What screws to use for shower grab rail?

[Thumper]

My dad is getting unsteady on his feet, so I've been to the local mobility
shop and bought a 12 inch plastic rail that I can fix to the bathroom tiled
wall, in an ideal position where he can grab on to it when taking a shower.
The lady in the shop said they are not allowed to sell the screws for fixing
it.

What would be the ideal screws for fixing it to the wall?

thanks

Ian

[Martin Bonner]

What is behind the tiling? You obviously want a fairly stout fixing
so that it can take your father's weight falling and pulling it from
the wall.

In a shower the screws will need to be brass or stainless steel.

I'd be looking at No 10, and at least 1 1/2" into solid brick (plus
clearance through plaster, voids, etc). You might get away with less
if you were screwing into solid wood, and you'll need (quite a lot)
more if screwing into lightweight blocks.

[Thumper]

"Martin Bonner" <martin...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:6d342b57-fb70-4dfe...@m1g2000vbm.googlegroups.com...

On Oct 24, 2:41 pm, "Thumper" <thumpe...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> My dad is getting unsteady on his feet, so I've been to the local mobility
> shop and bought a 12 inch plastic rail that I can fix to the bathroom
> tiled
> wall, in an ideal position where he can grab on to it when taking a
> shower.
> The lady in the shop said they are not allowed to sell the screws for
> fixing
> it.
>
> What would be the ideal screws for fixing it to the wall?

What is behind the tiling? You obviously want a fairly stout fixing
so that it can take your father's weight falling and pulling it from
the wall.

> It's plastered brick.

In a shower the screws will need to be brass or stainless steel.

I'd be looking at No 10, and at least 1 1/2" into solid brick (plus
clearance through plaster, voids, etc). You might get away with less
if you were screwing into solid wood, and you'll need (quite a lot)
more if screwing into lightweight blocks.

> longest screws I've seen are 8g x 40mm brass roundheads in Wilkinsons. Was
> a better selection in there than Robert Dyas. I've not yet been down to
> the local B&Q or Homebase as its more of a journey for me.

[charles]

In article <Fpepq.9015$_p4....@newsfe19.ams2>,

Take the rail with you, when you go shopping so that you can check the
largest size of screw that will fit into its brackets. You need to let the
head get properly recessed into the counsersink hole to avoid your dad
getting scratched on the screw heads.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

[d...@gglz.com]

> The lady in the shop said they are not allowed to sell the screws for fixing
> it.

Understandable. The harshest legal penalties apply to the illegal
trade in screws.

[Zapp Brannigan]

"charles" <cha...@charleshope.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:52273d5b...@charleshope.demon.co.uk...

I agree - the thickest 2" screw that will fit in the bracket.

[Thumper]

"charles" <cha...@charleshope.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:52273d5b...@charleshope.demon.co.uk...

The rail comes with two cover plates for concealing the screw heads.

[charles]

In article <_Gkpq.1745$NU1...@newsfe01.ams2>,

but these will need to fit onto the bit below so you still need to be
careful about the size of screw. Too big and the cover won't stay on.

[Thumper]

"charles" <cha...@charleshope.demon.co.uk> wrote in message

news:52276330...@charleshope.demon.co.uk...

Noted, thanks.
>
>

[The Medway Handyman]

Just as I was about to suggest a discrete blob of silicone......

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[Part Timer]

You might laugh but what about terrorists putting them in a bomb made
from illegal weedkiller. I've wondered if petrol was new to the market
tomorrow, would it go on sale?

[NT]

Its one application where teh wall really must be assessed before
choosing the fixing. For brick, 2.5" screws would do the job, for
concrete 2" screws. For wattle & daub or strawboard, nothing will be
safe.


NT

[oer...@gmail.com]

[John]

oer...@gmail.com wrote in
news:0bb270a1-01ca-4807...@googlegroups.com:

What is the wall made from? If it was my plasterboard wall then I would
want a panel on the other side and bolt it through. Hopefully yours may be
solid.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Even if its plasterboard the tiles will make it pretty strong

I've used a cheap diamond core drill for the tiles, and plastic
rawlplugs in this sort of construction.




