The easiest shower grab bars to install are suction cup grab bars for showers. These are portable bars that can be installed and removed with the flip of a button.

Improving Lifestyles Suction Grab Bar 11.5 InchesGrab Bars are an added feature to most every bathroom, which this no tool version you can place near a toilet, bathtub , shower, as well as, any other…

Safe-er- Grip Bath & shower Handle, 17-InchesGet a handle on bathroom safety with this bathtub and shower handle. This easy to install grip gives both parent and child steady confidence in and around…

Drive Medical Single Hand Suction Cup Grab Bar, 12.75 InchesThe portable suction grab bar is easy to install, no tools needed, no hole to drill. The large suction cups attach to virtually any smooth non-porous…

These are very easy to install and you don’t need any tools to install them. Just position them where you want them, whether on the shower or bathtub wall, flip the button and the suction cups will make the bar adhere to the wall. For them to work properly, the shower wall should be clean of grime and soap buildup. The tile or wall should also be smooth and flat and non-porous, otherwise the suction cups can’t stick to it. You can use these for use in hotel rooms when traveling. These types of grab bars are inexpensive and very easy to use.

The negative to this type of grab bar is that it should ONLY be used for balance and NOT to support someone’s weight. Since a suction grab bar is not anchored to the wall or stud, it could slip off the wall and result in injury. There is the possibility that the bar could slide off of the wall. This type of grab bar should only be used for balance, not for holding your weight. Read the instructions and owners manual carefully to avoid possible injury. Check the reviews about to find out what other people have to say about them.

Look for additional information and shower grab bars here.

If you have the budget and setup for it, you should look at shower grab bars that are anchored and permanently installed in your shower or bath. These will be more expensive, but will help support your weight and give you extra security in the shower or tub.

Safety First S1F5618SS 18-Inch by 1-1/2-Inch Concealed Mounting Grab Bar, Stainless Steel Safety meets sophistication with these heavy-duty grab bars that exceed ADA and ASTM standards while providing extra security in the bath Concealed mounting For persons up to 500 lbs ADA Compliant

Medline 24 Inch Grab Bar, Knurled ChromeChrome grab bars help prevent falls in the shower. Shower bars are a great safety measure for any shower. 1 1/2″ knurled chrome diameter, chrome-finished…

Improving Lifestyles Suction Cup Tub Grab BarSuction Grab Bar for The Tub. Higher bar with the feature of Suction. Stability bar to help get in and out of bath tub. and shower.

You are going to want to install this shower grab bar into the studs behind the shower enclosure. The problem here is that most studs are 16 inches apart. Most shower grab bars come in 12- 18 and 24-inch lengths. To accommodate this, most people will install the bar on a bit of an angle, so both ends of the bars can be anchored to the studs. There are some grab bars that designed with an angle in mind.

When shopping for a fixed shower grab bar, check to see if it meets ADA code for the bar.

Depending on your budget, you can choose from economy shower grab bars to brass grab bars. You will find many stylish bathroom grab bars made by Moen and other leading bathroom manufactures.

Look for additional information and shower grab bars here.

We hope this helped you buying shower grab bars.

Here is a review of several handicap shower modules you can order online and have delivered to you. These are currently the best prices on handicap shower I have found.

ADA compliant handicap showers

When purchasing a shower, you should first look for ones that are ADA compliant. That means they meet the standards for safety and proper setup according to guidelines in the American Disabilities Act.

Kohler K-12101-C Freewill barrier-free transfer shower module with brushed stainless steel grab bars and seat on left, 45″ x 37-1/4″ x 84″

Kohler Freewill Shower Module – K12101-C-96

The following values are the attributes of this product: Drain Location=Center, Color / Finish=Biscuit, Material=Acrylic, Length=45″, Width=37-1/4″Designed…

This one piece barrier free transfer shower is 45” x 37.25” x 84”. Those are the outside rough-in dimensions. The inside dimensions are 36” x 36” x 81 3/8”. It includes brushed stainless steel grab bars and a slip resistant floor. You can order it in 8 different colors. This model has a center rear drain. It also has a fold up shower seat when a seat is not needed.

