If the horizontal grab bar shown on the back wall of your one-piece Ella shower will not fit the space, contact support before drilling anywhere or returning the shower. One-piece showers have shipped with three 24 inch stainless steel grab bars with concealed flanges. On some one-piece sizes the back wall does not have enough clear width to mount a 24 inch bar horizontally where the product images and spec sheet show it. Ella has resolved this by sending an 18 inch concealed-flange bar in its place so the shower can be finished as drawn.
Why the Included Bar Does Not Fit
The one-piece shower package includes three 24 inch bars. The product images and specification show one bar mounted horizontally on the back wall, with the others placed on the side walls. On some one-piece units the usable flat span of the back wall is shorter than 24 inches, so the bar cannot be anchored securely at both ends. Installers have reported this on more than one size, and Ella's team has confirmed that the 24 inch bar does not suit every back wall. It is a packaging mismatch, not a defect in your shower.
What to Do
- Do not drill the wall or modify the bar.
- Measure the flat span of the back wall where the bar is meant to go, and note your shower size from the packing list or receipt.
- Photograph the back wall with a tape measure across the span, and take a second photo of the 24 inch bar held against the wall.
- Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with the photos, your shower model and size, and your order information.
- The team confirms the mismatch and arranges a shorter 18 inch bar with concealed flanges for your shower.
- Have your installer mount the 18 inch bar horizontally on the back wall, anchored into solid backing as the installation instructions require.
Mounting Notes
Grab bars must be anchored into solid backing to carry a bather's weight, so follow the backing requirements in your shower's installation instructions whatever the bar length. If the bar location has no backing, your installer needs to address that before any bar goes on. The two remaining 24 inch bars are used on the side walls as shown. If one of those also fails to fit, include it in the same ticket rather than opening a second one. General fit questions about bases, walls and filler pieces are covered in Shower Bases, Walls, and Filler Pieces, and doorway clearance for multi-piece units is in Will a Three-Piece Ella Shower Fit Through My Doorway.
Do Not Return the Shower over a Grab Bar
A grab bar that does not fit is solved with a shorter bar, not a new shower. Ella's team sends the shorter bar specifically so the shower does not have to be returned. Ask your installer about setting the unit and completing the plumbing while the bar question is resolved, since the grab bar is fitted to the finished wall. Keep the unused 24 inch bar with your installation paperwork and ask support in the ticket what to do with it.
Related Guides
- What If My Grab Bar Is the Wrong Size or Was Not in the Box?
- Mounting Grab Bars on Ella Shower Walls: Reinforced Backing, Finding the Zones, and Which Screws to Use
- Installing an Ella One-Piece AcrylX Shower Stall: Alcove Prep, Drain Opening, Fastening and First Use
Common Questions
Why did my shower come with three 24 inch bars?
Can I cut the 24 inch bar down to fit?
What does support need to send the shorter bar?
Do I have to send the 24 inch bar back?
Can my installer set the shower while I wait?
Still Need Help?
Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.