Handrails for the bathroom: varieties and choices

Today, special handrails for bathrooms are gaining popularity. They are able to provide quality support during the adoption of water procedures, and can also look great in different style decisions. In this article, you will get acquainted with the varieties of handrails for bathrooms, as well as with the features of their selection and installation.

Depending on the variety, as well as its placement in the bathroom, handrails can perform several functions.

• Support when using the toilet or bath. Supporting devices are usually installed in apartments where pregnant women, the elderly or the disabled live. High-quality handrails provide them with additional support when leaving the bathroom or moving from a chair to a wheelchair. These designs allow you to exclude outside help and fully use the bathroom on their own.
• Obstacle to involuntary slipping. The bathroom is a place with high humidity, where condensation is constantly forming on the floor and walls. People with poor motor skills, injuries to their hands or feet, as well as impaired vestibular apparatus can be seriously injured by making one careless movement. Handrails allow you to move safely within the bathroom and protect against involuntary slipping.
• Decorative. Some modern owners are creative about the forced installation of support fixtures in the bathroom. In such bathrooms, handrails become a full-fledged piece of decor and are able to harmonize with the chosen style solution in the bathroom.

Experts distinguish only 2 classifications of handrails for bathrooms.

According to the first classification, all supporting structures can be divided according to the material from which they are made: metal, polyurethane, reinforced plastic or wood. Each of these materials has its own characteristics, pluses and minuses.

• Metal. As a rule, metal handrails are made of stainless steel or bronze, copper and brass. Stainless steel models are considered to be the most durable - they serve for a very long time, have excellent stiffness indicators, and can also be performed in completely different interpretations. Non-ferrous metals and alloys are much less common. They will cost much more, need special care and are generally generally used to complement a certain style in a room.

• Polyurethane. It is considered a cheaper replacement for metal models. Structures made of this material are lightweight, pleasant to the touch and very quickly mounted in a new place thanks to vacuum suction cups. Unfortunately, polyurethane models withstand a very small load and are suitable only as safety models for rare use.

• Reinforced plastic. Reinforced plastic models are the cheapest among the rest of the handrails. They can be made in any color and design, can be quickly installed and fastened with any fasteners, however, they have too weak rigidity. On average, such products last no longer than 2 years and often break when used in extreme conditions (with sharp and quick sliding).

• Wood. Despite the fact that wooden structures are environmentally friendly and can effectively complement the design of the room, they are rarely used in bathrooms. Everything is explained by the too poor resistance of this material to a high level of humidity. To preserve the handrails made of wood for a longer period, special moisture-repellent solutions are used.

In addition to this classification, all handrails for bathrooms can be divided according to the method of attachment and installation features. Here, experts distinguish folding (or rotary), stationary (wall), vacuum (suction cups), as well as steps with handrails.

• Folding. These varieties of handrails for the bathroom are fixed with screws and hinges, which allows them to be freely operated without loss of free space. The main requirement for such structures is a reliable installation, which should be carried out exclusively on the load-bearing wall. Typically, such structures are a metal base with a folding mechanism, which can be folded down and fixed in several directions at once.

• Stationary. This type of structure includes all handrails of the railing type, which are rigidly mounted on the bearing walls near the bathroom or toilet. These pipe structures can be made in a curved, straight, vertical or inclined form. It is safest and most convenient to choose direct designs - they are easy to use, easy to attach and usually do not slip hands.

• Suction Cup Handrails. The advantage of such supporting structures is that their mounting does not require additional mounting elements. Most effectively they are mounted on tiles or on drywall panels. In addition, some of these models are equipped with special indicators that indicate the degree of reliability of adhesion to the wall surface.

• Steps with handrails. Typically, such designs are purchased for children or people with disabilities. This is a full metal construction, equipped with steps (from one to three), as well as a vertical metal frame to support the hands. These designs can be installed in front of a tall font. The disadvantage of these units is their overall size and poor ergonomics: they are suitable only for spacious bathrooms with a large amount of free space.

Today, manufacturers offer a huge number of different models of handrails for the bathroom. However, regardless of the variety and purpose of such structures, they must meet certain requirements of rigidity, reliability and convenience. When choosing bathroom supports, pay attention to the recommendations below.

