I'm so happy I found your channel! I'm in the process of working on a home for a close family friend. I'm installing grab bars and making the home as wheelchair friendly as possible which isn't terrible because it's a single level condo. I'm going to subscribe her to you as well. She'll love your content. Thanks!
Good video- teaches "How to think" versus "Do this," which is good because every situation and client is different. One point I'd mention is that being aware of plumbing and wiring locations is important- I'll let you imagine how I know... An "NCV", a non-contact voltage tester can help reassure you that you haven't nicked a wire. "nie wieder bohren" is a German company that makes (very expensive) adhesive fastened grab bars, which can be a good solution is some situations. The ads say they can be removed without damaging the substrate. For me, not having to fret about "What's behind that wall...?" is worth quite a bit of money and may actually save enough time to offset the cost.
For the vertical bar on the water supply end a good framing carpenter will usually provide two studs approximately on 12" centers , offset equally from the center, for the plumber.
I remember a reno show where the home was being renovated to accommodate a child with lots of special needs. One of the suggestions (and things they did) was to line the whole bathroom with 3/4" plywood under the wallboard. The idea was they cold then place brab bars anywhere they needed to, and easily move them if/when required as the child grew. obviously not what you are doing here but perhaps some thing to suggest for anyone you consult with that is doing a full bathroom (or other rooms I guess) reno. Thanks for giving me some ideas for installing grab bars in my home. We don't need them (yet) but they would help for those times my brother visits. Cheers from New Brunswick, Canada.
I would highly recommend the Moen Secure Mount system for grab bar installation. (I have no connection to the company.) These mounts do not require stud attachment and are rated for 300 pounds even when both ends are secured only by 1/2- or 5/8-inch wallboard. Too often studs are not optimally located for grab bars, and stud finders can leave too much desired in terms of accuracy. The Moen system works with or without studs, and is indeed a better mousetrap.
@@EquipMeOT Wing-Its are also an excellent option, although a bit expensive. They sell a 3/4" carbide bit for the mounting holes. It won't go through porcelain, so you'll need a diamond bit if someone used floor tile on a shower wall.
Hi Lindsay, thanks for the information! As a new grad OT, this is so so so helpful for decision making~ May I ask more about grab rail behind the toilet? I can't quite picture how it helps with transferring on to the toilet... Thanks.
The grab bar behind the toilet can be used to reach and stabilize from a standing position (think men standing to urinate) or for the process of turning from standing facing to sitting if the person needs many points of support.
Do you have a video about the installation of the grab bar through the plastic liner of the back of the shower stall? I understand that it's more complicated than installing through the drywall. Thanks.
We have a similar situation where the size of the shower was limited to 30" because of a doorway and an outside corner (from a hallway closet that butts into the room). We will have to put the vertical bar outside of the shower. But, because there will be a shower seat, the grab bar will have to be on the side with the controls. We want horizontal on the side (24") and another horizontal one on the walls with the controls (16" with a shelf to hold stuff). I'm debating whether to put it above or below the controls. This will be for a shower only-- no tub. We are gutting an old one-piece shower-tub unit so I will add blocking in to the walls rather than worrying about stud locations. Would a 48" vertical bar outside be ok? It has a curl grip on the handle. We couldn't fit the 48" one on the side wall because of the curve of the shower and how it comes in where the shelves are. I believe we have a 24" grab bar to go there. We also have a 16" Moen grab bar shelf that we want to put on the wall with the controls. We have a showerhead with a built-in 19" slidebar (Moen Refresh 25113). I'd be wary of putting nails or screws into a wall with electrical just in case you run into wires and some clown didn't put in nail plates.
Thanks, I was unsure of height placment. Be careful: The door stud, almost certainly is covered by the trim. That's a no-go. There may be a stud adjacent to the wall switch, but be careful, the worst scenario, I think is to find half a stud behind the screw holes. Then you can't use a moen securemount. The securemount requires a 1 1/4" hole. Imagine drilling the hole and finding behind the hole the 3/4" of space and 3/4" overlap of the stud. Well, you cant fit the securemount back-piece in, and you would be ill-advised to try to attach the mount to just the edge of the stud. Oftentimes, I think that the best way is to make sure there is NO stud at either end and use two securemounts, they are rated at 300lbs. Older homes, in New England often have odd placement of studs, and they are not always 16" on-center.
How to put grab bar in a shower stall with a glass wall on the other side of the stall? Do I put in the middle if the wall or slightly off ( like behind a shower chair?) my stall is 2.8 ft wide and 5ft in length. I use a shower chair and don't want to feel being squeezed by the grab bar and glass wall once seated. Thanks
Thank you for the grab bar for the bedroom - great video ! Will this bar be able to pull you up to a sitting position from a lying position ? If not what would you recommend? I have an adjustable bed frame ? Thank you for your time and help. 🥰 Sharon H
There is a similar product that can have a trapeze addition. That would work to get you to sitting from lying down. It’s by Health Craft and still works with a floor to ceiling tension bar system. www.healthcraftproducts.com/product/supertrapeze/
Hi Lindsey, My name is Reg Tomerlin. I’m an aerospace engineer working with my partner Justin, also an engineer and a patent attorney. We have just been granted a new U S Patent for a grab bar that will be affordable and save injuries and lives of seniors. You will see that it is very unique. It requires No Holes in the wall. They can be installed on tiles, mosaics, and glass at any angle and any position. They can easily be installed by seniors. “If my 85 year old father can install one of these, anyone can do it!”; a quote from my medical doctor friend. I am today watching your RU-vid videos especially the one about grab bars. If after seeing our new product design, I’d like to discuss the possibility of your making a video for us and posting it on RU-vid and other social media platforms for the purpose of introducing it to seniors. I’ll be happy to send you a pair of these together with the necessary materials and instructions. I would especially appreciate if you choose that they a in use by a senior. A “Sense of Security” is equal to the safety they provide. I am posting here a few photos for you to see. I can send you more information if you would like.
