A bathtub is the highest step most people take in their home, and they do it barefoot on a wet surface. Grab bars turn that step into a controlled motion.
The standard tub layout
- Vertical entry bar: on the control-end wall, near the outside edge of the tub, spanning roughly 32 to 48 inches from the tub floor. Grab it while lifting a leg over the rim.
- Long back wall bar: a 24 to 36 inch horizontal bar on the back wall at 33 to 36 inches above the tub floor. Use it while standing and showering.
- Low back wall bar (optional): a second horizontal bar 8 to 10 inches above the tub rim, for pushing up from a seated bath. The ADA specifies two back-wall bars for tubs for exactly this reason.
- Control wall bar: a short horizontal bar near the faucet so you can hold on while adjusting water, or a grab bar ring that mounts around the tub spout.
Don't rely on the soap dish or towel bar
Ceramic soap dishes and standard towel bars are the two fixtures most often torn out of a wall during a fall. If you want a towel bar on the tub wall, use a towel bar that is built as a grab bar.
Mounting into a tub surround
Most tub walls are tile over cement board, or a one-piece fiberglass surround. Tile can be drilled and screwed into studs. Fiberglass needs blocking behind the panel or a hollow-wall grab bar anchor. Our guides on tile and fiberglass mounting cover both.
Questions about your bathroom? Call LiveWell at (440) 499-7221 or email info@livewellhs.com. We ship grab bars from Ohio to homes, contractors, and senior living communities nationwide.