Grab Rails

Bathroom Accessibility

Comfortable and uninhibited access to a bathroom is an essential part of every person’s day; however, for those with disabilities, limited mobility, or wheelchair users, this may be a cumbersome and challenging task. Grab rails allow easy yet highly versatile assistance, ensuring bathroom accessibility and safety.

In addition to bathroom size, having handles to support, steady, and navigate oneself is a vital component of creating a wheelchair-friendly space. Grab bars can be floor-mounted or installed on walls or the sides of bathtubs. 

The wide variety of available grab bars and handicap grab bars ensures toilets are accessible. Additionally, grab bars are a great way to provide stability for those prone to falls or slips. 

Categories of grab rails

Generally speaking, there are three main types of grab rails: 

• Vertical 
• Horizontal 
• Diagonal 

Vertical bars are easy to grip, aid mainly with balance, and are preferable for those with arthritis. However, vertical rails do not allow for much wall coverage for those using the rails to assist with navigation and walking.

Horizontal bars are highly sturdy for pulling one’s body up, making them perfect for getting into and out of a bathtub or to use the toilet. They also allow the user to turn around and can cover a larger amount of space. 

On the other hand, they may be uncomfortable to use for those with arthritis and can only be used at a fixed height. Diagonal grab bars can be used at multiple different heights and can allow for some movement, allowing for a comfortable wrist position. 

Grab bars are also available in a wide range of shapes and designs, such as straight, wave-style, bar clamps, floor-to-ceiling poles, and 90° angle bars to name a few.

Additionally, textured safety bars are available which can increase grip, especially in wet environments such as the shower or bathtub.

Types of grab rails

Shower grab rails

Showers are notoriously hazardous due to their slick floors and surfaces. Shower safety rails allow secure access into and out of a shower. This may otherwise be impossible or very difficult, especially for those who are handicapped or elderly. Regardless of the user’s abilities, simple access to a shower handrail can prevent potential falling or slipping. 

Shower grab rails should be installed on all walls of the shower, and in the case of glass shower doors, suction shower grab bars are a perfect solution for ensuring a shower is accessible to people of any ability level.

Those who need to be seated in the shower, and have a firm and reliable shower grab bar, really benefit from reliably installed shower seats, which serve this exact function. 

Toilet grab rail

For easy use of a toilet, at least one grab rail should be installed to the side of the toilet about 46cm from the nearest wall or fixture, in the case that the rail is floor mounted. The ideal toilet placement is between two support bars that are 91cm apart. 90° angle, wall-mounted safety bars are a good candidate if the toilet is closely set beside a wall. 

Bath grab rail

Especially for the elderly, getting in and out of a bathtub without proper grip is extremely strenuous and due to the wet, slippery surfaces; potentially dangerous. For this reason, bath grab bars are very popular for increasing the accessibility of bathtubs. Typically two rails are installed on either side of the bathtub to allow proper grip when shifting in and out.

Installation and maintenance 

Bathroom grab bars are metallic and come in three material varieties: stainless steel, aluminium alloy, and brass. However, the most common material used is stainless steel. Depending on how you intend to make use of the rails, they can be floor-mounted or wall-mounted. 

Installation

Installation is fairly simple but it should be done by someone who can properly and safely install a grab bar. The most common place bathroom grab bars are installed is on tile surfaces in showers or above bathtubs. 

To install a grab bar on a tile, using a good anchoring system is important to ensure the rail can bear weight. You can use a template to mark the fastener locations. 

Ensure that you are using the correct drill bit for the surface on which you’re installing the bar. For example, on very hard porcelain tiles or granite, a diamond bit would work best. Spray water using a spray bottle while you drill through the tile at the marked points. 

Maintenance

Grab bars in bathrooms can be full of germs carry a large number of germs, especially when they are used to assist with toilet access. Regular cleaning is thus very important to maintain a clean and germ-free bathroom. 

Most grab bars are made of stainless steel which is known for its durability. Despite its hardiness, products such as strong detergents, bleaches, and mineral acids which contain high amounts of ammonia and/or chlorine can cause stainless steel to corrode. 

For this reason, soap and water are the safest cleaning materials to use, with the help of glass-safe cleaners which will maintain a beautiful shine.