How to Install a Grab Bar Yourself in 10 Minutes

What you’ll need

Tools:

• Cordless drill with 1/8-inch wood bit
• Stud finder (under $25, any model that finds wood framing works)
• Tape measure
• Level (24-inch or longer)
• Pencil

For tile walls, add:

• 1/4-inch carbide or diamond masonry bit
• Painter’s tape

Supplies:

• Grab bar rated to 250 pounds pull load (we use the Moen Home Care Designer)
• Hardware in the box, most include #14 wood screws
• For non-stud locations: 1/4-inch toggle bolts rated to 250 pounds

Total cost: about $50 for the bar, $0-$30 for tools you may already have.

Total time: 10 minutes if you have a stud where you need the bar, 15 minutes for a toggle install.

The steps

Step 1: Find a stud

Run the stud finder along the wall at the height where the bar will go. Mark each stud edge with painter’s tape. Bathroom wall studs are typically 16 inches apart, sometimes 24 inches in older homes.

The grab bar’s two flanges should each catch a stud. Standard 24-inch grab bars usually span exactly two studs in modern construction.

If neither flange lines up with a stud: use toggle bolts (see “If there’s no stud” below). Don’t drill into pure drywall and hope.

Step 2: Mark the height

ADA standard is 33-36 inches off the floor, measured to the top of the bar.¹,⁴ Pick 34 inches as the default for most senior users. Lower for shorter users; higher for taller.

Hold the bar against the wall at that height. Use a level to keep it horizontal. Mark the screw holes through the flanges with a pencil.

Step 3: Drill pilot holes

For wood studs, drill 1/8-inch pilot holes 1.5 inches deep, just enough to start the screw without splitting the wood.

For tile over studs:

1. Apply painter’s tape over your marks (prevents the drill from skipping).
2. Use a 1/4-inch carbide masonry bit to drill through the tile only, about 1/4 inch deep is enough to clear the tile and the thin-set behind it.
3. Switch to the 1/8-inch wood bit and drill 1.5 inches into the stud beneath.
4. Keep a wet sponge nearby; pause every few seconds to cool the masonry bit when going through tile.

Step 4: Drive the screws

Place the bar back on the wall, line up the flanges with the pilot holes, and drive the #14 wood screws by hand for the first turn (avoids cross-threading). Then finish with the drill on a low torque setting.

Stop tightening when the flange seats flush against the wall. Don’t overtorque, stripping the screw threads in a stud is a hassle to fix.

Step 5: Test it

Before letting anyone use the bar, pull on it. Hard. At three different points along its length. Use at least 250 pounds of force (which is what ANSI A117.1 specifies for grab bars).¹

The bar should not move. Not a millimeter. If you feel any shift, stop. Either:

• One screw missed the stud, pull it, drill a new pilot, re-drive into framing.
• The screw is too short, replace with longer #14 screws (3-inch is usually enough for tile-over-stud).
• You drilled into drywall instead of stud, re-mount using toggle bolts.

If there’s no stud where you need the bar

Use 1/4-inch toggle bolts rated to 250 pounds pull load. Skip every other anchor type, plastic, butterfly, ribbed plastic. They fail.²

The toggle install:

1. Drill the wall hole at the toggle’s specified diameter (typically 1/2 inch for a 1/4-inch toggle).
2. Slip the toggle wings through the hole, with the bolt pre-threaded through the bar flange.
3. Pull the bolt back toward you while turning, the wings open behind the drywall.
4. Tighten until the flange seats flush.

Toggle installs require enough wall depth, at least 1.5 inches of clear cavity behind the drywall. In some old homes the wall cavity is too shallow; in that case, you need framing added (a CAPS contractor job).

When to call a pro

DIY this install if:

• You’re comfortable with a drill and have done basic home installs before.
• The wall is standard drywall or tile-over-drywall.
• A stud or toggle-bolt-suitable cavity exists where you need the bar.

Hire a CAPS-certified contractor if:

• The wall is solid masonry, brick, or stone (specialty anchors required).
• The bathroom needs blocking added inside walls during a remodel.
• Multiple bars need to coordinate with new tile or fixtures.

What to do next

If this is your first bar, install it next to the toilet first, the highest-impact location. Then add two in the shower (one vertical at entry, one horizontal inside).

For product picks, see best grab bars for elderly. For the bigger bathroom safety strategy, see how to make your bathroom safer for aging parents.