# Removing towel rack from tile



## Cossack (Jul 23, 2006)

In my shower there are two ceramic towel rod holders stuck to the tile. For a bath this is fine, but if one wants to take a shower it gets in the way of elbows. I tried to remove the towel rack by heating it using a propane torch for sweating pipes but it did nothing. 

Is there a way to get this off without destroying the tile underneath? Thanks in advance for all answers.


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## ponch37300 (Nov 27, 2007)

Is there by any chance a really small set screw on the bottom of the holder that attach's to the wall? Every towel rack that i have seen has a very small set screw on the bottom of the rack right by the wall.


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## Cossack (Jul 23, 2006)

I will double check, but I looked all over the towel rack holder as I applied the torch and I did not see any such thing. My house was built in 1863, so I don't know when this was installed.


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## ponch37300 (Nov 27, 2007)

If you could post a couple of pictures that would help see what kind of towel rack you are dealing with.


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## buletbob (May 9, 2008)

is the towel rack ceramic?? if so then the whole assembly sounds as tho it is set in mud. then the only way to remove it would be to grind it off with a diamond blade. then chipping the remainder of that tile out, then you will have to try and match the tile. more then likely the whole tile job was mud set.
BOB

P.S your saying 1863 or did you mean 1963?


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## wrangler (Oct 9, 2008)

I often have to remove these and just use a hammer to break the holders (BE SURE TO USE GLOVES AND PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR!) Be careful to not hit the adjacent tiles. After you have the majority of it broken off, use an old chisel to remove the remaining chunks that are set into the mud. Depending on the style these are often set using a half tile to fill a 'whole' tile space, or even centered on a grout line with a half tile to either side of it. These will have to be removed as well. Then you can replace with a complimentary color or a decorative tile as it will probably be impossibly to match your current tile.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Put something in/on the tub surface to protect it too when you go to knocking chunks of ceramic out....


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