How to Fix a loose towel bar — forever!
Strong, simple wall anchors are the permanent solution
The little plastic drywall anchors that come with most towel bars are wimpy and guaranteed to fail sooner or later. But replacing them with strong anchors is easy. The process for towel rings, hooks and toilet paper holders is identical to the steps shown here.
1. Remove the bar and posts
Loosen the setscrew to remove the post. Some setscrews require an Allen wrench, others a tiny screwdriver. With the post off, try tightening the screws in the mounting plate. If that doesn’t secure the plate solidly, remove the screws and plate. If one of the posts is solid, just leave it alone. Chances are it’s screwed to a stud.
2. Install new anchors
Chances are, you’ll find two plastic tube-type anchors under the mounting plate. Simply poke them with a screwdriver and let them fall inside the wall. There are several more reliable types of anchors for drywall. The screw-in toggle anchors shown here are strong, easy to install and available at home centers. Just drive them into the old anchor holes with a drill or screwdriver.
3. Refasten the mounting plate
Hold the mounting plate in place and drive in the screws that came with the anchors. Reattach the posts and bar and you’re done.