How do I add a grab bar without cracking the tub acrylic?

The grab bar that ships with an Ella walk-in tub bolts through holes the factory drilled before the tub left the plant, and the one thing that keeps the acrylic from cracking is the large metal washer that must sit under the shell on each bolt. Any extra bar belongs on the wall, anchored into the framing, never drilled through the tub. The kit and where it is packed are covered in What Is a Deck-Mount Grab Bar on a Walk-In Tub?. This page explains why the shell can mark at a mounting point, the exact washer order on each bolt, and what to do when you want more support than the included bar gives.

Why a Bolted Bar Can Mark the Finish

Every current Ella walk-in tub starts as a solid acrylic and ABS sheet that is heated and vacuum-formed over the mold into one seamless surface, which the team describes as roughly 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick. Gel-coated fiberglass is applied behind it for strength, and further fiberglass layers bond the shell and the stainless steel frame into a single structure. The white runs all the way through the sheet, so there is no thin finish layer to chip. That construction is why cracks are uncommon on an Ella tub.

When a mark does appear, it is almost always a fine stress mark or whitening in the finish around a hardware mounting point rather than a break through the shell, and the most common spot is around a grab bar. A grab bar has to carry a bather's weight, and all of that load passes into the acrylic at two bolt holes. Concentrate it on a small area and pressure at that point can show up over time as fine cracks or whitening, even on a bar that is rarely used. Spread it across a wide washer and the shell carries it comfortably. What causes cracks in walk-in tub acrylic and how do I prevent them? covers the other side of prevention, which is how the shell is cleaned.

The Washer Stack on Each Bolt

The deck-mount bar ships loose in its own bag: one chrome bar, two escutcheons, four rubber washers, two large metal washers, two bolts and an Allen wrench. Its instructions ship in the white envelope on top of the plastic wrap, which can fall into the tub during unpacking, and the bag itself may be inside the tub or under the frame, where small items are boxed before crating.

1. Slide the large metal washer onto the bolt first, then a rubber washer.
2. Push the bolt up through the shell from underneath, so the metal washer and the rubber washer sit against the underside of the deck.
3. Add the second rubber washer on top of the shell, then the escutcheon.
4. Thread the bolt loosely into the bar. Do the same at the second hole before tightening either one, so the bar sits squarely over both holes.
5. Tighten both bolts with the supplied Allen wrench.

The metal washer under the shell spreads the load across the acrylic, and the rubber washers cushion the finish on both faces. Installing the bar without the large metal washer can crack the acrylic and voids the warranty, so keep the two metal washers with the bar from delivery day. The step-by-step guide, and the list of which models include a deck bar, a wall bar or both, is in Grab Bars: What Is Included, Installing the Deck-Mount Bar, and Add-On Wall Bars. The Petite and the Companion include a deck-mount bar only, the Tub4Two and the LayDown tubs ship without grab bars, and included bars are supplied in chrome only.

Extra Support Goes on the Wall, Never Through the Shell

If the included bar is not enough, the answer is a wall bar, not a second hole in the tub. The factory drills the holes for the included bar before the tub ships, and any alteration not done by Ella is excluded from warranty coverage, so drilling the shell or the deck for an added bar gives up the coverage as well as risking a crack. Ella's guidance for wall bars follows ADA practice.

• Horizontal bars 33 to 36 inches above the tub floor, where a standing bather reaches them naturally.
• A vertical bar near the door, at the spot where you step in and out.
• Every bar fastened 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.
• Silicone in the screw holes to keep water out of the wall, the same care Ella takes with its own wall-mounted seats, benches and shelves.
• Bars kept clear of the door swing and of any shower screen or valve planned for the same wall.

Suction-cup grab bars are not recommended. A bar you lean on must be fastened into the structure. Placement is covered in Where and how should grab bars be installed around a walk-in tub?.

If the Bar and the Holes Do Not Match

Never enlarge a hole, modify a bar or drill a fresh hole to make a bar fit. A replacement interior bar is matched to your tub's mounting hole spacing, and the U-shape deck and wall bar is exclusive to the Standard and Zen platform, so it will not line up on another model. If the holes do not match the bar you received, or a washer, escutcheon or bolt is missing after you have checked the crate, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model, serial number and a photo of the bar and hardware, or call your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850. What If My Grab Bar Is the Wrong Size or Was Not in the Box? lists the checks in order.

If a Mark Has Already Appeared

Fine cracks or whitening in the finish around a grab bar mounting point sit in the finish itself, and an acrylic refinisher can usually repair them in place without the tub being replaced. Leave the bar as it is installed, photograph the mark and the bar, note your model and serial number, and send them to the team at ellasbubbles.com/support so they can look at the mark with you and advise on the repair.

Related Guides

• Grab Bar Length, Diameter, Weight Rating and Wall Spacing
• Which Screws to Use for a Grab Bar on the Tub, and Why You Must Pre-Drill
• Can I Remove the Interior Grab Bar, and Is There Anything to Cover the Holes?

Common Questions