# Towel Bar Issue



## Boogie560 (Jan 3, 2019)

Good evening everyone and Happy New Year to you all. I am a novice at this so please bare with me. I'm trying to figure out how the contractor installed this towel bar? It's not staying sturdy and it is drooping when we put the towels on it. It looks like silicone caulk but I'm not sure which is obviously why I'm here. My girlfriend tasks me with the job of getting it fixed. I can either call a contractor to reinstall or I can "DO IT MYSELF"! Which is what I'm opting to do. So my question is what is this plastic stuff that you see in the pictures? Is that, in fact, the silicone caulk that I mentioned earlier. Now, in theory, I can just slip the bar right over these plastic stubs that are protruding out of the wall. Unfortunately, however, (and as mentioned before) the bar moves. There is some noticeable give that wasn't there before. So my question is simple - How do I fix it? Can someone walk me through the steps to correct this issue? I appreciate all comments and answers in advance. Thank you all very much.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

The round chrome pieces that go to the wall, do they have little screws, the screws should be at the bottom.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

The "plastic stuff" looks like caulking of some sort, either to seal it (for some reason) or a previous attempt to stabilize the bracket. As mentioned, there should be a set screw on the bottom side of the chrome bracket that tightens the brackets to the plastic piece. Most are metal - I can't say I've seen a plastic mounting bracket before.


Is the plastic bracket firm against the wall? Is the screw tight? If not, the original installer might have over-drilled the pilot hole or the screw is not biting into anything - like a stud.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

lenaitch said:


> Most are metal - I can't say I've seen a plastic mounting bracket before.


 
That's two of us. Never seen a plastic bracket. And that does not even look like a good bracket --- its rounded --- how does the other half grip tight on a round bracket? 

One screw at the bottom of the plastic bracket is going to have a real hard time holding the bracket to the wall -- that probably is silicone trying to hold the bracket to the wall. - Edit -- if you zoom in to the first photo, looks like a Phillips head at the top of the bracket, but does not look like a screw, maybe just molded into the plastic

Judging by location of light switch, its unlikely the brackets are screwed into studs, but contractor may have put blocking there in anticipation of the towel bar.


.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

I would like to see the inside of the metal part.
How come the wall part looks like it has had a square over it?


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## FrodoOne (Mar 4, 2016)

Boogie560 said:


> my question is what is this plastic stuff that you see in the pictures? Is that, in fact, the silicone caulk that I mentioned earlier. Now, in theory, I can just slip the bar right over these plastic stubs that are protruding out of the wall. Unfortunately, however, (and as mentioned before) the bar moves. There is some noticeable give that wasn't there before. So my question is simple - How do I fix it?


How many "Towel Bars" are involved?
The position of the "mounts" in picture 2 does not equate with the (90 degree rotated) picture of the installed "Towel Bar" in picture 4 - and there seems to be other anomalies between the photos supplied!

(All these photos seem to be rotated through 90 degrees.)


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

SPS-1 said:


> That's two of us. Never seen a plastic bracket. And that does not even look like a good bracket --- its rounded --- how does the other half grip tight on a round bracket?
> 
> One screw at the bottom of the plastic bracket is going to have a real hard time holding the bracket to the wall -- that probably is silicone trying to hold the bracket to the wall. - Edit -- *if you zoom in to the first photo, looks like a Phillips head at the top of the bracket, but does not look like a screw, maybe just molded into the plastic*
> 
> ...



Good point. When I zoom in, it actually looks like a hollow wall plug, either inserted or integral with the bracket. Maybe they forgot the screw!


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Good points Fro and others. The caulk line (or whatever it is) is rectangular - the pictured bar is rounded. Unless they were trying the stabilize the bracket. On closer look, Frodo raises a good point. The close shots show brackets on the grout line; the wider shot shows otherwise.


I'm confused.


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## Boogie560 (Jan 3, 2019)

Hey guys, so my naivete has crept in I, unfortunately, made the mistake of saying that this piece is associated with a towel bar when in all actuality it is associated with a glass shelf seen here in the photos. The unit on the coach is the actual bar that keeps leaning. Those screws were the original screws that were in at the time I dismantled it. So now my question becomes what should I do to reinstall this back on the wall and make it stay sturdy and strong like you see the shelf in my other bathroom. Thank you guys and Happy New year to you all.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

I'm totally lost.


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## FrodoOne (Mar 4, 2016)

SPS-1 said:


> I'm totally lost.


As am I.

Are the "fixings" solidly screwed to the wall (in whatever manner) and 
the bar/rack/shelf (or whatever) is still loose on them
or
are the "fixings" loose on the wall?


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