Everything You Need to Know About Towel Bars and Racks

Written by: Prolific And Fast

At first glance, buying a towel bar and towel rack seems like a very basic purchase that doesn't involve a lot of significant choices.

If you start shopping with that assumption in mind, though, you'll quickly discover how wrong you are. There's plenty to consider when you go to buy this combination, and if you aren't aware of the issues that are involved it's easy to get overwhelmed.

Moreover, these decisions are more important than you think. The towel bar and rack you buy has to fit in with your bathroom decor, and the combination has to be usable as well. There are issues when it comes to setup and installation, so you need to be aware of those, too.

What follows is a breakdown of everything you need to know, along with some recommendations and specific instructions about what to look for when it comes to installation. This will prepare you thoroughly when you go to shop, and you'll be able to get the towel bar and towel rack that's right for you.

Why Size Matters

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Once again, the process of getting the right size towel bar and rack for your bathroom may seem basic, but you need to get the details right, too.

That means buying a towel bar that's long enough to match up with your towels and handle your needs, and it has to have sufficient weight capacity as well.

Keep in mind that the towel bar will get pulled and yanked on occasionally, mostly by accident, presumably, but it needs to be strong enough to handle that stress.

When you start shopping, you'll quickly discover that there are three basic lengths for towel bars-18, 24 and 30 inches. The first two sizes are usually used in smaller bathroom spaces as well as standard ones, with larger bathrooms normally consisting of 40 square feet.

Most standard bath towels are 27-30 inches wide, and when you fold these in half, they'll fit on either one of these smaller sizes. For larger bathroom spaces, a 30-inch towel bar will hold an unfolded towel and give you some extra room as well.

A towel bar this size will also hold two towels side by side if they're both folded length-wise, which will give you more flexibility and design options when you go to choose your towels.

You can also go with double- or multi-bar designs if you need even more flexibility, as these will hold even more towels without taking up any extra space.

The Installation Question

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When it comes to installation, there are several choices. The installation process is simple for each one, but regardless of the installation technique they will have an impact on the overall style of your bathroom.

The first installation type is wall-mounted. Racks that need to be installed on the wall do require an electric drill, though, and you may need to anchor them if there's no stud where you intend to place them.

Freestanding towel bars sit on the ground, so obviously there's no installation involved, but you may have to assemble them. They're a good choice in larger bath rooms where there's enough floor space to accommodate them comfortably.

If you don't want to deal with installation or assembly, you can always get an adhesive towel bar. They're considered ideal for renters who don't want to mark walls or do permanent damage, and to avoid that they usually come with an adhesive strip that will stick to drywall or tile.

Finally, there's over-the-door towel bars. Once again, they don't require installation, and because they can be huge over the bathroom or shower door they save space and don't leave marks or do any kind of damage.

Materials and Aesthetics

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For towel bars, materials and aesthetics often go hand in hand.Chrome will give you a great look and a better finish, but be prepared to clean it thoroughly and often.

Brushed nickel will give you a similar kind of high end look, but if you get it with a matte finish it will solve your maintenance and cleaning problem.

Polished brass is something of a thing these days, especially if you get it with a vintage look. It meets any low-maintenance requirements you may have. but it will usually be more expensive than the other finishes we've just described.

Oil-rubbed bronze is also expensive, but it offers similar advantages. These include a traditional look, along with the ability to provide a visual contrast in the right design. 

Also, it won't show water staining or fingerprints, which is an advantage if your bathroom undergoes a lot of heavy use. Finally, there's matte black. It's popular in bathrooms sporting a minimalist look, and it resists stains, plus it's easy to maintain.

Weight Capacity

This is a feature most people tend to overlook, and with good reason. They're only designed to hold a couple of towels at most, but if you've got someone older in your household who doesn't have great balance, you should consider a grab bar if you can find something that fits your bathroom decor.

Towel bars that are wall mounted using studs or anchors will hold more weight than those that don't but they're still not designed for that particular task, so consider your needs carefully in this particular category.

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Some Final Shopping Notes

When you start to shop, make sure you pay attention to the details. Many towel bars and racks come as a set, so if focus on the rack and get what you want, that will simplify things for you.

Some towel bars may extend too far form the wall, while others might not be sturdy enough to hold multiple towels if that happens to be an important need for you.

You can also get innovative products like swivel bars, but make sure the arms are large enough to hold bath towels. And be sure to check the reviews about installation; if the kits are flimsy or the directions are unclear, you need to know about that going in, as this will allow you to sub in your own parts or steer clear of a particular product completely.

[Here's the piece...there wasn't much to work off in the original, so I wrote this as a buyer's guide for towel bars, with a note about racks at the end, there wasn't much information on those, either. I addressed all the relevant issues, included some information and precautions about the installation issues that were mentioned in the original. Please let me know if you need anything else.]