I downloaded the ADA specifications for grab bars install. I live in the US/Midwest and it took me more than 17 calls to find a contractor who was willing to install a grab bar. With studs being just 16" inches apart I ended up buying a16" grab bar. The contractor took about 5-10 minutes to install and this guy charged me $160.00. Un believable!
The ADA heights are for public accommodation, based on average standing US/western European male height, 1954-1974. They are NOT based on kinesiology, type of activity, or falls. Statistically, the difference between males and females is more than 1", the average height increased over the past 50 years, and the height of both declines by another inch between ages 25 and 75. Static horizontal shower bars are a poor compromise. Inclined stair rails work because taller people have longer arms.
thanks for your video. May I ask how to determine the height of the horizontal grab bar next to the toilet?(your right hand side) As I read many guidelines , some said above toilet seat 300mm to 400mm. I know the height of grab bar depended on the user.... besides their comfort feeling and any other determinants we may consider? thanks so much
Great video! Very detailed. For an elderly person who only takes baths and not showers, would a diagonal bar be easier on the hand strength so the grasping arm is more perpendicular to the bar? But I know once the person is standing, the diagonal orientation it not as helpful. Trying to figure the best. Can something be fitted/added to a horizontal grab bar, so when a person with weaker hands grabs from an angle from a seated position to stand (or visa versa), it reduces the chance of slipping? Thanks so much!
Unfortunately, suction cup bars often release at the worst times. I strongly recommend installing grab bars into a stud in the shower if possible. If not possible a Security Pole can sometimes work in the space or a clamp on bar on the tub edge (for tub/shower combos).
We in our early 60s and are building a cabin. We don't need grab bars now but some of our guests might, and we might also need them for ourselves in the future and are trying to think ahead. Given that my husband is 6'4" and I am 5'6", what heights are recommended to accommodate a range of people? ie the horizontal grab bar on the back wall of the shower - do we both consider our optimum level and place the bar in the middle of that to accommodate both of us?
That's wonderful that you're planning ahead! If you are going to be blocking behind the walls so grab bars can go in in the future, I recommend using you and your husband to test comfortable/natural grab heights and mark them on the studs and then place blocking in that span. I usually go somewhere in the middle of the 2 hand placements (slightly higher for the shorter person and slightly lower for the taller person). I also like a combination of vertical and horizontal bars, so blocking for them is wise! Great question and congratulations on the new home!
I don’t know how to contact you any other way I am a 72 year old man with some coordination issues, I have not seen any video from you on best way to clip finger nails. I hsve used you videos for advice including grab bars?
I find that horizontal is the most universally useful but contingent upon appropriate stud availability. Some people do like the angle for pulling to a stand while seated on a shower chair, so in those cases I’ll put it in whatever position is most comfortable.
Some comments : - if you were to only put grab bars where there are studs, you'd be putting grab bars in places which were not ideal for the user - good luck finding studs behind many tile walls, next to impossible to do it accurately - on a properly built tile wall, insert anchors like "alligator anchors" can be used - do not install anchors into the grout lines and try to stay away from the edges of tile - drill through the wall but do not drill into the wall cavity - stop when through the wall - use a "feeler stick" to explore the drilled hole - what is on the other side of that wall? (eg, electrical outlets above a kitchen counter) - what is behind plastic/fiberglass tub surrounds is often not a stud but thin wood strapping and gaps - installing vertical grab bars on faucet/shower walls is risky - there is always plumbing in that wall - when in doubt, put the bar a tad higher as opposed to a tad lower - always consider multiple people in one household and perhaps use longer bars to accommodate all - for hollow wall installs, use "snap toggles"
Alligator anchors, and wing-nut type, is a word is inadequate. They'll snap through 1/2" gyprock with less than 100lbs force. Use the SecureMount system which is good up to 300lbs because it has more surface area behind the wally.
@@Eclectic_RN On a properly built tile wall, and with 4 to 6 5/16" Toggler Alligator anchors per bar, Alligator anchors are fine. A 5/16" Alligator anchor has a max pull-out value of 85lbs per anchor, so with 4 anchors that is max pull-out of 340lbs and with 6 anchors that is 510lbs... and that is on 1/2" drywall, so a tile wall is much stronger than that. Do I use Alligator anchors on hollow drywall installs? Nope, only on tile walls. On hollow drywall I use Toggler Snap Toggles, which are cheaper and easier to install when compared to the Secure Mount system and can be used with virtually any grab bar. The Secure Mount System is also fine.
For levity :) If you give a "Bar-fly" a..."Stud-finder", then she could go home w/her "Stud" and you would'nt have to install any "Grab-bar", you just brought one home! No need to adjust, just grab at something :) No installation required! Note: May require mental and nutritional support, gold-diggers need not apply...You just F'd up twice. In addition...she is correct on her synopsys on what she was talking about! Have a nice day :)