.

Kohler K-12102-C-0 White Freewill barrier-free wheelchair shower module with brushed stainless steel grab bars, 69-1/4″ x 37-1/2″ x 84″ K-12102-C

Kohler Freewill barrier-free wheelchair shower module with brushed stainless steel grab bars, 69-1/4″ x 37-1/2″ x 84″ White – K-12102-C-0

Kohler – Freewill® barrier-free wheelchair shower module with brushed stainless steel grab bars, 69-1/4″ x 37-1/2″ x 84″ The Freewill wheelchair shower…

This is a wheelchair shower module that has a barrier free design to it. It allows spacious accessibility while also looking good. It comes with stainless steel grab bars and a slip resistant floor for safety. This is a one piece moduler unit made by Kohler. It comes in the following colors: Almond, Biscuit, Cashmere, Ice Grey, Sandbar, Sunlight, Tea Green and White.

Kohler K-12104-C Freewill barrier-free bath and shower module with brushed stainless steel grab bars, outlet at right

Kohler Freewill Bath & Shower Modules – K12104-C-Y2

The following values are the attributes of this product: Drain Location=Right, Color / Finish=Sunlight, Material=Acrylic, Length=64-3/4″, Width=37″Designed…

The Freewill bath and shower module provides a barrier-free design solution that offers comfort and universal style with brushed stainless steel grab bars, a slip-resistant floor and a removable multi-position seat for added safety. Available in a wide palette of KOHLER colors (sandbar is shown in the picture), the module is constructed of high-quality acrylic for durability and lasting shine. Features a right-hand drain.

For More Information and Prices, click here

Increasing the safety of your family members or guests is top priority, especially if you have anyone with disabilities or physical handicaps.  Going overboard in the design of handicap shower stalls can often set your family members up for even more harm, rather than helping care for themselves.  In order to avoid having your elderly or disabled family members injured while scrubbing up, there are a few tips that you need to take into consideration.

Tip #1 – Use sticky mats, everywhere!

When your family members are moving around inside of the shower, they can often times fall from the slippery surface on the showers floor.  These sticky mats are incredibly cheap, especially when you compare their benefits against the cost of your family member falling, and injuring themselves.  The best places you can put rubber or plastic in a handicap shower stall is on the floor inside of the shower, underneath your bench legs, as well as on the floor outside of the shower.  These areas are where your feet spend the most time, so you need to make sure that you have proper balance, without a fear of falling down.

Ginsey Rubbermaid Extra Large Rubber Bath Mat, White Ginsey, rubbermaid, e by tra large rubber bath mat, white, 17-inch by 36-inch.

Extra Long Vinyl Bath Mat Our Extra Long Bath Mat provides maximum coverage in the tub and reliable slip protection on almost any non-textured tub surface.

Bamboo Bath Mat Add a unique design element to your bathroom with this creative and comfortable bath mat.

Tip #2 – Do away with the glass doors!

Even though you may love the look of glass shower doors, you are going to need to get rid of them.  Glass doors are nice to look at, but if you or your family member slips inside the shower, they can easily give way, leaving glass shards scattered throughout the shower and bathroom.  Instead of worrying about this situation, find someone who wants to buy the glass doors, and head out to purchase a new shower rod and curtain.  A shower curtain is much safer for you or your family members than glass doors will ever be.

Tip #3 – Ensure proper placement of the grab bars.

If you intend to safe money during the project, which most homeowners will, you may want to consider buying a handicapped shower stall that is bare of any grab bars.  Because you are trying to save money, you may have to sacrifice features, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  Going bare allows you to ensure proper placement of the grab bars once you have the shower installed.  Your bathroom may not be the same shape, size, or style of the bathroom area that the stalls manufacturers had in mind.  This can cause your family members to lose their balance as they reach for bars that are in awkward positions.  You will have to install your own bars onto the stall, though.

