Converting Vanity Applications to Meet ADA Compliance Standards
Living with a disability can certainly be challenging. Advancements to quality of life for those with disabilities are increasing rapidly, however there is much room for improvement.
One major obstacle is functioning in everyday life while being bound to a wheelchair. Stairs, showers, sinks, mirrors, and cars are just some of the things that have to be considered. There are many ADA requirements that must be followed for businesses and public spaces, but homes are not always equipped to meet those regulations. In a situation where your current home layout does not accommodate you or a family member’s needs, you might want to look into converting things instead of replacing them.
The bathroom in the image above should accommodate someone in a wheelchair for the most part, but the sink vanity is a problem. Based on ADA Requirements for Wheelchairs, the vanity above is incompatible for the optimal leg clearance needed. You could rip out the entire vanity/cabinet/sink/support and replace it with a standard ADA setup, but that’s not exactly necessary.
By simply removing the cabinet and replacing it with an ADA compliant cabinet, you can keep most of the original layout and aesthetic. Whatever support is currently used for the cabinet might not meet ADA standards, so you may need to replace that as well. Luckily for you, we offer two support brackets that can be installed post-fascia to meet those ADA requirements. Meaning you won’t even have to tear into the wall to install a heavy duty cabinet support.
First is our ADA Universal Floating Vanity Bracket. As its name suggests, this support was made specifically to meet the ADA requirements for vanities. This bracket has a carry capacity of 500 pounds.
Our newest support that also fits the bill is the Versa Bracket. Designed to be used in a variety of applications and configurations, the Versa is a solid choice for converting to an ADA vanity. This bracket comes in two sizes with carry capacity ranging from 200-500 pounds.
Both of these brackets come in a black powder coat finish, and are reversible to make the left- and right-side bracket.
Using the Versa Bracket will allow for a fully open leg area, similar to the image below.
The ADA Universal Floating Vanity Bracket will create an angled front wall for an apron to be installed on, like the following image.
Whether you’re installing a new vanity or converting one to accommodate for wheelchair accessibility, consider Federal Brace’s support bracket options. For additional information concerning our ADA Compliant Brackets, don’t hesitate to contact us at support@federalbrace.com.
