Installation of a Shower Rail for the Handicapped

ADA Guidelines

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed into law in 1990, is a set of regulations that require commercial properties and public areas to make allowances for people with a physical disability. These regulations are used as guidelines when applied to residential construction, and the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) are most often referenced when addressing shower rail installation in the home.

ADAAG Shower Rail Facts

• The ADAAG for shower rail installation, amended in September 2002, provide dimensions and placement of these grab bars for the physically handicapped. The guidelines also provide information about the shape and structural integrity needed in grab bars so that they will provide support and safety to those with a physical disability of any kind. The factors that affect the strength of a shower rail such as bending stress, shear stress and tensile force must be able to withstand 250 lbs. of weight as a minimum.

Shower Rail Dimensions

• The placement of grab bars is key to the safest and most accessible shower rail installation. The ADA guidelines for installing grab bars state that the height of a shower rail must be between 33 and 36 inches from the floor of the shower or tub enclosure. The shower rail installation must also allow for 1½ inches of clearance between the rail and the wall it is attached to. Recessed wall areas for grab bars must be at least 3 inches deep and must extend at least 18 inches above the shower rail.

Securing Grab Bars in Walls

• The attachment of grab bars to the walls of shower stalls and tub enclosures is another key element of shower rail installation. Of course, the most secure way to attach grab bars is to fasten them directly to a wall stud. Grab bars can also be attached to plywood blocks behind the wall. Several types of fasteners are also acceptable for shower rail installation, according to the Medical College of Cornell University. These fasteners include toggle bolt-type anchor fasteners and wing nut-type fasteners that will hold up to 360 lbs. and 460 lbs. of load force, respectively.