The bathroom is one of the most dangerous places in the home, especially for the elderly, pregnant women or people with mobility difficulties in your family, a little inattentive may slip. If a handrail is installed in the shower, the safety will be greatly improved. But when you discover that your shower is made of fiberglass, does the task seem a little tricky?
Don't worry, this article is just for you. I will teach you step by step how to safely and securely install grab bars in a fiberglass shower in the simplest possible language. What's more, you'll also find that choosing shower doors with handrails like ACE DECOR, which are designed for the average user, makes the installation process quick and easy.
Why Do Fiberglass Walls Bother You?
Fiberglass showers indeed are a good choice because they are light, waterproof and easy to clean. But if you are going to install handrails on it, these features will cause some trouble instead:
- The wall is relatively thin: the glass fiber itself cannot directly withstand a lot of tension, so you need to find the support point behind it to fix the handrail bar.
- Easy to crack: When drilling, if you use too much force or the wrong tool, it is easy to crack the glass fiber wall.
- Support points are difficult to find: The keel behind the glass fiber is sparsely distributed, not as easy to find as ordinary walls.
For these reasons, you need to do it the right way and choose an installation-friendly handrail, like our ACE DECOR products.
Detailed Steps for Installing Handrail Bars
1. Find the perfect location
First, you need to decide where the handrail is most convenient. In fact, there are three common ways to install handrails:
- Lateral installation: suitable for standing support in the shower, especially when the elderly need to force.
- Vertical installation: you can install it at the entrance of the shower room, easy to hold when entering and leaving.
- Oblique installation: for people of different heights, this method is more flexible and suitable for family sharing.
Grab a tape measure, stand in the shower, find a spot that feels most comfortable to you, and mark it on the wall with a pencil. Remember, the spot needs to be convenient but not in your way.
2. Find support points behind walls
The fiberglass wall itself has a very limited load-bearing capacity, so you need to find the support structure behind it, which is the keel. Here are a few tips to help you:
- With a bolt detector: This is the easiest way to scan the wall directly to find the location of the wooden keel or metal frame.
- Tapping method: Tap on the wall with your fingers, there is no support in the hollow sound, and there may be keel in the solid sound.
If you find that the marked installation position just doesn't have a support point, don't worry, you can adjust the position slightly, or use an expansion anchor bolt to solve the problem.
3. Preparations before drilling
Drilling a hole into a fiberglass wall is a technical task, but don't be intimidated, just follow these steps and you will be able to do it:
- Choose the right bit: Fiberglass requires a special bit, such as a tile bit, to avoid cracks caused by ordinary bits.
- Low speed drilling: When using electric drill, keep the low speed to reduce the damage of vibration to the wall.
- Protect the wall: Put a small piece of transparent tape on the drilling position to prevent the wall from cracking when drilling.
Remember, keep a steady hand when drilling—this isn’t a wrestling match, so go easy on the brute force!
4. Install handrails
Once the hole is drilled, it's time for the crucial step - attaching the handrail to the wall. If you chose the ACE DECOR, this step is a lot easier, because we include installation templates and precise fixing accessories, you just need to follow the instructions step by step.
First, align the base of the handrail bar with the position of the drill hole, and fix it to the support point behind the wall with screws. If you are using an expansion anchor, don't forget to tighten it to make the bar more secure.
5. Check for fastness
As a final step, you need to check that the handrail is securely mounted. Grab the handrail with your hand and gently pull and shake it to see if it is loose. If all is well, congratulations! Your handrail is installed.
For further reinforcement, you can also apply some waterproof sealant around the screw holes, which will both prevent water from seeping in and increase stability.
Why will You Fall in Love with ACE DECOR Shower Doors?
After learning how to mount grab bar on fiberglass shower enclosure, you may feel that the job is not difficult, but after all, it requires certain tools and skills. If you're looking for a more stress-free, safe solution, then the ACE DECOR shower door with grab bars may be more for you.
1. High quality material, durable
Our shower door adopts thickened tempered glass and 304 stainless steel handrail rod, which is not only resistant to corrosion and wet slip, but also can withstand greater tensile force, and will not be deformed or loosened for long-term use. The glass surface is also treated with anti-fouling treatment, which is convenient for your daily cleaning.
2. Easy to install, worry free
Buy ACE DECOR shower doors and you won't have to worry about installing grab bars. Shower doors are designed with DIY users in mind, and the installation instructions are clear and easy to understand, even in a few simple steps.
Write at the end
Bathroom security is something that every family should be concerned about, and a shower door with a handrail can not only provide extra protection for your family, but also make your bathroom more classy. If you are already hesitant to install handrails on your own, it is better to directly choose ACE DECOR shower door with handrails, in one step, save time and worry.
Browse our shower door collection now! From modern simplicity to classic elegance, there's always something for your home. ACE DECOR is dedicated to creating a safer and better living space for you!
