Adding a wall mounted seat to a shower

Ed911

I am wondering if anyone has any experience, or advice, on installing a wall mounted seat in a shower with an acrylic surround.

I have the walls down to the studs and can put in X blocking to support the seat. I can put in 2x2's screwed to the studs and then screw the 2x10's to that for a solid mounting surface for the seat.

My question is, would it damage the acrylic surround? Can it be done? Has anyone done it or have experience with doing it?

I sure would hate to mess up a surround and have to tear it back out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ed

brockmiera

Why would you use 2x2's and then a 2x10?

Ed911

Couple of reasons: (understand that this is a nearly 60 year old home...built when codes where for someone else...walls aren't exactly parallel to joists, etc.)

1. I sistered the existing studs in order to make them veritcal. One of the studs was warped...crown back...with about a half inch bow in the middle...so, toenailing wasn't an option. And, since necessity is the mother of invention...lol...I came up with idea number 2. Very sturdy, I might add. I can see why this might be confusing, but envision this...half a 2x4 mounted to a stud 1.5 inches from front of stud...then 2x8 or 2x10 cut to width and then screwed to them.

2. By putting in the bracing, actually a ripped 2x4's, screwed to the studs, and then 2x10's screwed to them, it makes for a much stronger block.

I'd take a picture, but I already have the insulation up...and if I decide to put in a seat, I'm going to have to take out a small amount so that I can put in the bracing for the seat.

I'm just wondering if it's feasible to put a wall mounted shower seat in a shower with an acrylic surround. I was looking for some experiences from some of the pros, if possible. Yes, no, or maybe...anything actually. LOL.

Thanks for responding...

Canarywood1

They sell acrylic surrounds with the seat built in,why not use one of them??

Ed911

We have limited space...so a permanently down seat would be in the way...the one that I'm thinking about using folds up out of the way.

My issue is that I worry about damaging the acrylic surround if I mount it to the blocking...even though it will be mounted to solid bracing.

Again, does anyone have experience or comments about the installation.

I would really appreciate some constructive comments.

Thanks, Ed

Blondesense

Do you have a link to the seat you are considering using?

This might be possible with a tiled shower with the proper waterproofing. I don't see it working with an acrylic surround. First, securing it to the blocking would mean puncturing the surround which would open up that area to water damage. Second, I would be afraid any stress in that area from using it would cause the surround to crack.
I don't see it working well.

Ed911

Here's the link to the seat.

http://www.signaturehardware.com/product19368

I'm, reluctantly, in agreement with you. There's no data on the internet of this having been done before. Any time that you install an after market seat, in any shower, you'll have to drill holes in the wall, tile, fiberglass, acrylic, etc.

I think that I'm about to give up on it. I get the feeling that acrylic just will not support the weight of a person sitting on a 15 inch seat, even if it's screwed to a 2x10 in the wall. That is still a lot of torque on the shower wall mount and a lot of pressure on the wall between the mount and blocking.

I will be installing a grab bar in that wall and have the blocking in place, but there's a heck of a lot of difference in the amount of pressure/torque between the two applications.

Oh well.