How to Repair a Washcloth Bar in Fiberglass Shower

How to repair a fiberglass shower bar. 

We planned a trip to our vacation rental condo in North Carolina to install new floors in both bathrooms. But when we arrived we discovered an unexpected project to add to our list. We were surprised to find that the washcloth bar (or grab bar) in the main bathroom was loose.

Washcloth bar with missing bushings. Not safe!

And the bar in the second bathroom shower was completly missing! I just cannot imagine what happened.

Missing bar in fiberglass shower.

This became an important project to complete because ill-fitting or missing shower bars can be a safety issue as well as allowing water to drip behind the shower.

Loose shower bars are dangerous.

This isn't a project I would normally write about, but I thought it might be helpful to someone else facing a similar situation. It didn't seem to be a difficult project at first glance, but we ran into problems researching how to DIY the repair mainly because we didn't know the correct terminology to search for. 

Initially I researched repairing a grab bar. But technically a shower grab bar is mounted with screws into a shower. So my search results were not helpful. So after a number a various searches, I found instead that the term "washcloth bar" provided the best results. 

Definition of "bushing".

The next step was to determine how to anchor the bar into the holes of the fiberglass shower. I won't bore you with the various searches I tried (i.e. things that hold shower bar in place, anchors, grommets, etc), but after a very long time, I learned the term for the part I needed is "bushings". A bushing is a lining for a cylindrical opening to serve as a guide or anchor for the tube (in this case a shower bar).

Unfortunately neither the big box nor local hardware stores carried bushings that I needed. Luckily I was able to find them HERE on Amazon (affiliate link to the actual product I purchased). I kept my fingers crossed that there wouldn't be any hiccups in the delivery process as we were only at the condo for a limited period. My good luck continued and the delivery arrived before our scheduled departure date.

Replacement bushings for fiberglass shower bar.

My husband opened the access panel to the second shower and was able to locate the missing bar behind the shower. The previously drilled holes in the fiberglass were slightly smaller than the replacement bushings, so he used a metal rasp to slightly widen the holes (we had limited tools with us).

Next he slid two bushings on each bar, slid the bars into the holes and then pushed the bushings into the holes until they snapped into place. I may have oversimplified and made this part sound easy-peasy, so I should add it took a bit of manipulation and brute force to get everything into place. But it all came together and at last it was a good snug fit! My husband finished the project with a small bead of waterproof caulk around the bushings to prevent any water from seeping behind the bushings.

Washcloth bar in fiberglass shower repaired.

Below is a close up photo of the new bushing installed on the shower bar.

New bushing on washcloth bar.

The bars are once again very snug and secure. But the one question I cannot answer is WHY the bushings were missing in the first place. And not only from one shower, but from both showers! What on earth were the renters doing? We will never know the answer to that question!

Fiberglass shower bar parts definition.

Renters damaged shower bar.