Mounting Grab Bars on Ella Shower Walls: Reinforced Backing, Finding the Zones, and Which Screws to Use

Yes, grab bars can be mounted on the walls of an Ella shower stall. The walls are manufactured with reinforced backing, so a bar anchors into the wall itself without adding wood blocking behind it. The reinforced zones are shown on the Specification drawing published for your model, and that drawing, not trial holes, is how you find them. Screw and anchor questions for a bar from another supplier belong to that bar's manufacturer. If your shower shipped with Ella grab bars, the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm the hardware for those.

Where the Reinforcement Is

Ella shower stalls have reinforced backing built into the walls to carry grab bars. The reinforced areas are documented on the Specification drawing for each model, which is published with the product listing where you purchased under the manufacturer resources. Pull up that drawing before you buy a bar or pick up a drill, because it tells you which parts of the wall can take a fastener and which cannot. If you cannot find a copy, ask where you purchased, or open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model number and the team will send it. For a rundown of how the different stalls are built, see the shower stall comparison.

Do Not Drill Test Holes to Find the Backing

A tempting shortcut is to drill small pilot holes in the wall to feel for solid material. Please do not do this. Each unnecessary hole in a shower wall is a possible path for water behind the surround, and the drawing already answers the question. Locate the zones on paper, transfer them to the wall with a pencil and tape measure, and drill only where the bar's screws will actually go. Drilling inside the reinforced zones for a grab bar is an expected part of installation and does not affect your coverage, as explained in this article on drilling for faucets and grab bars.

Which Screws to Use

The right fastener depends on the bar's flange, its rated load and the anchor system its maker supplies, so use the hardware and instructions packed with the bar or ask that manufacturer directly. If your shower came with Ella grab bars, or you bought bars through your Ella dealer, contact the team at (800) 480-6850 with your model and serial number and they can confirm the mounting hardware for those bars. If a supplied bar does not fit the spot you planned, this guide on wrong-size grab bars explains what to do. Whether Ella can factory-install a bar sourced elsewhere is covered in this article on third-party grab bars.

Mounting a Grab Bar Step by Step

1. Find the reinforced zones on the Specification drawing for your model.
2. Decide where the bather needs support, and confirm that spot falls within a reinforced zone.
3. Mark the bar position on the wall and check that every screw location sits inside the zone.
4. Drill and fasten following the grab bar manufacturer's instructions, using the anchors they supply.
5. Seal each fastener the way the bar's instructions direct so no water reaches the back of the wall.
6. Load the bar firmly before first use to confirm it is solid.

Ella does not send technicians, so this work is done by you or a local licensed contractor. Other stall accessories such as seats, benches and the curtain rod have their own mounting guidance in the seat and accessory installation article.

Related Guides

• Installing Ella Shower Bases, the Flexible Shower Dam, and Shower Walls
• Installing the SMC 12-Piece Wall Kit, Acrylic Tub Surrounds, the 3-Panel Kit, Tongue-and-Groove Wall Tiles and Palisade Vinyl Tiles
• How to Get the Installation Guide, Spec Sheet and Manual for Your Ella Shower Wall Kit or Enclosure

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.