--
“People believe certain stories because everyone important tells them,
and people tell those stories because everyone important believes them.
Indeed, when a conventional wisdom is at its fullest strength, one’s
agreement with that conventional wisdom becomes almost a litmus test of
one’s suitability to be taken seriously.”

Paul Krugman

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)]

2011?
Brian

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<oer...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:0bb270a1-01ca-4807...@googlegroups.com...

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)]

I don't think I'd trust a grab rail to ordinary rawl plugs myself. I tends
to use those special fittings that expand but have a sort of thread in
them. They come in many names, but cannot recall the generic one!

Brian

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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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Note this Signature is meaningless.!

"The Natural Philosopher" <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:qv7ri8$1ci$1...@dont-email.me...

[newshound]

On 09/01/2020 18:31, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 09/01/2020 17:52, John wrote:
>> oer...@gmail.com wrote in
>> news:0bb270a1-01ca-4807...@googlegroups.com:
>>
>>> On Monday, 24 October 2011 14:41:26 UTC+1, Thumper  wrote:
>>>> My dad is getting unsteady on his feet, so I've been to the local
>>>> mobility shop and bought a 12 inch plastic rail that I can fix to the
>>>> bathroom tiled wall, in an ideal position where he can grab on to it
>>>> when taking a shower. The lady in the shop said they are not allowed
>>>> to sell the screws for fixing it.
>>>>
>>>> What would be the ideal screws for fixing it to the wall?
>>>>
>>>> thanks
>>>>
>>>> Ian
>>>
>>>
>>
>> What is the wall made from? If it was my plasterboard wall then I would
>> want a panel on the other side and bolt it through. Hopefully yours
>> may be
>> solid.
>>
> Even if its plasterboard the tiles will make it pretty strong
>
> I've used a cheap diamond core drill for the tiles, and plastic
> rawlplugs in this sort of construction.
>
>
>
>

True although it does depend on the size of the tiles and whether the
plasterboard is damp. I think I would be inclined to go for spring
toggles so that in a crunch it is definitely pulling on tile. Personally
I will never put tile on plasterboard again in a shower, my preferred
shower finish is the Mermaid type board.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <0bb270a1-01ca-4807...@googlegroups.com>,

A decent grab handle will be steel, not plastic.

And if a plasterboard wall, needs to be fixed into a joist. Last thing you
want is it giving way.

--
*Toilet stolen from police station. Cops have nothing to go on.

Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <ft6dnbbE7MevDIXD...@brightview.co.uk>,

newshound <news...@stevejqr.plus.com> wrote:
> Personally
> I will never put tile on plasterboard again in a shower, my preferred
> shower finish is the Mermaid type board.

My tile on plasterboard one is many years old. And has had the tiles
changed a couple of times for a new decor. But the corners and tops and
bottoms of the walls are sealed with silicone.

--
*Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it*

[John]

>> > What would be the ideal screws for fixing it to the wall?
>> >
>
> A decent grab handle will be steel, not plastic.
>
> And if a plasterboard wall, needs to be fixed into a joist. Last thing
> you want is it giving way.
>

Remember - it has to resist a hard snatch / yank in an emergency and not
pull the tiles off.

[The Natural Philosopher]

getting on for 20 years tile on plasterboard and zero problems



--
In todays liberal progressive conflict-free education system, everyone
gets full Marx.

[The Natural Philosopher]

tiles dont pull of if put on with decent waterproof cement

whole plasterboard section between joists, perhaps

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <qva7je$r3$2...@dont-email.me>,

The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> > Remember - it has to resist a hard snatch / yank in an emergency and
> > not pull the tiles off.
> >
> tiles dont pull of if put on with decent waterproof cement

Really? How about the paper (or skim) on the plasterboard? Any cement is
only as strong as that.

--
*Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional