How to Install a Towel Rail and Bathroom Accessories

The Challenge With Bathroom Fittings

Bathroom walls present unique challenges. You are often dealing with tiles over plasterboard, hidden pipes and wiring, and accessories that need to hold a surprising amount of weight when loaded with wet towels. Getting the fixings right is essential to avoid cracked tiles, pulled-out fittings and water damage.

Before You Drill

Check for Pipes and Cables

Before drilling any hole in a bathroom wall, use a pipe and cable detector. Bathrooms have water pipes and electrical cables running behind walls in unpredictable places. Hitting a water pipe means an emergency call to a plumber. Hitting a cable is dangerous.

Identify the Wall Type

Feel and tap the wall to determine what is behind the tiles:

• Solid wall (brick or block) — sounds solid when tapped, gives no flex
• Plasterboard on studs — sounds hollow when tapped, may flex slightly under pressure
• Plasterboard on battens over brick — hollow sound but a solid surface behind

The wall type determines which fixings you need.

Drilling Through Tiles

Cracking a tile is the most common mistake when fitting bathroom accessories. Follow these steps to drill cleanly:

1. Mark the drilling position with a felt-tip pen or masking tape cross
2. Use a tile drill bit (spear-point carbide) for the tile layer
3. Start drilling slowly with no hammer action — let the bit do the work
4. Once through the tile, switch to the appropriate bit for the wall behind (masonry for brick, wood for studs)
5. Insert wall plugs and screw in the fixings

Tip: Place masking tape over the drilling point to prevent the drill bit wandering on the smooth tile surface.

Fixing Methods by Wall Type

Solid Brick or Block

The strongest and most straightforward. Use standard wall plugs and screws. A 6mm wall plug with a 4-5mm screw is sufficient for most bathroom accessories.

Plasterboard

Plasterboard alone cannot support heavy items. Options include:

• Toggle bolts — spread the load behind the plasterboard, good for towel rails
• Spring toggles — work similarly but are easier to fit
• Screw into studs — the strongest option if a stud aligns with your fixing point
• Plasterboard fixings (heavy-duty) — rated for specific weight limits

For heavy items like large mirrors or heated towel rails, always try to fix into studs or the solid wall behind.

Tiled Plasterboard

The most challenging combination. You need to drill through the tile without cracking it, then use appropriate plasterboard fixings behind. If the accessory will bear significant weight, locate the timber studs first.

Common Bathroom Accessories

Towel Rails and Rings

Most towel rails have two or three mounting points. Ensure they are level using a spirit level. Allow enough space from the wall for towels to hang freely — typically 80-100mm standoff.

Toilet Roll Holders

Position at a comfortable reaching height, roughly 60-70cm from the floor. Check there is no pipework behind the chosen location.

Mirrors

Bathroom mirrors can be surprisingly heavy. Use fixings rated for the weight and add a safety chain as backup for large mirrors. Consider mirror adhesive for lightweight mirrors on flat, tiled surfaces.

Shower Shelves and Caddies

Suction-mounted shelves avoid drilling entirely but are less reliable. For a permanent solution, drill-mounted corner shelves or recessed niches are far more practical.

Professional Bathroom Fitting in South London

If you would rather avoid the risk of cracked tiles and pulled-out fixings, our handyman team installs all types of bathroom accessories. We also handle larger bathroom projects through our plumbing and kitchen fitting services, covering everything from accessory fitting to full bathroom renovations across Clapham, Fulham, Battersea and all South London areas.