grab bar with one screw. Holding the grab bar steady, drill the remaining pilot holes through the grab bar.

5. 5

   Pre-drill pilot holes. ^[4] If the wall is tiled, make pilot holes using a bit about half the size of the larger bit. Both bits should be "glass and tile" bits. Most anchors will recommend the appropriate hole size to drill.

   • If mounting to wall studs, drill through the tile with a tile bit, then drill 1/8" (3 mm) holes into the stud with a wood bit.

     

1. 

   1

   If the wall is tiled, stick in the wall anchors and hammer them to be flush with the wall. Put the grab bar on the wall, and tighten the screws with a screwdriver. Follow the instructions included with your grab bar kit.^[5]

   • If the wall is not tiled, use the heaviest wood screws that will fit into the holes in the grab bar. A cordless drill may be needed to drive in the screws. The screws should penetrate the studs at least an inch, but they should be long because you will need to angle at least one of them to drive all three screws into a stud. Use 2 1/2" (6 cm) screws.

2. 

   2

   Seal the seams with silicone caulk. To keep water from seeping through the tile into the holes you've drilled, put a small bead of silicone around the seam. Cut a small angle through the tube of caulk, then run a very small bead around the grab bar, where it meets the wall.

   • Some people like to caulk the back of the flange before screwing the bar to the wall. This helps to create extra security and strength in the bar.

3. 

   3

   Test at the end by pulling on it. Give the caulk an hour or two to dry thoroughly, then give a small amount of force to make sure it is not loose, then try more force. Give the bars a good solid yank to test their holding power. Let the caulk dry for at least 24 hours before running water in the shower.

Add New Question

• Question

  How far from the floor should the grab bar be?

  

  Generally, you should put it around waist level, but if it's uncomfortable there, move it to where you feel most comfortable holding onto it.

• Question

  What is the ADA standard wall height for a grab bar?

  

  Standard wall heights vary based on ceiling heights. Residential buildings typically have a standard wall height of eight feet. Commercial facilities have a standard of 10 feet.

• Question

  What should I do if my shower enclosure is fiberglass?

  

  I would not recommend installing a grab bar on or around any kind of fiberglass without reinforcing it first. Someone could fall and get seriously injured otherwise.

• Question

  Why does the grab bar show rust on the tile?

  

  Steve Korbey

  Community Answer

  Whoever installed it failed to caulk or silicone seal the mounting plates. They may have also used the wrong screws, which can rust. I had to remove and reinstall mine two years after they were fitted by a qualified fitter. I treated the plate with a rust converter and cleaned the whole area with CLR before refitting the bar using silicone caulking and stainless steel screws.

• Question

  I understand about drilling through the tiles, but behind the tiles is a cement wall. How can I be sure the grab bar will be 45° fixed?

  

  Walter Brant

  Community Answer

  Be sure it is a cement wall and not cement backer board. If it is a cement wall, drill through the tiles with tile bits. Drill 1/8" holes, and then use a larger bit to re-drill them to the correct size. Drill into the concrete with a 3/16" bit and mount the grab bar using 1/4" "concrete screws". These are always blue, but from different brands.

• Question

  Can a hand bar be mounted on a plaster wall in a 1940's home?

  

  Walter Brant

  Community Answer

  You must use 2" heavy screws, and they must be screwed into wall studs. The plate at each end of a grab bar has three holes for screws, so you must screw in one or two of the screws at an angle for three screws to go into a 2x4 wall stud.

• Question

  Do I need to remove trim before installing a grab bar? Can I install it over the trim?

  

  Walter Brant

  Community Answer

  You must chisel out a large notch in the trim for the grab bar. The grab bar could never be mounted safely over the top of trim.

• Question

  The grab bar is a little loose. Can it be retightened?

  

  Walter Brant

  Community Answer

  There are several reasons it could be loose. The only safe thing to do is to remove it and remount it to make it tight again. Don't leave it loose.

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• If the grab bar doesn't have a gasket, put a little bit of silicone caulk behind and/or around the flanges. You don't want any water to get behind the walls.

• 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. wide stud. 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 250-lb. load rating required by the government for public buildings.

• Special gap-filling spacers are available for mounting grab bars on fiberglass tubs. Check with the manufacturer or a plumbing supplier.

• If you are sure you are going into metal studs, toggle bolts may be OK to use. Otherwise, avoid them.

• There are good grab bars and better ones. Look for grab bars that have a non-slip surface. The ones we had installed were grey, heavy duty plastic , and have a finely knurled surface. As I recall, the manufacturer was located in Florida.

• You'll have to replace a tile if you crack the tile. Be very meticulous in measuring. Be very careful to start your holes in the very center. Use a smaller bit to drill pilot holes.

• Make sure there are no plumbing or electrical. Some stud finders will find build in sensors. Drilling and feel like it's not going through, might be a metal plate. If the shower head or faucet is on that wall, be careful. Predrill a small hole and check, or drill just far enough and check with a flashlight.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

• Use the screws that came with the grab bar, or some that are equally stout and are made of stainless steel to prevent rusting. Do not use smaller screws because these will not "bite" the studs properly, or the screw heads may not be large enough to hold the bar properly. No, don't use drywall screws!

Things You'll Need

• You'll need a drill, a 4 feet (1.2 m). level, a 1/8 in. and a 1/4 in. masonry or glass and tile bit, a 5/32 wood bit, a hammer and a screwdriver. You may also need a stud sensor if you have trouble locating wood studs.

About This Article

Article Summary X

If you have some basic tools and half an hour to spare, you can install a grab bar in your bathroom even without any DIY experience. You'll need a grab bar, electric drill, screwdriver, wall screws, and silicone shower caulk. First, you'll need to position the grab bar waist high and mark the screw holes on the wall with a pencil. Drill holes using a glass and tile bit where you made the pencil marks. Once you've drilled all the holes, push wall anchors into them and screw the grab bar into the wall. When you've finished screwing it in place, apply caulk around the edges to make the grab bar watertight. Let it dry for 2 hours, then test the grab bar by pulling on it. Leave it for 24 hours before you turn the water on near the grab bar so the caulk can dry. For more tips, including how to choose your wall screws, read on.

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Where to Install a Grab Bar in a Shower

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-Grab-Bar

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