Metal Studs - Grab Bar Installation Advice

Once again the Pinellas County Grab Bars Blog is giving you the latest advice in grab bar installation from the pros! Today we are talking about what to do when installing into metal studs.

Here are the proper steps to follow:

1. Using a studfinder, locate where all the metal studs lie beneath the wall
2. Next, drill a pilot hole first to see what is behind the wall
3. Use a probe (6 inch rigid metal wire) to inspect the pilot hole to see if any obstacles lie beneath the wall. 
4. If free of obstacles, continue by expanding the holes with a half inch tile bit. 
5. For all of the holes use snap toggles (Toggler Snap Toggle) as your anchors. This is because metal studs have a lot of vertical strength but a lot less horizontal strength in comparison to wooden studs.
6. Lastly, sometimes there is excess plastic from the toggles that may sneak out from underneath the grab bar flanges once they are secured. If this happens, carefully use a razor to trim the excess plastic making sure to not scratch the tile beneath.

*It is important to always hire a professional grab bar installation specialist who is aware of all these details and is experienced.


This information was provided to us by Mr. Grab Bar of Pinellas County.