How to Install Toilet Safety Rails

Do you need to install toilet safety rails?

You are not alone. Toilet safety rails are one the more common pieces of medical equipment that I see in people’s homes, so obviously, there are a lot of questions about how to install them properly.

You can get toilet safety rails just about anywhere. You can get them at Walmart, Amazon, Walgreens, Rite Aid and any other location where medical equipment is sold. The one I am going to show you how to install is a Drive medical toilet safety rails.

If you prefer videos, I have a video of how to install toilet safety rails on YouTube below. Be sure to check out the rest of my videos on how to install home-based medical equipment.

But if you prefer written instructions, no problem! Let’s get started.

How to Install a Toilet Safety Rails – Tools

Phillips head screw driver

How to Install Toilet Safety Rails – Steps

Step 1: Assemble toilet safety rails

Step 2: Remove toilet seat

Step 3: Install mounting bracket and safety rails on toilet

Step 4: Install toilet seat over safety rails and bolt in place

Please note: Before we begin, please make sure you follow all the instructions and warnings provided by the manufacturer. The steps below are only to provide guidance with installing or assembling equipment, but you should always follow the warnings and instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Step 1: Assemble Toilet Safety Rails

With your toilet safety rail kit, you’re going to get the mounting bracket (see photo below), which is the part that mounts to the back of the toilet. It’s going to have holes for the bolts of your toilet seat, as well as these holes on the back for the actual rail system to mount to.

Mounting bracket for toilet safety rails

You’re also going to get two rails.

Two Safety Rails or Legs for Toilet Safety Rails — Two safety rails

The toilet safety rails have adjustable leg height, which is really important, because you’re going to have different height toilets that you’re working with. You’re going to have the arm rest piece, and then you’re going to have a back piece that actually mounts to your mounting bracket.

The arm rest pieces will mount into the two ends of the toilet mount bracket using click button assembly. They have different holes for different positioning, depending on your space and depending on your personal size.

Attach toilet safety rails to mounting bracket — Installing arm rests into mounting bracket with push-pin attachment.

Step 2: Removing the toilet seat

Now, we have to remove our toilet seat. The bolts on the back of the toilet seat will need to be removed by loosening the nuts underneath and lifting off of the toilet bowl.

My video below for more details about removing and replacing a toilet seat to accommodate after-market medical equipment.

Step 3: Install mounting bracket and toilet safety rails on toilet

So we’re going to place the mounting bracket over the bolt holes on the back of the toilet bowl. It should line up pretty close.

Line up the mounting bracket with toilet seat bolt holes — Line up the mounting bracket with the bolt holes on the back of the toilet

From here, we want to look at the leg height of the mounting bracket a little bit. This one’s been set to match roughly the height of my toilet. This toilet is a lower toilet. If you have a taller toilet, you may have to adjust these legs so that they’re a little bit longer. These ones for a lower toilet are right at the third from the bottom hole, so almost to the very lowest setting.

Set the leg or rail height of toilet safety rails — Adjusting leg height to meet proper height of toilet.

Step 4: Install the toilet seat over the toilet safety rails

Set the toilet seat back over the top of the mounting bracket, lining all our holes up, and drop our toilet seat bolts back in. Tighten down using nuts and screw driver. Replace flaps over the bolts and test the seat for stability.