# Hanging towel rail without stud



## peter1 (Feb 28, 2007)

A friend who lives in a high rise apartment asked help to install a curtain rail, so I showed up with my hammer drill and masonry bits thinking that how hard can it be. When I got there I discovered that the wall is actually hollow, feels like plasterboard. Isn't high rise building made of concrete and rebar?

Anyway, as far as the knock test can tell, there's no stud behind the ideal hanging location, so I'm thinking to use toggle or expansion bolts for the job. Is there other alternatives for situations like this?


----------



## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Get some 1/8" x 3" toggles from the hardware. The "wings" on them will fit through a small enough hole that the bases of the bars will cover them. This is much stronger than moly screws. Immediately upon opening the box, throw away the little palstic anchors they will have in the hardware bag , these are nothing but a gauranteed repair in a few months or less.


----------



## NateHanson (Apr 15, 2007)

I find the expanding metal anchors easier to use. Also, after installed, you can remove the screw and reinstall it. Can't do that with a toggle.


----------



## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

NateHanson said:


> I find the expanding metal anchors easier to use. Also, after installed, you can remove the screw and reinstall it. Can't do that with a toggle.


Are you talking about moly screws? I personally only use them as a last resort for anything. The little prongs that are suppossed to hold them from spinning while you mushroom the back out, don't hold far too often for me, and you end up with this half expanded thing spinning in the wall. I also see way too many towel bars and tissue paper holders hung with them just dangling from the wall loosley in a year or so.

True, you can remove the screw, but why would you need to do so if mounting towel bars, and tissue holders.


----------



## rk_king2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

You can use plastic anchors too, they work very well.
___________________
home decorating ideas


----------



## diy mike (Mar 8, 2008)

I second the plastic anchors. Cheap, easy, and effective.


----------



## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

I generally get called to reattach toilet paper holders and towel bars onto drywall because people tend to lean on them or use them as an assist. I prefer to use a 2" toggle, especially where the drywall has been damaged a bit. The span of the toggle helps to distribute the load onto solid drywall around the now-enlarged and crushed original holes.

When I'm installing new towel bars and racks, I will generally use at least one 2" toggle on each support but to keep the size of the mounting holes in the wall manageable and to preserve the integrity of the drywall as much as is possible, I'll complement the toggle bolt with a special ribbed plastic anchor from Cobra. Here's a link to what I'm referring to: 

http://toolmonger.com/2007/08/29/plastic-anchors-with-a-difference/

Always, always, always drill the hole into the drywall for any plastic anchor. Do not use a scratch awl or nail or phillips screwdriver to poke a hole or enlargen it! It compromises the integrity of the drywall at the hole and defeats the holding power of the plastic anchor. Use the correct size drill bit for the anchor chosen. The difference in holding power will amaze you.


----------



## terri_and_jj (Feb 24, 2008)

there is a new product out called a Wall Dawg, and they work great. it basically just a real course screw but they really hold nice. no predrilling needed, just put fixture up and insert screw through hole and turn into drywall, like you wood a draywall screw. a friend turned me on to them a couple years ago and i use them all the time, very happy so far

there is also a product called a zip it, or easy anchor,k that comes in plastic or metal. you use a phillips head screw driver, ind screw these in first, then screw the screw into the anchor that's in the drywall. these also work very well, and can easily removed, and if you ever decide to remove what you hung up, you simply turn the anchor out with a screwdriver OR better yet, turn the anchor in a little deeper, so it sits below the surface, and just spackle right over top of the anchor, much easier

You can get either of these pretty much anywhere. i have seen them in hardware stores, Depot, walmart, etc









Wall Dawg









Zip-it or EZ Anchor


----------



## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

diy mike said:


> I second the plastic anchors. Cheap, easy, and effective.


Until someone yanks the first towel off, or uses it for a grab bar. Both are gauranteed to happen.:yes:


----------



## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

terri_and_jj said:


> there is a new product out called a Wall Dawg, and they work great. it basically just a real course screw but they really hold nice. no predrilling needed, just put fixture up and insert screw through hole and turn into drywall, like you wood a draywall screw. a friend turned me on to them a couple years ago and i use them all the time, very happy so far
> 
> there is also a product called a zip it, or easy anchor,k that comes in plastic or metal. you use a phillips head screw driver, ind screw these in first, then screw the screw into the anchor that's in the drywall. these also work very well, and can easily removed, and if you ever decide to remove what you hung up, you simply turn the anchor out with a screwdriver OR better yet, turn the anchor in a little deeper, so it sits below the surface, and just spackle right over top of the anchor, much easier
> 
> ...


I have used both, and while certainly a big improvement over a plastic anchor, they also eventually pull out of the wall.


----------



## terri_and_jj (Feb 24, 2008)

there is a great product called the snaptoggle. it's a solid "togglewing" with plastic straps and a flange. for most screw sizes you drill a smaller hole than a regular toggle, and because the wing is solid instead of hinged, it will hold a lot more. nice thing is set the anchor, then put the screw in , no need to pull back as you tuen the screw, also you CAN remove the screw without losing the wing. www.toggler.com


----------



## End Grain (Nov 17, 2007)

terri_and_jj said:


> there is a great product called the snaptoggle. it's a solid "togglewing" with plastic straps and a flange. for most screw sizes you drill a smaller hole than a regular toggle, and because the wing is solid instead of hinged, it will hold a lot more. nice thing is set the anchor, then put the screw in , no need to pull back as you tuen the screw, also you CAN remove the screw without losing the wing. www.toggler.com


Several years back, I bought a package of assorted plastic Toggler brand anchors and four of those "togglewing" anchors were included in the pack. Never paid much attention to them and so I never used them. I'll have look around to see if I still have them somewhere and try them out next time I have a situation that warrants using one.

Thanks for jogging my memory *terri_and_jj*.


----------

