Support grab rails suitable for acrylic showers

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OllieF

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#279533 21-Oct-2020 15:07

My grandmother has asked for a grab rail in case of needing support in the shower. From online research, I see that many are suction cup which I am wondering if these will be strong enough, and am guessing they loosen over time.

I found a screw in one on Amazon, but was wondering about damaging the acrylic, finding studs, installing wall anchors etc.

Has anyone installed shower support grab rails and advise what is best.

neb

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#2590369 22-Oct-2020 19:31

A neighbour has a suction-based grab rail and hasn't reported any problems so far, but it's only been in a few weeks. Definitely don't use screw-based ones since you'll be compromising the integrity of the enclosure.

Gordy7

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#2590477 22-Oct-2020 21:22

We have had one of these for about 6 years....

Holds pretty well.... good for stability in the shower.... I wouldn't go swinging from it....

We always check that it is stuck firmly to the wall.... It will stay stuck for months.... sometimes it will let go.... but a simple clean of the wall and the cups with a face cloth and soap.... washing off the soap before sticking it to the shower wall again...

We can't see a name on it and can't remember where we got it from.

Gordy

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SATTV

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#2590484 22-Oct-2020 21:45

We have three of these in our shower, one on each wall, nothing on the door.

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/nouveau-suction-stability-rail-500mm-90-white-grey/p/320098

Having three suction cups are better than two and you can put them in to different angles to best suit you.

Ideally I would put proper rails in but the DHB will not fund them and I cant afford to update the shower.

John

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Bung

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#2590485 22-Oct-2020 21:49

IMHO if you can't swing on it it, it is no use. I've got one of those suction handles and wouldn't trust it as a grab handle.

Edit: one of the handles like Gordy7s

mrdrifter

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#2590487 22-Oct-2020 22:04

The Greens tapware brand slide shower rails offer a couple of options for replacing the sliding unit with a new rail that is rated as a grab rail for this scenario. May be an option if looking for something pretty permanent.

lxsw20

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#2590490 22-Oct-2020 22:40

If she fell in the shower, there is no way you should be trusting suction cups. Get one that drills into the wall stud. Mitre 10/Bunnings and the like should have something.

nickb800

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#2590518 23-Oct-2020 07:41

lxsw20:

If she fell in the shower, there is no way you should be trusting suction cups. Get one that drills into the wall stud. Mitre 10/Bunnings and the like should have something.

This! Even if the suction cups hold, bear in mind that the acrylic is glued to the gib, so there's another point of weakness which you don't really want to be relying on.

Done properly there's virtually no chance of leakage - place a bead of silicone around the fixing plate, and in the hole. Finding studs can be difficult - usually it's easier to work out the location with a stud finder on the other side of the wall, and measure into the shower

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OllieF

85 posts

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#2591279 24-Oct-2020 14:11

Thanks everyone. I would feel better to have something screwed in. I do have a stud finder, so will try and locate a stud from the other side.

Thanks for the input.