How to Fit a Towel Rail

When it comes to your bathroom, sometimes it’s the little things that count. While there’s no doubt that a great bath or shower can make your day, having a warm towel to hand is the icing on the cake.

Ensuring that your towel rail is sturdily fitted in a convenient place is a key factor that contributes to the ideal bathroom experience. Our guide will walk you through the considerations and steps to take when fitting a towel rail in your bathroom.

Preparation

Before securing a towel rail, there are a few important things to keep in mind. When deciding where you are going to fit the rail, it is essential to choose a place that is both convenient and suitable in terms of stability and support. While the rail itself might be rather light, remember that the wall will have to support the weight of wet towels as well as the demand of grabbing hands.

Whenever possible, find the studs in the area where you want to hang your rail – a stud is part of the internal framing that the plaster of a wall is attached to. To ensure optimum reinforcement, try to plan so the ends of the rail line up with studs. If your installation kit comes with wall plugs, they should provide adequate support, but it is always advisable to use a stud when you can.

Avoid securing your rail near power sockets or light switches. Consider height as well – your towels should be able to hang without touching the floor while also situated for easy access (usually about 115-130 cm off the ground).

Materials

In addition to the fittings provided with your towel rail, you’ll need:

• Spirit level
• Measuring tape
• Drill
• Pencil
• Screwdriver
• Allen key (depending on the type of rail)
• Hammer

How to fit a towel rail

1. Positioning the rail

While considering the location of studs, electric sockets and light switches, decide where you want to hang your towel rail. Make sure it is at a suitable height and in a convenient location, so you can grab your towels easily when you get out of the shower or tub!

Once you have determined the ideal spot, use your spirit level and mark the wall with a straight line, as well as the point where each end of your rail meets the wall. You might need an extra pair of hands to hold the rail while you do this. Double check the length with your measuring tape.

2. Mark the location for the fittings

Line up the wall fitting with your markings at one end. Use your spirit level to make sure the bracket is even. Once you are sure it is level, mark the location of the drill holes with your pencil.

Repeat the same process at the other end to mark the location of the second wall fitting. Again, use your spirit level to ensure that the bracket is even before making your markings.

3. Secure the fittings

Once you are sure that your markings are level and the distance between the brackets is correct, drill the holes into the wall. Ensure that you are using the same sized drill bit as that specified in the manual.

If your installation kit included them, insert the wall plugs into the holes, using your hammer if necessary to make sure they are even with the wall. Screw the fittings into place with your screwdriver, again checking that they are level.

4. Attach the rail to the wall fittings

Depending on the style of your towel rail, this process will vary. Some rails simply slide into place over the brackets, others will need to be secured with a screwdriver or Allen key.

If this is the case, you should be able to fit the rail yourself but it might be easier to enlist someone to hold the rail in place as you tighten the final fittings into place.