How Many Grab Bars Does a Walk-In Tub Have, and Where Are They?

Most Ella walk-in tubs ship with one or two grab bars, and which ones you get depends on the model. Per the current spec sheets, the Elite, Royal, Deluxe, Ultimate, Capri and every Transfer model include both a deck-mount bar and a wall-mount bar, the Petite and Companion include a deck-mount bar only, the Standard and Zen have a U-shape deck and wall-mount bar, and the Ultra, Lounger, Big4One, ShaK, Escape and Big4Two list a wall-mounted bar. The deck-mount bar bolts through the tub deck and is positioned for entering, exiting and standing up from the seat, as explained in What Is a Deck-Mount Grab Bar on a Walk-In Tub?, while the Tub4Two and the LayDown tubs ship without grab bars.

Grab Bar Count and Position by Model

What the differences mean for you: a two-bar tub gives you one handhold at the deck for the moment you turn and lower onto the seat, and a second on the wall for when you are standing, showering or turning. A one-bar tub covers one of those two moments, so plan a wall bar for the other. The Tub4Two and LayDown tubs rely entirely on wall bars, which your contractor adds around the tub. Included bars are supplied in chrome only.

Where the Deck-Mount Bar Sits and How It Is Fixed

The deck-mount grab bar is a chrome stainless steel bar that bolts through the tub deck on site, and the factory drills its holes before the tub ships, so its position is fixed by the model rather than chosen on the day. It ships loose in its own kit: one chrome bar, two escutcheons, four rubber washers, two large metal washers, two bolts and an Allen wrench. Each bolt goes together in this order: metal washer, then rubber washer, up through the shell from underneath, then another rubber washer, then the escutcheon, threaded loosely into the bar, and both are then tightened with the supplied Allen wrench. The large metal washer must go under the shell, because it spreads the load across the acrylic. Installing the bar without it can crack the acrylic and voids the warranty. On delivery day, find the grab bar bag in the parts box and keep the two metal washers with the bar.

Where the Wall Bars Go

The wall-mount bar that comes with the tub, and any extra bars you add, belong on the walls, anchored into the framing, never drilled into the tub itself. Ella's guidance follows ADA practice even though a private bathroom is not inspected against it:

• Mount horizontal bars along the wall 33 to 36 inches above the tub floor, where a standing bather reaches them naturally.
• Add a vertical bar near the door, at the spot where you step in and out.
• Fasten every bar into studs or solid in-wall backing that a licensed contractor has confirmed. Drywall alone will not hold a bar under a person's weight.
• Keep the bars clear of the door swing and of any shower screen or valve you plan to add.
• Suction-cup grab bars are not recommended. A bar you lean on must be fastened into the structure.

Ella's wall-mounted accessories are fitted with silicone in the screw holes to keep water out of the wall, and a grab bar deserves the same care. Do not drill into the tub shell or deck to add a bar, because any alteration not done by Ella is excluded from warranty coverage. The anchoring rules are set out in full in Where and how should grab bars be installed around a walk-in tub?.

How the Bars Are Used from Step-In to Step-Out

The bar positions make sense once you follow the order of a walk-in bath. You open the door, hold the grab bar, and step in over the low threshold rather than lifting a leg over a high tub wall. On models like the Capri the step-in is roughly 3 1/2 to 4 inches. Inside, the floor is textured and slip-resistant, and the molded seat sits at chair height, 17 inches on most models, so you use the deck bar as you turn and lower yourself the way you would sit in a chair. Seats are sized by model, from 19 inches on the Petite to 29 inches on the TransferXXL. You close the door, then fill. When the bath is over, you open the drain, wait for the water to leave, then open the door and use the bar again to stand and step out. The full sequence is in How Do You Use a Walk-In Bathtub Step by Step?.

Door style changes where the bar does its work. With a stainless steel inward-swing door on the Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe and Ultimate, you step over the threshold, close the door while standing, then sit. An outward-swing U-shape door on the Capri, Monaco, Front Entry, Mobile, Lounger, Shak and Big4One means nothing to step around inside the tub. The Transfer models have an extra-wide L-shaped door that swings outward a full 172 degrees and fits over a toilet, so a seated side transfer from a wheelchair is possible, with the deck and wall bars within reach of the seat. The door-by-door comparison is in Which Ella Walk-In Tubs Have Textured Floors, Grab Bars and Easy Entry?.

Checking Your Order, Tickets and Shower Kits

Confirm the bars against the list above when you unpack, since the deck bar ships loose and is easy to overlook in the parts box. For a ticket about a missing or damaged bar, have your model, serial number and a photo of the bar ready and open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850. If your question is about an Ella shower kit rather than a tub, the carton contains the grab bar set listed for that kit, packed loose and mounted during installation, and What Comes in the Box With an Ella Shower Kit explains how to confirm the count against your order.

Related Guides

• What grab bars does Ella offer for its walk-in tubs?
• Where Should Grab Bars Be Installed in a Shower or Around a Bathtub?

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