Bathroom Grabrail Support
Bathroom Grabrail Support
(OP)
I am working a job where the Arch. has asked the metal stud installer to provide "blocking" between the studs to support ADA bathroom grabrails. My understanding is that the attachment must resist 250lbs in any direction. The Arch.has asked that they use light gage strapping screwed to the face of the studs. The studs are 19 mil thick - basically 25 ga but they are called 20ga, ahem, "equivalent" due to the use of high-strength steel.
I told them it is not possible for me to make strap work in that situation unless it is merely there to keep the grabrail from falling to the ground with a 250 lb load.
I recommended heavier studs and wood blocking but the Arch. claims that strapping is their standard detail.
Has anyone been involved with something similar?
I told them it is not possible for me to make strap work in that situation unless it is merely there to keep the grabrail from falling to the ground with a 250 lb load.
I recommended heavier studs and wood blocking but the Arch. claims that strapping is their standard detail.
Has anyone been involved with something similar?






RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
Insist on the wood or at least steel stud blocking.
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
In even light structural situations i would insist on a 20 gage studs to support the 20 gage blocking.
We're only talking about (2) studs in every bathroom regardless of how many bathrooms there are!
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
You said “There is no conceivable acceptable [engineering] explanation for using 25 gauge studs in lieu of 20 gauge studs.” You missed the word ‘engineering’ btwn. the words ‘acceptable’ and ‘explanation.’ Today’s contractor’s mantra is.... never do it right, if you can do it wrong and save a couple pennies per stud or piece of blocking. That’s how they make up for some of their laziness in putting their bid together. Think of all the material savings in using the 25ga. studs, and they are readily available, on sale, at any big box store. They don’t have to worry about pre-ordering the approx. right quantity, from a real materials supply house.
XR250:
Remember, every blocking to stud connection must essential be able to take the 250 lb. loading, given that you don’t really know where the grabrail connection will be.
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
Fixed that. I used "technical" instead of "engineering", just because I don't like to use the word "engineer" as anything other than a noun.
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
The manufacturer calls them "20ga equivalent" because they get the same limiting heights taking into account composite action with the sheetrock. This must be a function of fastener shear as the shear (and pullout) values for the high-strength steel, 19mil studs are similar to those of the 33ksi, 20 ga studs. It still does not address the other crappy aspect of 19mil studs - such as flange bending and web crippling.
Thanks for everyone's insight.
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
cheap-skatelow-bid metal framing sub had to double the studs at the panel boards.RE: Bathroom Grabrail Support
He said they could not afford that.