What Are the Most Common Grab Rail Sizes?

We all probably know that grab rail sizes vary hugely, but do you know which to pick for your project? If you’re pondering what size grab rail to install in your fit-out or building project, BOYCO has the answers.

It's crucial to understand that grab rail size can significantly impact their effectiveness in assisting the elderly, disabled, and individuals who need help getting around who rely on them for support. Choose a grab rail that's too short, too thin, or isn’t the right shape for the specific environment and you may be compromising people’s safety and their independence. That’s why we’re here to make sure you pick the right grab bar size for your needs.

What Are the Standard Grab Rail Sizes?

At BOYCO, we manufacture a collection of standard grab rail sizes that are available for immediate purchase. While we’re always innovating, these are the classic standard grab rail lengths that you’ll see across accessible bathrooms in the UK for fixed grab rails:

• - 400mm grab rails aka. 16 inch grab rails
• - 450mm grab rails aka. 18 inch grab rails
• - 600mm grab rails aka. 24 inch grab rails
• - 750mm grab rails aka. 30 inch grab rails
• - 900mm grab rails aka. 35 inch grab rails

For hinged grab rails that you’ll see by toilets, the standard grab rail lengths you’ll usually find in the UK is:

• - 650mm hinged grab rails aka. 26 inch hinged grab rails
• - 750mm hinged grab rails aka. 30 inch hinged grab rails

At BOYCO we also stock corner grab rails which make ideal shower grab handles, however these sizes conform to less standard sizing than hinged grab rails vs fixed grab rails.

Need Bespoke Grab Rail Sizing?

While our range comes in standard sizes, we’re also able to provide bespoke sizing as we make everything in-house at our manufacturing facility in Stockport. If you need specific dimensions for a commercial bathroom grab rail order, get in touch to discuss your requirements with the BOYCO team.

What Are the Most Common Grab Rail Sizes Used For?

Let’s get into exactly what situations call for different grab bar sizes. The hot spot of homes and public spaces where you’ll find grab rails for user safety is the bathroom. The bathroom is a crucial space for anyone to be able to access easily and grab rails provide vital support to do so. Some grab rail sizes, however, lend themselves to different uses, which we’ll explore.

The Best Grab Rail Sizes for Toilets, Basins & Doors

Smaller grab rail sizes - like 400mm grab rails - suit the spaces beside toilets to give assistance with sitting and standing. This is because the space tends to be more compact and the grab rail only needs to be long enough to help someone move up and down within the space, meaning their hands can stay in one position on the grab rail. The same is true for sinks and mirrors, except they are mounted higher.

For toilet doors, the grab rail is there to help with pushing open the weight of the door so it’s important to use a grab rail long enough to put both hands on. That way whoever is pushing can use their full strength to do so. This is where our 600m grab rails come in handy.

The Best Grab Rail Sizes for Showers & Baths

Longer grab rails are necessary as showering aids for the elderly, disabled and people who need help with their balance and mobility in this setting. Shower grab handles - like our 700mm grab rails and 900mm grab rails - allow the user to move along the space safely. The same is true for baths.

Corner grab rails are another good option for these spaces to make them as accessible as possible for those who need a hand safely moving around showers or baths.

Do UK Regulations Specify Grab Rail Sizes?

UK regulations specify certain standards for grab rails in accessible bathrooms.

For instance, on the backs of doors and next to toilets and sinks in public accessible WCs, a 600mm grab rail is specified as the minimum length in the Doc M guidance. That’s why 600mm grab rails are an ever-popular standard size that we keep stocked in our range.

Aside from certain specific situations, Part M encourages healthcare sector providers more generally to choose grab rail sizes that are most appropriate for the use and location. That’s why we’re committed to offering a large range of grab rail sizes that you can count on to best serve the people who’ll use them.

Do BOYCO Grab Rails Conform to Doc M & DDA Regulations?

Yes - BOYCO remains dedicated to going above and beyond to provide fully Doc M and DDA-compliant grab rails. Providing grab rail sizes specified by Doc M as the minimum for public WCs is just one aspect of this. Here are a few more ways our grab rails stand out:

• - Diameter: The inner tube of BOYCO’s grab rails is made with mild steel and has a diameter of 32mm which has been selected to give a stable and comfortable grip.
• - Antimicrobial Coating: As healthcare sector suppliers we felt compelled to provide the best antimicrobial protection possible for our grab rails. All of our grab rails are coated in Hot Dip Nylon which uses our silver ion product technology. This makes their surface antimicrobial up to 99% - ideal for healthcare settings.
• - Not Cold to the Touch: Our grab rails are coated in our unique Hot Dip Nylon which means that they are never cold to the touch, in conformity with DDA regulations.

‘Our hot-dip nylon coating was specially developed to be warm to the touch, with the end user in mind. This technology not only ensures that we conform to DDA compliance, it creates the highest level of comfort for the person using the grab rail’.

Jessica, Marketing Manager at BOYCO.

Choose BOYCO for Unbeatable Quality

We’ve been working in the healthcare sector for over 60 years and 3 generations. Our family-owned and run firm has been committed to creating market-leading healthcare equipment ever since.

Everything we create goes through rigorous in-house design, development, testing and manufacturing. So when the time comes to choose grab rails you can count on for lasting quality, choose BOYCO.

Get in Touch

Have questions about our grab rails? Read our FAQs for answers to common queries or contact us and our team will get back to you promptly.