In addition to access and inclusion, Universal Design offers an extra margin of safety. Click on the image above to shop Grab Bars & Grips.
Whether they are buying or remodeling, all homeowners aim for accessibility, usability, and comfort for everyone in their homes. Universally designed homes easily achieve these goals in each room of the house. A barrier-free bathroom is a must for independent living and many of the design recommendations in this article can be done at any time without undertaking a major remodel. If you are planning a bath makeover soon, why not include some Universal Design features?
Toilet
Locate toilets 18" from side walls, both for freedom of access from chair or walker and/or to allow room for grab bars.
Use an offset flange to move the toilet forward up to 3" without having to relocate the waste pipe.
Choose a toilet with an easy-to-use flush handle and an extended seat. Add reinforcement for bars (now or later) in the wall.
Add wood blocking or solid plywood backing behind the surface wall. The wood provides the support necessary to support the weight of an adult.
- Toilets with chair height seating can also provide greater comfort for those who have difficulty getting up from traditionally low toilet seat heights.
Lavatory and Vanity
- Provide knee space for seated users. To allow access, an open roll-under vanity needs to be 34" high from the countertop to the floor and 29" from the bottom of the sink to the floor.
A vanity or wall-hung sink needs to have at least a 17" depth to allow space for knees.
Place the sink as close as possible to the front of a vanity cabinet to allow the user easier reach to the sink basin and faucet.
Removable cabinet allows conversion from regular vanity to an accessible lavatory. Simply mount the sink to the reinforced wall. Add a vanity case below that can be easily removed when needed.
Install lever handle faucets.
Exposed hot water pipes should be insulated and/or covered.
Bathtub
- Walk-in tubs offer the safety of a low step-in height and the comfort of showering or bathing in a seated position. Plus, some units include additional luxury features such as hydrotherapy spa jets to help soothe aches and pains.
Shower door tracks restrict movement in and out of the tub. Replace with a trackless door system.
Provide 30" of open floor space in front of the tub when approaching from the end (head) and 48" if the tub is approached straight-on (side).
Use lever handle (preferably single lever) faucets rather than hard to handle knobs.
Locate water control near the entry to the allow bather to turn on water while outside the tub.
Shower
- Shower dimension should be 36" x 36" with seat; 30" x 60" without a seat.
- Locate water control near the entry to allow the bather to turn on water while outside the tub.
- Curbless or roll-in showers are available for those who are unable to move from a wheelchair or have difficulty lifting their feet.
Grab Bars
- Install grab bars instead of towel bars. Diameters should be 1-1/4" - 1-1/2".
- Leave a space between the grab bar and wall of 1-1/2". An opening that is too wide could allow a hand to get stuck and in effect, trap the user.
- Look for replacement surrounds with built-in reinforced panels capable of accepting grab bars.
Other Tips
Many other Universal Design principals apply in the bath as well as the rest of the home:
- Install full-length mirrors or regular mirrors mounted lower.
- All water supplies should have anti-scald temperature controls.
- Thresholds should be no higher than 1/2". No threshold is best.
- Extra lighting and color contrast increase visibility.
- Doorways with a width of 32" minimum, although 36" is best.
- Swing-away hinges allow full use of door frame.
- Easy to grasp cabinet hardware and door handles fit all hands.
- Room to turn a wheelchair - (5' x 5')
- Nonskid floors
Lowe's is grateful to the Center for Universal Design for their assistance in the preparation of this series of articles.
Some of these recommendations may require major renovations. Make sure you locate water and power lines inside the walls before cutting. Also be sure to identify load-bearing walls.
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