Stud location in shower to mount a grab bar

jctangney

Anyone know a good location in the shower where a grab bar can be located. I would like to be able to go into a stud. Otherwise I may get some sort of long cabinet handle that I can mount to the inside of the shower frame (sliding a small piece of wood down into the frame to take a screw.

Any thoughts?

John

jkjenn

jctangney said:

Anyone know a good location in the shower where a grab bar can be located. I would like to be able to go into a stud. Otherwise I may get some sort of long cabinet handle that I can mount to the inside of the shower frame (sliding a small piece of wood down into the frame to take a screw.

Any thoughts?

John

I think the best shot is the wall with the mirror, but you could also consider a strong suction cup mount for the door.

jctangney

I will try checking the mirror wall with a stud finder tomorrow and see if I can find anything there. Problem with the door itself is that you may go to grab it and the door swings open and you fall out that way. Just spent the afternoon replacing a faucet in the garage utility sink. The new faucet said it would be about a 30 minute job. It took at least 2 hours! very little space to work behind it. I finally disconnected the drain and all the hoses so I could move it away from the wall,. Then I could tighten the nuts for the center pull-out sprayer. Finally, reconnected the water line farthest from the side I had access to (other side is the water heater), then the drain, then the other water line. Will still have to re-caulk the sink to the wall, but that can happen on another day! Obviously all this had nothing to do with the T@B, but is why I didn't get to try a stud finder today to see if it will find anything there.

We have added some Command Strip hooks in the shower for hanging coats at night (and still have access to the toilet if needed ). Wish they were strong enough for a grab bar!

John

jctangney

BTW: One other thing we found the other day for the shower was that the Pebble Sink Mat from Camping World

www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/pebble-sink-mat/71664

works great for the shower floor. That way if you wear socks when you go in there to use the toilet, it is not so slippery!

John

Nomad

There's two access points in the shower wall - behind the mirror and an access panel on the cabin side next to the outer wall. Should be able to see inside from those if a stud finder doesn't work.
Remember to reseal the mirror if you take it off.

jctangney

While I would like to move the mirror anyway, we have a trip coming up soon, so will avoid that for now. I will let you know if the stud finder works.

jctangney

Actually from this photo that "tabhappy" posted last month, it looks like the shower wall where she removed the mirror is plywood.

If that is true, I could mount a small grab bar horizontally right below the mirror.

Thoughts?

Nomad

Hmmmm - Wonder if it's plywood all the way or just in that area like a cross member - Might be able to tell by tapping and the sound.

Verna

jctangney said:

Actually from this photo that "tabhappy" posted last month, it looks like the shower wall where she removed the mirror is plywood.

If that is true, I could mount a small grab bar horizontally right below the mirror.

Thoughts?

No, it is not plywood. It is a composite material backed by 1/8"
plywood.The end of the wall that sticks into the cabin has plywood at the end only. There is a 2x3 wooden stud that is to the left of the shower faucet as you face it. 

If you remove your driver's side bench cushion and plywood bottom, you can see the bottom of the wall for the faucet side of the bathroom. You can also remove the access panel behind the shower faucet so you can make sure you don't drill into water pipes. 

jctangney

I will definitely look from the driver's side bench area. Depending on what it takes, I may remove the shower faucet access panel as well. BTW: in the photo "tabhappy" posted, and I reposted above, it looks like a small sink or at least an area for soap etc. at the bottom of her photo. Since I have nothing like that, I assume that is a change from older units. Or is it something with one of the "Packages"? Also, I saw these "WingIts" on the Home Depot site while looking at Grab Bars there. They may work well even if wall is composite. What do you think? They are rated for up to 600 lbs. in tile and drywall! Plus these are made for mounting the grab bar, and even are waterproof!

John

Verna

John, I would not recommend trusting that unsupported composite with your weight. I reach outside the shower door and grab the corner of the wall to help me stand. Of course it's just me in the T@B so I don't have to worry about privacy and modesty. There should be no problem putting a grab bar outside the shower on the end of that wall....I think. I have two fancy coat hooks at the top of the wall for jackets and my towel. Of course they don't weigh what a human weighs. 

jctangney

Not "intending" on putting full weight on it. More for stabilization if you start to lose balance. However, I will look for that 2x3 as a preferred option first. I mounted two Command Strip hooks at the top of that wall as well!

John_and_Kris

we placed a 18" grab bar just outside the shower door  ( wall that has the mirror & TV on it) and screwed it into the wood stud there with 3 "screws. Works great as I have braces and need extra help getting up. We also put a piece of line knotted in a few locations that can be brought into the bath area and used to get up from the toilet with the door opened. Works great for now till we figure something really safe to go across the mirror wall.

John_and_Kris

If interested I will get a pic and post it. Let me know as T@Bby is in storage not at house.

jctangney

John_and_Kris: Thanks for the info, suggestion and offer for a photo. I will first see if I can find the 2x3 stud next to the shower that Verna referred to. So, don't worry about a photo unless you head to the storage area for something else.

jctangney

Well, I looked for the 2x3, and it actually looks more like a 1x3. However, at least it is wood, and my stud finder did see it. Its center is about 7 1/2 inch from the outside wall.  So, I will probably mount a small grab bar vertically with each end going into that 1x3. I will definitely drill holes such that it is just the treads of the screws going into the wood, not the body as I do not want to split it!

John_and_Kris

Here is the pic of where we put the exterior grab handle just outside the shower door with a grab rope

Verna

Perfect!  John, that is the end of the wall I have my coat hooks on.  It works very well. Be careful. And happy travels. 

John_and_Kris

Verna we also have  double coat hooks at the top.

jctangney

Based of Verna's mention of a 2x3 behind the shower wall, I looked into that. It is actually a 1x3, but I could see it from under the driver's side cushion, and my stud finder was able to confirm it. It is 7.5 (center) inches from the side wall. The grab bar I purchased (Moen) has two screws at the top and two at the bottom, vertically, so I have all 4 going into the 1x3. Measured very carefully since the screws are going into the center of the 1 inch side!  I coated the screws well with silicone caulking. Attached is the final image.

John_and_Kris

JCTANGNEY: Question When you said "7.5 inches for the 1" inch cent of the stud" is your measurement from the actual side wall or how does one account for the sidewall seam as I have not been to ours yet. But, since you say the measurement is critical since the screws are going into the 1" I want to be sure in my measurements.  Thanks John

jctangney

John & Kris, the 7.5 inches was measured from the actual sidewall, avoiding the caulking between the side and back walls. Actually, to be more accurate, it looked like 7 and 15/32, but I figured 7.5 was close enough. I also drilled the holes for the screws with a bit 1/32 larger than the directions suggested as I wanted less of a chance of splitting the 1x3.

jkjenn

Verna said:

Perfect!  John, that is the end of the wall I have my coat hooks on.  It works very well. Be careful. And happy travels. 

Probably going to steal this idea.

ST_Bob said:

A home-carpentry kit is incomplete without a stud-finder.  These devices make locating the heavier wood stud behind the wall a snap.  If you're worried that one T@B may be different than another T@B then verify the stud location with your trusty stud-finder first.

Doesn't help me at my house. My walls are a combination plaster and a cement like material. I have to use a masonry bit to hang a picture.

John_and_Kris

jctangney said:

John & Kris, the 7.5 inches was measured from the actual sidewall, avoiding the caulking between the side and back walls. Actually, to be more accurate, it looked like 7 and 15/32, but I figured 7.5 was close enough. I also drilled the holes for the screws with a bit 1/32 larger than the directions suggested as I wanted less of a chance of splitting the 1x3.

Thanks much John