EZ Able® Resource Guide
Curbless Shower Options to Choose Before You Buy
Quick answer
Most curbless showers should get three options: a handheld shower on an adjustable slide bar, grab bars at the entry and on the long wall, and a fold-down seat. Add a shower door only when the user walks in, the opening stays wide and there is no floor track; otherwise use a weighted curtain.
The short answer
A curbless shower takes the step out of the bathroom. The options you add decide how well it works for the person using it, today and ten years from now. Here is what we'd tell a friend:
- Adjustable-height handheld shower: yes, almost always. It lets a tall person, a seated person and a helper all use the same shower.
- Grab bars: yes. At least one at the entry and one on the long wall.
- Fold-down shower seat: yes, even if nobody needs it yet. It folds flat when you don't.
- Shower door: only in the right situation. If anyone uses a wheelchair, a shower chair or needs a helper, skip the door and use a weighted curtain.
Plan these before you order. Your installer needs to know where the slide bar, bars and seat go before the walls are finished.
Options at a glance
| Option | Who it helps | What to check before you buy |
|---|---|---|
| Handheld shower on slide bar | Everyone; seated bathers; helpers | Hose at least 59 in; slide bar that doubles as a grab bar |
| Grab bars | Anyone stepping in, turning, rising | 33-36 in high; mounted into backing |
| Fold-down seat | Anyone who tires standing | 17-19 in high; wall backing; weight rating |
| Weighted curtain | Wheelchair and helper access | Curved or straight rod; length to floor |
| Shower door | Walking users who want a door | Clear opening when open; no floor track |
Adjustable-height handheld shower
A fixed shower head is set for one height. A handheld shower on a slide bar works for everybody in the house. You slide the head up for a tall person, down for a child or someone seated, or take it off the bar to rinse a seat, wash hair over a shower chair, or clean the shower floor.
What to look for
- A long hose. The 2010 ADA Standards (section 608.6) call for a hose at least 59 inches long. That length lets a seated person reach their feet and lets a helper rinse without stretching.
- A slide bar that doubles as a grab bar. This is the best choice. One rail holds the handheld shower at any height and gives you something solid to hold, so you don't have to fit a separate slide bar and grab bar on the same wall. Choose one rated as a grab bar and mount it into backing. If you use a separate slide bar, the ADA guide says it can't get in the way of the grab bars, so plan them together.
- A diverter if you want both. Many people keep a fixed rain head and add a handheld. A diverter valve lets you switch between them.
- Controls you can reach sitting down. Put the valve where a person on the seat can reach it without leaning into the spray.
Grab bars
Most falls in the shower happen while stepping in, turning around or getting up. A grab bar helps with all three, and a curbless entry doesn't change that.
Where to put them
- At the entry. A vertical bar where you step in gives you something to hold before your feet are wet.
- On the long back wall. A horizontal bar for balance while you wash.
- Next to the seat. So you can push up to stand.
The 2010 ADA Standards put shower grab bars 33 to 36 inches above the floor, and the bars must hold 250 pounds of force. Those rules are written for public buildings, but they're good starting heights at home. Adjust for the people who use the shower: walk through it with them and put bars where their hand already goes.
The wall behind the bar matters
A grab bar is only as strong as what it's screwed into. Best Bath and EZ Able showers, and the Praxis and Aquatic showers sold on ezable.com, have backed (reinforced) walls, so bars and seats can go where you need them. With other showers, your installer needs to add wood backing or use studs. Our guide to reinforced shower walls explains why that matters.
Browse shower grab bars and ADA grab bars, or see ADA grab bar heights and placement.
Shower seat
A seat is the option people most often wish they'd added. It helps after a surgery, on a bad day, or for anyone who simply wants to sit down to wash their feet.
Fold-down or built-in?
- Fold-down (wall-mounted): folds flat against the wall when you don't need it, so the shower stays open for a wheelchair or a helper. In an ADA roll-in shower, the 2010 ADA Standards (section 608.4) require the seat to be the folding type.
- Built-in (molded): part of the shower itself. Solid and easy to clean, but it takes up floor space for good.
Height and strength
ADA seats sit 17 to 19 inches above the finished floor, close to wheelchair seat height, which makes sliding across easier. Check the weight rating too: some fold-down seats on ezable.com are rated up to 1,100 lb. On the backed-wall showers above, a wall-mounted seat can be added directly to the shower wall without extra backing.
Browse fold-down shower seats and ADA shower seats, or read fold-down shower seat height, size and mounting.
Should you add a shower door to a curbless shower?
This is one of the questions we get most. The honest answer: a door can work on a curbless shower, but it often works against the reason you chose curbless in the first place.
When to skip the door
- Someone uses a wheelchair, a rolling shower chair or a walker. A door narrows the opening and has to swing or slide out of the way. The Access Board's guide to the ADA Standards says shower doors on standard roll-in showers "will typically fail" the clearance test.