• Dimensions of the bathroom. The dimensions of the supporting structure should be chosen depending on the size of the bathroom itself, as well as the elements near which the handrails will be installed. If this is the handrail for the bathtub, determine the dimensions of the font, as well as the height at which the structure will be most convenient to use. The type of handrail also depends on the amount of free space in the bathroom - in large and spacious bathrooms you can choose stationary models or steps with handrails; for smaller bathrooms, devices with a folding handle or portable handrails with Velcro are suitable.
• Load. When choosing a handrail, the load on the handrail from the heaviest person who uses the bath should be calculated. For example, the handrails on the suction cups can withstand a load of up to 80 kg, and stationary models with a secure mount - up to 150. Anyway, any handrails should not be supported with the whole body - they serve to support, not to hold.
• Material. The material for the manufacture of supports should be not only strong, but also hygienic, and also not subject to corrosion - that is why metal models of supports may not be suitable here. Corrosion can weaken fasteners, which can lead to serious injuries. Regardless of the selected material, buy models of handrails with rubberized handles or anti-slip coating - this way you will protect yourself and your loved ones from accidental injuries.
• Unit dimensions. Choose models with such a thickness that it is convenient for you to wrap them around your hand. Here you should consider the size of the palms of all members of your family. Typically, for bathrooms, handrail models are selected with a diameter of not more than 5 cm and a length of up to 60 cm.
• Contrast. If the handrail is already selected for a middle-aged person with poor eyesight, it is better to buy models that will be clearly visible against the background of the wall or other elements of the room.
• Equipment. In the kit to the handrail should also be the elements of its fastening. If it comes to stationary models, in addition to the handrail, you should find anchors, plugs, dowels, brackets, crosses or any other fastening elements in the package.
• Functionality. Modern bathroom handrails can be additionally equipped with elements that facilitate the use of bathroom accessories. It can be soap dishes built in from the outside of pipes or hooks for towels.

Depending on the purpose and variety of handrails, they can be installed in several places in the bathroom.

The most common attachment points are the sides of the bathroom, as well as the supporting wall near it. Such designs allow you to safely climb and insure a person from accidental slipping on the bottom of the font. These designs can be useful for both children and the elderly.

It is in this place is designed to support a person and to protect him from falling on the slippery surface of the floor.

As a rule, these are stationary tubular metal handrails designed to support while moving from a chair to a wheelchair or gurney.

In the case of supporting structures for bathrooms, it is important not only to correctly select the suitable and convenient model, but also to mount it correctly for convenient and safe use. Below you will find general rules for installing handrails for bathrooms, as well as detailed instructions for attaching handrails with vacuum suction cups.

General rules for attaching support handrails.

• Immediately before installing the handrail, determine the exact number of supporting structures, as well as the elements that will be used to mount the supporting structure. Pre-mark the places where the holes will be drilled and the fasteners installed.
• If you want to mount the handrails directly on the side of the font, this procedure should be carried out before installing the font itself and redecorating it in the bathroom. This will greatly simplify the task and provide full access for installation.
• When installing handrails that require reliable fastenings with drilling walls, select installation locations where wiring is not laid or pipes supplying water. Such communications can be detected using special devices.
• If fasteners are not provided in the set for the handrail, buy them based on the recommended type of fastening to your type of support structure, as well as the maximum load that will be placed on the handrails.
• Horizontal and straight models of handrails should be mounted on the wall where there is no sink or faucet. A distance of at least 10 cm should be maintained between the side of the bathroom and the structure, but do not forget to focus on your height and the growth of your household.
• If you chose a vertical straight structure, then it should be installed above the crane at least 20 cm from the side (from the bottom).
• When choosing horizontal inclined structures, the upper part of the handrail is fixed at a height of 20-24 cm from the side (from the side of the crane), and the lower one is 2-5 cm.
• If you have a shower cabin, then several handrails of different shapes and lengths that are mounted in different places are usually chosen for it. If the bathing structure is equipped with a special seat, the handrails should be placed at a height of at least 20 cm from the side of the font, while the installation of a handrail is also desirable on the opposite side of the seat.
• When mounting stationary models, you will need a pen to mark drilling sites, a masking tape to prevent tile damage, an electric drill, a special drill for tile or for wooden surfaces (it all depends on the material of the walls in your bathroom), a screwdriver, as well as screws and wall plugs (or more powerful fasteners).
• After any work involving drilling walls in the bathroom, be sure to treat the joints near the holes with silicone sealant. This will not allow moisture to get to the mounting parts.

Below we will describe the detailed installation instructions for the handrails with vacuum suction cups - This is the most common version of supporting structures, which is installed in families with children and senior citizens.

• Before proceeding with the installation of the handrail, thoroughly clean, wipe and dry the surface on which the device will be mounted. Some manufacturers also require degreasing the walls with special mortars.
• Each handrail model with suction cups must be equipped with special levers (usually two) located on each edge of the handle. Choose a place to mount the support, and then press it firmly against the wall and lower the levers so that they click into place.
• After that, the reliability of the structure needs to be checked several times - for this it is enough to imitate a classic lift from a slippery and water-filled font.
• If you want to remove the structure or change the place of its attachment, simply press the levers in the designated place - after that the structure should immediately disconnect from the wall, on which after that there are no traces.

Young apartment owners doubt the installation of supporting structures - the main reason for such fluctuations is the dubious attractiveness of such structures and their relevance to other furniture or plumbing. Below you will find stylish and successful examples of using various types of handrails in bathrooms.

• Pay attention to how metal and chrome handrails are harmoniously combined with the chosen style solution.

• Steps with handrails can be installed not only for practical but also for decorative purposes, as the following photos prove.

• Many use handrails not only as a support, but also as a functional place for attaching towels, magazines, toilet paper or bath accessories.

An overview of one of the models of the handrails, see below.