None Slip shower floor surface

[DonL]

I was wanting to put none slip "something" in my shower that helps to keep from slipping.

What is the best thing to use ? That will last.

It is a steel tub.

I can't balance very well while slipping and sliding.


Is there something like Shop Floor Paint ?


Thank You.

[jimbo]

A good supplier , or hardware store, will have "peel and sticK". It comes both in strips, ~ 1" wide, or as a complete mat, approx 12 x 24. They can get dirty, but but can be removed from a steel tub using alcohol or mineral spirits.

By the way, many years ago I had some sprained knee issues, both knees but not at the same time. In that time frame, I put up a LOT of grab bars, both inside and outside the tub. These have been a lifesaver more than once in subsequent years.

[jadnashua]

I'll second safety grab bars. I just put a couple into my mother's tub/shower for her. If you don't have blocking where you need to install them, I've found that www.wingits.com fasteners work really well. I've used them now three times, and have been impressed. If you get their tile drill bit, it takes longer to measure where you want them and mark things than actually installing the silly things! They sell direct, and Amazon, Graingers, and probably others carry them as well. The first time, I used the one on the right - it requires very careful positioning - there's very little slop. The ones I installed at my Mother's recently, I used the ones on the left - smaller holes, and you don't have to be as precise in measuring. The one on the right is more commercial, they call the one on the left their residential, but it is still rated to 400#.

[DonL]

Thanks for the info.

I never thought about safety grab bars. I need to look into that.

Is it common to bolt them to the wall studs ? Or would the wingits be better ?

[jadnashua]

It's much less expensive, and more common to bolt them to blocking (a stud can work, but you won't be able to get all of the screws into one and they are rarely where you want them!). The nice thing about the WingIts, is that they provide more than the ADA requirement for a safety bar and are designed NOT to go into studs or blocking. In fact, they can't be too close to blocking or a stud, or the wing on the back won't expand and it won't work (if it will go in at all). There's no reason why you couldn't have one end in a stud or blocking, and the other use a WingIts fastener, though, if that worked out better. They give you the flexibility to put the bar pretty near anywhere, and still provide the strength you need.

While they do sell safety bars as well, IF the screw locations on a different bar are the same (the all SS one has several bolt patterns, the one in the left picture requires holes at the locations of the screws shown), they will work just fine. The bar I installed with the SS fasteners was not a WingIts bar, those I installed with the plastic version were. I was really impressed with their tile drill bit...it didn't walk at all, and cut through the tile quickly and cleanly. The tile was fairly soft. On the first one, it was a hard porcelain, and I used a diamond hole saw (I don't think they had their custom drill bits available when I did that one). I feel fairly confident it would have cut through that as well, but probably more slowly and it would have worn it out faster (they claim a life of about 200 holes on their bit).

[DonL]

Thank you for the information Jim.

I think for now I will get the tape that jimbo posted about.

I need to look into the best way to mount the bar, and if it should be horizontal or what.

I can repair something that is broke if I can see how it is made. When I build from scratch I find my designs are Half Fast.

Other than calking a shower or fixing a leak I have no experience, Other than taking a shower and slipping on soap suds.

Taking a shower without falling is even more better. Darn the slippery soap and soft water...


Thank You.

[jimbo]

Placement of bars is personal preference, UNLESS it must meet ADA guidlines. I have 12" vertical hand holds just at the entrance to the shower, one inside the door and one just outside. I also have a 42" bar along the long back wall. It is at about a 30ish degree angle, so that each end lands on a stud. We have found that angle mount to provide convenience to users who are different heights. We have enjoyed this bar for about 10 years.

[jadnashua]

Most bars come in 6" increments, and most studs are at 16" OC, so unless you slant them, they require either blocking, or something like the WingIts fastener. When my mother's house was evaluated by a physical therapist, they stressed the main bar should be horizontal and not slanted. While a slanted or vertical one may be fine for those younger, an older, weaker person often doesn't have a strong enough grip to have a (severely) slanted or vertical one of all that much use. They did suggest a smaller vertical one to make getting into the tub easier, and the beauty of the WingIts, is that you do not need to have blocking or a stud there, and you can put it exactly where you want. I just had my mother reach where she felt comfortable, and plopped it there - quick and easy.