Built-in or fold-down: choosing a shower seat

When families ask us what makes the biggest difference in a shower for someone who is getting less steady, after a low threshold, the answer is almost always a seat. Sitting removes the need to balance on one foot to wash, and it gives someone who tires quickly a place to rest.

Once you decide on a seat, the question is which kind. Here is how the three options compare, and how to choose.

The three options

• Built-in molded bench. Part of the shower unit itself, formed into the pan or the wall when the shower is made. Always there, no hardware.
• Wall-mounted fold-down seat. A seat on a hinged frame, bolted to the wall. It folds up flat when not needed and down when it is. A common example is a padded seat around 22 by 15 inches.
• Freestanding shower chair or stool. Not attached to anything. You set it in the shower and take it out.

Built-in molded bench

A bench molded into the shower is the most solid seat there is. There are no hinges, no fasteners and nothing to work loose. It is always at the same height, it never needs folding down, and to a visitor it looks like a design feature rather than an aid.

Its downside is that it never goes away. A bench takes floor space all day, every day, whether anyone sits on it or not. In a large shower that hardly matters. In a 60 by 30 alcove it can make the standing area feel cramped, and for a wheelchair user rolling in, a fixed bench is simply in the way.

The position is also fixed for good. If the person later needs the seat on the other side, closer to the controls or further from the entry, there is no changing it.

Best for: larger showers, people who will sit every time they shower, and households where nobody needs the full floor.

Wall-mounted fold-down seat

A fold-down seat is the flexible choice. When it is folded up, it sits flat against the wall and the shower is open for a standing user, a wheelchair or a caregiver. When it is folded down, it is a proper seat at a set height.

That flexibility is why the ADA requires a folding seat in roll-in showers in hotel rooms with mobility features. Someone who rolls in needs the space, and someone who transfers needs the seat.

The catch is the wall. A fold-down seat carries a person's whole weight at the end of a lever arm, every time they sit. It needs more backing than a grab bar, not less. It has to be bolted into framing, solid blocking, or wall panels with laminated wood reinforcement behind them. Drywall anchors or a bare shower panel will not hold it safely.

Hinges and fixings should be checked once a year. If the seat has any wobble, have it tightened before anyone sits on it again.

Best for: small and medium showers, bathrooms shared by people with different needs, wheelchair users, and anyone who wants a seat available without giving up the floor.

Freestanding shower chair

A shower chair is the quickest and cheapest way to get a seat, and it has a real place. It suits short-term needs, like recovery after surgery. It is also a reasonable stopgap while a remodel is being planned, or the right choice in a rental where nothing can be fixed to the wall.

Its weakness is the floor. A shower floor slopes toward the drain, so a four-legged chair rarely sits evenly. On a wet, soapy surface, a chair with worn rubber feet can slide just as someone shifts their weight to stand. If you use one, choose adjustable legs that can be set level, check the rubber feet regularly, and put it where the floor is flattest.

A chair also takes space while it is in the shower and has to be lifted out when it is not wanted, which is a chore for someone with limited strength.

Best for: short-term needs, renters, and trying out sitting before committing to a fixed seat.

Getting the height right

The ADA puts the top of a shower seat 17 to 19 inches above the floor (section 610.3). That is about the height of an ordinary dining chair. It suits most adults.

In a home you can fit the seat to the person. A simple test: sit them on a kitchen chair, feet flat, and see whether they can stand up without pushing hard. If a slightly higher seat makes standing easier, that matters more than an exact number. A seat that is too low is harder to get up from. A seat that is too high leaves feet dangling, so the person has less support.

Where the seat goes

A seat is only useful if everything else can be reached from it. Before fixing the position, check three things:

1. The controls. The person should be able to turn the water on and adjust the temperature while seated. The ADA layouts put controls in a set relationship to the seat for exactly this reason.
2. The handheld shower. A handheld on a slide bar should reach the seat comfortably, with the hose long enough to rinse feet.
3. A grab bar. There should be a bar beside the seat to push on when standing up, never above it. Our guide to grab bar placement covers the layout.

Strength: what to ask about

The ADA asks shower seats to withstand 250 pounds of force (section 610.4), the same figure it uses for grab bars. For a home, ask the supplier for the seat's rated capacity and the fixing method, and make sure the rating covers the person who will use it.

As with grab bars, the seat is rarely what fails. The wall is. A highly rated seat bolted to drywall is only as strong as the drywall.

Which one should you choose?

• A wheelchair user, now or likely: fold-down. The floor has to be clear to roll in.
• A small shower, 36 inches deep or less: fold-down. A bench takes too much of the floor.
• A large shower and someone who always sits: a built-in bench is excellent.
• Two people with different needs sharing the shower: fold-down, so each gets the shower they need.
• A short-term need or a rental: a good shower chair with adjustable legs.
• Not sure yet: build with reinforced walls and decide later. Backing in the wall keeps every option open.

Questions people ask about shower seats

What height should a shower seat be?

The ADA puts the top of a shower seat 17 to 19 inches above the floor (section 610.3). That is roughly ordinary chair height, and it is a good target in a home too. For one particular person, the best height lets them sit with feet flat on the floor and stand up without straining.

Is a fold-down shower seat strong enough?

A properly made and properly installed one is. The ADA asks seats to withstand 250 pounds of force (section 610.4). The weak point is usually the wall, not the seat. It must be bolted into framing, blocking or reinforced wall panels, never into drywall or a bare panel.

Can I add a fold-down seat to my shower later?

Yes, if the wall behind it can take the load. With reinforced wall panels it is a short job. Without backing, the seat has to land on studs, or the wall has to be opened to add blocking. If a seat is even a possibility, plan the backing now.

Does a built-in bench make a shower too small?

In a large shower, no. In a small one it can. A bench takes the same floor all day, every day, whether anyone is sitting on it or not. In a shower 36 inches deep or less, a fold-down seat usually works better.

Is a shower chair as good as a fixed seat?

It is a good short-term or budget answer, and it can be moved or taken away. It is not as steady as a fixed seat, because a shower floor slopes toward the drain and a chair can shift on wet, soapy surfaces. If someone will sit every day for years, a fixed seat is the better choice.

The short version

A fold-down seat suits most homes because it gives the floor back when it is not needed, as long as the wall behind it is solid. A built-in bench is the sturdiest seat and suits large showers. A chair is the right short-term answer. Set any fixed seat at about 17 to 19 inches, put a grab bar beside it and the controls within reach, and the shower will keep working as needs change.