April 1, 2024

What are the Placement Guidelines for Shower Grab Bars?

There are different grab bar placement guidelines for residential showers vs. commercial, ADA-compliant showers.

Check out our full Residential Shower Grab Bar Placement Guide for specific placement guidelines.

Check out our full ADA Commercial Shower Grab Bar Placement Guide for specific placement guidelines for each different type of shower as well as technical drawings.

For residential showers, how many shower grab bars do I need?

For basic slip prevention in a shower, at a minimum, we recommend two (2) shower grab bars in the following shower wall locations:

1. Entry Wall Grab Bar
2. Side Wall Grab Bar

For advanced slip prevention in a shower, we recommend four (4) shower grab bars in the following shower wall locations:

1. Entry Wall Grab Bar
2. Side Wall Grab Bar
3. Front Wall Grab Bar
4. Back Wall Grab Bar

For commercial, ADA-compliant showers, how many shower grab bars do I need?

ADA law requires a certain amount of shower grab bars and for them to be placed in specific shower locations dependent upon the following types of showers:

• Transfer Showers (36″ x 36″) 
• Standard Roll-In Showers (30″ x 60″) 
• Standard Roll-In Showers (30″ x 60″) without shower seat 
• Alternate Roll-In Showers (36″ x 60″)

Here are helpful YouTube videos for shower grab bar placement:

• Grab Bar Placement – Tub/Shower Entry Wall
• Grab Bar Placement – Tub/Shower Front Wall
• Grab Bar Placement – Tub/Shower Side Wall
• Grab Bar Placement – Tub/Shower Back Wall

All grab bars on GrabBars.com are ADA-compliant. See our wide variety of shower grab bars here: Shower Grab Bars

It’s important to keep in mind that when considering shower grab bar placement, if possible, we recommend a few simulations with the person who will be using the grab bars. Have the person step into and out of the shower and while in the shower, have the person pretend to shower and wash their hair, grab the shampoo bottles, and pretend to twist the shower handles. This full shower simulation will help you notice exactly where grab bars should be placed to provide the most assistance to the individual. Shower grab bar placement ultimately comes down to the user’s preference for hand grip location, the size of the shower, shower type (walk-in vs. tub combination), and the number of shower walls.

View additional grab bar placement guides here:

Bathtubs:

• Bathtub Grab Bar Placement Guide (Residential)
• ADA Bathtub Grab Bar Placement Guide (Commercial) ♿

Toilets:

• Toilet Grab Bar Placement Guide (Residential)
• ADA Toilet Grab Bar Placement Guide (Commercial) ♿

If you have any additional questions about shower grab bars, give us a call at 704-800-4629, live chat with us on GrabBars.com or email us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help you out.