Tip #4 – Shower grab bars with suction cups

When using grab bars in a shower or bath, it is best if they are installed directly into the stud in the wall. This will provide a more secure shower grab bar. Sometimes you will be unable to anchor the grab bars. In that case you will be looking for shower grab bars with suction cups. These type of grab bars are for balance and not to hold your weight. They can help steady a person, but if you need a grab bar for weight, tehn you will need one that can be anchored to the wall.

Bridge Medical Single Grip Portable Grab Bar Falls are the most common accident around the home, the majority of them happening in the bathroom. More than 1/3 of all adults 65 years and older fall…

Bridge Medical Medium Telescoping Portable Grab Bar FFalls are the most common accident around the home, the majority of them happening in the bathroom. More than 1/3 of all adults 65 years and older fall…

Rose Safe-er-Grip Bathtub & Shower Handle, 23.5 in. Get a handle on bathroom safety with this bathtub and shower handle. The 23.5 in. Safe-er-Grip Balance Assist Bar for tub and shower from Rose Health…

Tip #5 – Avoid sharp edges.

When you get rid of the glass doors in your shower area, or if they were included handicap accessible shower stalls, there are going to be tracks that remain around the opening of the shower.  These sharp edges can cut your family members relatively easily.  To keep from having to worry, simply remove the door tracks from the stall or shower, and fill in the holes with a caulk or waterproof plumbers putty.

These showers will not have any of the options included on them, which is perfect for you, because the bathroom in your home is not the same as the area where the enclosure was constructed, and in order to achieve the best placement, you will want to install the accessories yourself.  From grab bars, to a bench or chair, and even a few extra modifications, here are steps that you will need to perform to provide a safe bathing area for your family members.

Step 1: Install the grab bars properly. Sometimes, manufacturers will include grab bars that are installed in a diagonal direction.  This may look good from a design aspect, but in terms of usability, it is setting your family members up for chances to become injured.  As the bar gets wet, and you place pressure on it, your hand will begin to slide down.  When your family members do not have the same strength in their hands that you do, they could end up falling.  Instead, always install the bars on a horizontal or vertical angle, rather than diagonally.

Medline 24 Inch Grab Bar, Knurled Chrome

Chrome grab bars help prevent falls in the shower. Shower bars are a great safety measure for any shower. 1 1/2″ knurled chrome diameter, chrome-finished…

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars with 13 customer reviews

Price: $25.00

Click here for more information

Step 2: Install a shower bench. Saving money here is relatively simple if you use your imagination.  You could go all-out with a handicapped shower stall bench, or you could modify an old lawn chair to suit your needs.  The typical white lawn chairs, made of plastic or hard nylon, work the best in a shower enclosure.  At a cost of $10, you can add sticky feet to the chair, and have a mobile bench inside the handicap showers that not only saves you a ton of money, but is incredibly functional as well. Teak shower benches are great for the shower. Teak stands up to hard use in the shower and come in many styles and sizes.

Medline Aluminum Frame Transfer Bench with Adjustable – 1 EaAluminum Frame Transfer Bench Push-button assembly for arm and back. Durable, blow-molded, plastic bench. Wide base, and suction-cup tips on two legs…Rating 4.5 stars out of 5 from 22 customer reviews$57.96

Teak Wood Folding Shower Seat, Bench, Stool – Bath, Sauna SeatingWith an average lifespan of 75 years, teak wood has long been acclaimed as the best choice for outdoor furnishings. This luxuriant hardwood is resistant…Rating 4 out of 5 stars from 6 customer reviews$69.99

Step 3: Convert the glass into fabric. Once you have the bars, and bench in place, you should think about getting rid of the glass doors.  The materials used to manufacturer these types of glass doors cause them to break into thousands of small pieces with the slightest amount of pressure.  If your family member happens to fall into the doors while bathing, they could easily shatter causing severe injuries.

