Installing a Handicapped Handrail on a Wall

Run a stud finder over the wall where the handicapped rail will be installed. Tap a nail into the wall at half-inch increments until you've found both sides of the stud. Mark the center of the stud with a pencil. If you don't have a stud finder, rap the wall with your knuckles until you hear the sound change to a dull thump. That should be the location of the stud. Drive a nail into the stud to make sure, find the edges of the stud and mark the center.

Determine where on the stud or studs the bar will be installed. Horizontal and angled bars are installed on two adjacent studs. A vertical rail needs only one stud. The type of bar and its alignment are determined by the purpose of the bar. For instance, the bottom of a vertical bar used to assist a bather getting out of the tub should be between 32 and 38 inches above the top of the tub.

Mark the spots on the wall where the holes in the mounting flanges line up. Most grab bar flanges have three screw holes, so one of the screws may not seat in the wood of the stud. Use a plastic anchor for a screw that will be seated in drywall. When installing a horizontal bar, use a level to ensure the bar is even. Drill pilot holes for the screws through the markings.

Use the screws supplied with the grab bar to attach the bar to the wall. If the bar did not come with screws, use number 10 stainless steel pan head screws. Patch the test nail holes with drywall compound, sand the patches and paint them.