- A helper assists with bathing. A door puts a panel between the helper and the person showering, and the helper usually ends up wet anyway.
- The clear opening would be too narrow. The 2010 ADA Standards set a 32-inch minimum clear width for a doorway, and many people choose 36 inches at home for easier turning. For an alternate roll-in shower, the ADA guide allows a door only if the opening is at least 36 inches clear with the door open 90 degrees. Measure the opening with the door fully open, not the door panel.
- The door would add a lip. A bottom track or a raised sill puts back the step you paid to remove. In an ADA roll-in shower, the threshold can be no more than 1/2 inch.
- The door would block the seat, controls or handheld shower. The ADA Standards (section 608.8) say an enclosure can't block controls, the shower spray unit or the move onto a seat.
When a door can make sense
- The person using the shower walks in and doesn't expect to need a wheelchair or a helper.
- The shower is large and the door leaves a wide opening, ideally 36 inches clear or more when open.
- There is no floor track. Choose a swinging or sliding door that hangs from the top or the wall, with a soft sweep at the bottom.
- It can come off later. Plan for removal if needs change.
Shower Door Helpful Tip: Measure Twice, Order Once!
Before choosing your shower door, double-check its height! Many standard shower doors are designed to sit on top of a shower curb. If you're installing a curbless or low-threshold shower, you may need a taller door to get the proper fit.
A little measuring now can save a big headache later!
The usual better choice: a weighted curtain
A weighted curtain on a curved rod keeps water in, pushes aside with one hand, and leaves the full opening clear. For extra protection, a collapsible shower dam flattens under a wheel and pops back up to hold water. Correct floor slope toward the drain matters more than any door. Read curbless shower: will water get out? for the full picture.
Browse weighted shower curtains and rods and collapsible shower dams.
Don't forget the bathroom door
A curbless shower only helps if you can get to it. If someone may use a wheelchair or walker, check the bathroom doorway as well: the same 32-inch clear-width minimum applies, and 36 inches is easier. If the shower ships in pieces, the bathroom door also decides which shower fits through. See will a shower stall fit through your door?.
Put it together before you order
- Pick the shower size for the person and the room: curbless showers or curbless multi-piece showers for remodels.
- Mark the grab bars, seat and slide bar on a simple sketch of the walls.
- Decide door or curtain using the checklist above.
- Send the spec sheet and your sketch to your installer before the shower ships.
- Call us at 877-392-2531 if you want a second set of eyes. We answer these questions every day.
Questions we hear
What options should I add to a curbless shower?
Most people should add a handheld shower on an adjustable slide bar, grab bars at the entry and on the long wall, and a fold-down seat. Those three make the shower work for a tall person, a seated person and a helper. Add a weighted curtain instead of a door if anyone uses a wheelchair or needs help bathing. Plan all of it before the walls are finished.
How long should the hose be on a handheld shower?
At least 59 inches. That's what the 2010 ADA Standards require for a hand shower in an accessible shower, and it's a good rule at home too. A 59-inch hose lets someone sitting on a shower seat reach their feet and lets a helper rinse without stretching. A slide bar that doubles as a grab bar is the best choice.
How high should grab bars and a shower seat be?
The 2010 ADA Standards put shower grab bars 33 to 36 inches above the floor and shower seats 17 to 19 inches above the finished floor. Those rules are written for public buildings, but they're good starting points at home. Adjust for the people who use the shower, and make sure every bar and seat is mounted into backing or studs.
Can you put a shower door on a curbless shower?
You can, but only in the right situation. A door works if the person walks in, the opening stays wide (ideally 36 inches clear when open) and there's no floor track to trip over. If anyone uses a wheelchair, a shower chair or needs a helper, skip the door. A weighted curtain keeps water in and leaves the whole opening clear.
How wide should a shower door opening be for a wheelchair?
The 2010 ADA Standards set a 32-inch minimum clear width for a doorway, and many people choose 36 inches at home. For an alternate roll-in shower, the ADA guide allows a door only if the opening is at least 36 inches clear with the door open 90 degrees. Measure the clear opening with the door fully open, not the width of the glass.
Will water get out of a curbless shower without a door?
Not if the floor slopes correctly to the drain and the shower is sized for how you use it. A weighted curtain on a curved rod keeps spray in, and a collapsible shower dam adds a backup that flattens under a wheel. Pointing the handheld away from the opening helps too. Our water guide covers slope, drains and placement in detail.
Next Steps: Need Help Planning Your Curbless Shower?
Tell us who will use the shower and how, or call 877-392-2531, and we'll help you pick the size, seat, grab bars and handheld shower that fit.
Facts reviewed by the EZ Able® team, checked against ezable.com product pages and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, November 2026.
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