Step 4: Place mats on the floor. Moving around, both inside and out of, the shower is a potentially harmful situation unless you have taken proper care to ensure there are non-slip mats in key areas.  On the floor of your shower stall, as well as underneath the feet of your bench or chair are the most important places.  However, once your family member exits the shower, they will also need a non-slip mat or floor carpet to avoid falling.  If you have carpet in the bathroom area, the latter may not be as important, compared to tile or decorative concrete floors that can become incredibly slick when wet.

Ginsey Rubbermaid Extra Large Rubber Bath Mat, WhiteGinsey, rubbermaid,  large rubber bath mat, white, 17-inch by 36-inch.Rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars with 28 customer reviews$19.49

Ginsey Rubbermaid Shower Stall Rubber Bath Mat, WhiteGinsey, rubbermaid, shower stall rubber bath mat, white, 17-inch by 22-inch.Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars with 3 customer reviews$14.99

Walk In Tub Enclosures – Walk-in tub enclosures are considered the top of the line in terms of handicap accessibility.  If your family member is able to support their own weight, and you can afford the costs, you may want to consider looking through catalogs for walk-in enclosures.  Some models include watertight doors that allow you to fill the tub entirely, and relax to enjoy the soothing massage provided by numerous water jets.  Walk-in tub enclosures are perfect for patients who are bound to the bed, and require regular massage in order to maintain proper blood flow.

Accessible Shower Stalls – If your family member requires a wheelchair inside of the shower, you may want to consider chair accessible handicap shower stalls.  Accessible showers are designed so that you can easily maneuver the chair around, without having to worry about any extra ledges getting in the way.  Some shower pan enclosures have a 3” to 4” ledge that prevents the water from escaping, however, when you need to get in with a wheelchair, this ledge can present dangerous situations for your family members.

Commercial Handicap Showers – When it comes to saving money, you will be hard pressed to find a better deal than commercially manufactured handicap showers.  Because of the widespread production of commercial shower enclosures, manufacturers are able to keep costs down.  These types of enclosures also come as practically bare bones models, designed for use in hospitals, nursing homes, and retirement communities.  Being bare bones is a great way to customize the shower to fit your bathroom perfectly.  Some off-the-shelf enclosures may place grab bars, benches, handles, and faucets in odd positions in comparison to your bathroom, which could cause stress to your family members.

Basic Shower Pans – If you have a bit of contractor in your veins, or plan to call a contractor to complete the project, you could go with a basic shower pan, and install different options that suit your needs.  When you are going to tile the bathtub enclosure, but still need to provide your handicap family members with access, you can install a basic shower pan, then install grab bars, a fold down bench, and mobile showerhead.  In terms of customization, and low cost, basic shower pans are at the top of the list.

The goal with any handicap shower stalls is to keep your family safe.  However, there are some handicap shower unit assemblies that don’t have safety as a top priority, or the safety features may not work well with your current bathroom arrangement.  When this is the case, you can install your own accessories, but you are going to want to keep a few golden rules in mind during the installation of each piece.

Handicap Shower Grab Bars

- Avoid any diagonal angles with your handicap shower grab bar assemblies.  When pressure is exerted onto the bar from a diagonal angle, and the metal is wet, your family member could potentially slip from the bar, injuring themselves on the fall.  Instead, mount the bars at key heights, both vertically, and horizontally, to ensure that you won’t have to worry about any accidents stemming from a wet grab bar.

-  If you are personally installing the grab bars, make certain that they are installed to the studs in the wall rather than screwing them into the fiberglass enclosure.  Fiberglass does not have the strength of the wood studs, and can easily give way when your family members apply pressure.  You can avoid this by using a stud finder during the installation, and making sure that your screws bite into the meat of the wood, rather than simply holding onto the enclosure itself.

