Grab Bars Make Showering Safe

By: Bill & Kevin Burnett

Q: Next month my elderly mother will be moving in with us, and I need to get the house ready for her. How do I add grab bars to my tile shower without destroying the entire wall in the shower? Also, how do I add handrails to my concrete porch steps?

A: Excellent questions. We always think safety first. Grab bars in the shower and porch handrails are good precautions for young and old alike.

Grab Bars

Grab bars are available at home centers, lumberyards and many hardware stores. We've seen them in a brushed stainless steel and white enamel.

For use in a tub/shower enclosure you can use either two straight bars or a bar that forms a 90-degree bend. Either choice allows you to position a bar to steady yourself while showering or to assist when getting out of the tub.

To install the grab bar, first decide the location. Stand in the tub and determine a comfortable height for the bar. Next, sit in the tub and determine the position where the bar will best assist someone getting in or out of the tub.

Grab bars usually are attached to the wall by flanges, each with three screws. To ensure a solid installation, screw the bar into wall studs. If this means adjusting the location of the bar a little, do it. Level and plumb don't count here. A diagonal bar is OK. Safety and comfort are the objectives.

Studs are usually located every 16 inches. To find a stud, start from the corner of the shower and measure 16 inches. Drive a small nail through the plaster just above the tile and with luck, you'll hit the stud. If not, keep probing with the nail until you find the stud. A dab of caulk will repair the hole. If this sounds a little hit and miss (and it can be), a stud finder is an inexpensive alternative available at hardware stores.

To drill through the tile you will need a hammer, a nail set, an electric drill and a masonry bit a little larger than the diameter of the screws you use.

Hold the bar in position and mark the location of the holes with a pencil or marker. Tap the nail set on the mark just enough to score the glazing on the tile, but not too hard. This gives the drill bit a place to "bite" and keeps it from wandering. With the masonry bit, drill through the tile, cement board and plasterboard (or plaster) to the wood. Repeat the process for each hole and screw the flange to the studs with wood screws. You should be able to get a least two screws of each flange into the stud. For the third screw use a plastic anchor. The screws should be a minimum of 2 inches long.

We like to drill a pilot hole into the stud to make installing the screw easier. Use a wood drill bit a little smaller than the diameter of the screw. For added ease, add a little bar soap on the threads.

Porch Railings

At first glance this seems a daunting task, but it really is not that difficult.

Determine the length you'll need and purchase a prefabricated metal railing with posts from a lumberyard or home center.

Rent a rotohammer and a coring bit from your local rental center. For a rail made of 1-inch metal, you should drill a 3-inch diameter hole in the concrete step.

Mark the location of each hole by placing the posts on the steps and mark them. Drill each hole with the rotohammer. Remove the debris from the holes. Insert the posts in the center of each hole and fill the hole with quick-drying cement. Make sure that the posts are plumb and the rail is parallel to the steps. Allow the cement to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Copyright 2003-2006 Bill & Kevin Burnett. Distributed by Inman News.