Tips On Installing A New Bathroom Towel Rack
Installing bathroom towel racks are quite a simple process. However, keep in mind that wet towels will hang from these racks, so they must be installed to support the weight. Since the weight of a wet towel (also including hand washers and bathers) can be some what weighted down, it’s always important to hang one side of the towel rack on a stud, not just the drywall. This is probably the single most important part of installing your towel rack. If it’s ignored, there’s a good chance the rack ends up falling out, leaving a hole in your wall! This guide will share all you need to know when you’re installing your own bathroom towel rack.
The first part of the process is finding the right spot for the rack to hang. A common mistake is to set the rack up in an inconvenient place, which allows for things in the bathroom to interfere. An example of this problem would be placing the rack behind a door. I always suggest placing the towel rack within an arms reach away from the shower or bath, so a towel can easily be reached when you’re ready to exit the shower.
Another problem that often occurs is placing the rack in a spot that will get wet from dripping water. This will eventually damage the rack and cause the rack to collapse, leaving a hole in the wall. Once you’ve confirmed a convenient location, you’ll need to find a stud in the wall with your stud finder. Once you locate a stud, this is the spot that one side of the rack will hang on.
After choosing the location, it’s time to choose the height. The height will vary based on your preference and the people that will use it most. If you plan on hanging the rack in a bathroom that the children will use, you may want to consider hanging the towel rack on the lower side. You can also hang it at a normal height, but be sure they have a stepstool to reach the towels when needed.
Once you’ve concluded a final height, jot down a mark on the wall with a pencil. Now hold the towel rack over the mark and hold the other end in a straight line where the rack will eventually be placed. Be sure you have a leveler on hand to make sure the rack is level. Once again, make a note of each side of the rack and the screw holes.
You’ll need a drill for the next part to drill the holes into the wall. Continue by drilling screw holes on the marked spots on the wall. The holes on the sheetrock side should be larger to accommodate anchors for extra support. Only the weaker side will need the anchors and to measure the appropriate size of the hole, simply hold up an anchor to measure.
Once you have those holes in place, place the anchors on the weaker side. The anchor will have a wider side and this side should be facing out. At this point, you’ll be able to put the towel rack in its desired position and screw in both sides.
Before completion, it’s always best to test the towel rack. Make sure it can hold the towels and feels firmly placed in the wall. If it feels secure, your towel rack should be good to go!
This writer is a handyman and enjoys remodeling bathrooms. He’s originally from the Mid-West where an electric towel warmer is a must during the cold winter days. He’s also capable of installing hydronic towel warmers, which requires plumbing work. More can be found at his site, electrictowelwarmer.org.
