How to Install a Balance Handrail in the Bedroom
- 1). Use a stud finder to find the center of a stud to attach one end of the rail to. Some stud finders have a feature that allows you to find the center. If your finder doesn't have this feature, use it to find the general location of the stud, and then excavate with a 1/4-inch drill bit to find the center.
- 2). Measure along the center of the stud from the floor to a height of approximately 3 feet. This distance can be adjusted between 34 and 38 inches to accommodate the person who will be primarily using the rail. You may have to set it a little lower if the main purpose of the rail is to assist the person in getting out of bed. Make a mark on the center of the stud at the correct height.
- 3). Set one end of the rail on the mark and extend the other end horizontally along the wall. Look for the center of the nearest stud and angle the rail as needed so the end is on the center. Most rails are manufactured to fit in standard stud spacing, so you shouldn't have to angle it much. If the angle is more than about 30 degrees, consider re-positioning the rail between two different studs.
- 4). Slide the escutcheons on the ends of the rail back so you have access to the screw holes on the brackets. Drive a 3-inch screw into a hole on one end, through the drywall and into the stud behind. Position the other bracket and drive a screw into one of the holes on that end.
- 5). Drive screws into all the other holes, then slide the escutcheons back and push them against the brackets until they snap into place.
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