I purchased this 42" grab bar to attach horizontally to the back wall of our shower/tub combination largely because my husband and I have been so well pleased with the matching 32" one that we installed vertically at the tub's edge years ago. The diamond-pattern, cross-hatched (knurled) surface provides a much more secure gripping surface than the competitors' polished or brushed surfaces. Because the 42" horizontal bar covers most of the back wall, we now have something within convenient reach to steady ourselves while turning or moving from one end of the tub/shower to the other. We mounted it so that the top of the bar is 36" above the tub floor. That's the upper end of the range (33" to 36") recommended by the A.D.A. and is just right for fairly tall adults (5'8" to 5'11"). As older adults, we felt we needed an additional grab bar, but we didn't realize how many times we'd use it while showering, shampooing and cleaning the tub/shower and surrounding tile.
We preferred to attach the grab bar to the wall studs rather than use the Wingits attachment device that permits mounting the grab bar between studs. Installation required considerable care to locate the studs behind our ceramic tile surround, which is attached to cement over lath rather than backer board, and to drill the holes without scratching or chipping the tile. However, it was DIY-doable and we're delighted with the results. I don't know if it would be possible for the manufacturer to add additional mounting holes to the flange (as I saw in one competitor's product), but that would be very helpful for anyone wanting to mount the grab bar directly to wall studs that might not be spaced exactly the right distance apart.
The original 32" grab bar was installed several years ago. It still looks brand new and provides the same secure support that it did when first installed. I'm confident that both grab bars will serve our needs far into the future.