Handicap Shower Chairs

- Some shower chairs are incredibly expensive, but one great way to save money is to use a nylon, or plastic garden chair from your local big box retail store.  These chairs are excellent in the shower, and do not hold water, so once you are finished, you can simply dry it off and remove it from the enclosure so that other members of your family can gain access.

- Fold down benches are another excellent way to accompany family members with disabilities, but avoid hindering the use of the shower for other people who need it.  If you have multiple people in your family sharing the same shower, you may be unable to install a full handicap shower chair.  When this is the case, consider the fold down bench seats that can be moved out of the way when not in use.

Handicap Accessible Shower Wands

- Remember to purchase a shower wand that has multiple power settings.  Some wands have a large amount of pressure, which could easily irritate family members who have sensitive skin.  When your handicap family member is bed ridden, this is especially true.  Sometimes, the excessive force caused by single mode shower wands is enough to cause red marks and bruising.

- Install the wand in a place where your family member does not have to move around to reach it.  Moving inside of the shower for any person with disabilities is providing a chance for a slip and fall injury.  In order to cut down on the time your family member spends moving around, you will want to make sure the shower faucet or wand gets installed in a low enough position that they can reach without standing.

Swanstone Barrier Free Shower Tray BF-3060R. 30 x 60, Right side drain

Shower Pan 34 inch D x 60 inch W, 60 inch Barrier Free Entry with Integrated Left Hand Side PVC Drain

64 X 37 1 Piece ADA Shower Freewill White

Click here for more information on handicap shower stall pans

Providing a safe bathing environment for your disabled or handicapped family members does not have to be difficult.  Most times, you can perform a few simple searches on the Internet and get connected to quite a few models that would fit perfectly into your home.  However, if you are a contractor by trade, or have a do-it-yourself attitude, you are going to want to install the shower pan yourself, and allow for unlimited customizations later into the project.

Ordering an off-the-shelf handicap shower stalls may work for new construction, or commercial applications, but when your home has some age to it, you can’t just tear into the walls to begin replacing the shower.  Thankfully, with some patience, concrete, a level, and a trough, you can create a fully function handicap shower base on your own.  This is not a how-to guide, but instead, a basic primer on what you are going to need to expect throughout the project.  As with any major home renovation, if you are not comfortable, or confident that you can complete the project promptly, and properly, you will want to call a contractor to perform the work for you.

The first step that you’ll have to complete is the demolition and removal process.  If there is an existing shower, or tub basin, you are going to need to get it out of the house, and get the area cleaned up for your new handicap bathtub.

Next, you will have to move the drain from the existing plumbing to line up with the drain location on your new shower pan.  If you are dealing with a concrete floor, this could be substantially more difficult, and require the use of wet saws, as opposed to hardwood under floor.

Once the drain relocation is complete, you are going to need to prepare the cement to pour.  You will need to make sure it is a thick consistency so that you will be able to form it properly.  Some carpentry, and decent concrete skills are required to complete this portion of the project.

When the concrete has been prepared, you will begin pouring the base to the shower.  Showers for handicap people need to provide easy access, so consider how high off the floor that you need to build the ledge.  The higher you build it, the higher your family member must step to get over it.  These ledges are one area where injuries occur quite frequently.

You can find more handicap shower bases and information here

One way to build this water barrier into the shower pan, and still keep your family members safe, is to install or form a concrete ramp onto the base of the shower.  Since you will already be pouring the shower pan, you can form another section for the ramp, using angle cut 2×12” lumber.  It is best to form the pan and ramp at the same time to keep the appearance consistent.

After the ramp and pan have set properly, the shower cover will need to be mounted.  Most homeowners will use glass doors, but this is something that presents potential hazards.  Glass handicap shower doors shatter into hundreds of pieces when they break, and because falls are so common among handicap patients, you will want to use a fabric or nylon shower curtain over the enclosure.

After the shower pan has settled for a few days, you can begin test fitting your family member.  Determine the best placement for the grab bars, as well as the bench.  You can use fold-down style benches designed for disabled showers if there will be other family members using the enclosure as well.