Something I should mention. Part of the reason I used toggle bolts is because the hole were already blown out from someone using typical anchors. Toggle bolts are a great last option before opening the wall and adding wood backing. There may be better anchors to use for brand new drywall. Have a quick read through the comments to find out what some other options are. Thanks for watching!!!!
I love these things - Reliable 'Wall-Arrows' (was gonna add link but of course - RUclips).. First found in the UK and only occasionally found in Canada, they are quick and easy to install accurately with just a hammer and can hold a ton.. I had 36" high Ikea wall cabinets with glass doors and full of glass & crockery hanging on two of them..
As always nice to have blocking behind the wall. I much prefer wood over the banding you sometimes find in commercial buildings, but its still better than nothing.
Have heard of the GeeFix product. It got some great reviews (ruclips.net/video/aeFyQS2NGVM/видео.html). Not cheap and Amazon seems to be the only source in Canada
I always cover the studs in a bathroom with 3/8" plywood or OSB first, then the drywall. That way there's wood everywhere, and you can fasten anything anywhere. I did the same thing in my shop, and in a commercial kitchen. It's really worth the extra cost, believe me.
Plywood's getting expensive and that seems like overkill. As a builder I would never consider that. Just use random scraps of 2x6 or 2x8 in between the studs as the OP mentions. Also make sure whenever possible to install things that are 16 inches on center.
I had to remodel our hall bath; water damaged. Before I hung the sheetrock, I did exactly what you mentioned. I surrounded the room with 2 levels of 2X6 for hanging "things". Worked out great!
Did a similar thing for a basement finish we did in our house during 2020. My work-from-home computer office is in the basement. I have 3 monitors. Mounting them to the walls frees up a lot of desk real estate. But I didn't know for sure exactly how high they would be. Plus in the future, I will probably get different sized monitors. I put two rows of 2x10s horizontally across the wall behind my desk, so I'm good for pretty much anything that ever comes up.
Funny. My wife ripped the towel rack off the wall twice. After getting annoyed, I went to Home Depot and took a good look decided on toggle bolts. Two weeks late I find you made a video. Nice job! Worked great.
Ben, your videos are always so helpful and this one was especially interesting because I will be installing a towel rack and toilet paper holder in a mobile home for a client of mine and toggle bolts should be perfect. Thanks!
Another option which I use in a lot of rental properties is making a decorative backing plate. Just a piece of 3/4” pine cut a little larger than the towel bar. Route the edges and round the corners or whatever you want to do. Paint it white (that’s usually what I do because it matches trim/doors). Then screw and glue it to the wall making sure to hit studs (doesn’t matter if it’s off-centered, you should easily be able to hit 2 studs even if the first one is only an inch or so from one side of the decorative mounting plate). Now you have something solid to screw the towel bar to. No pics handy but if what I said wasn’t clear I’ll grab a pic and add it in here.
We can get them in the great white north also. One small problem I've run into is if the wall is framed with shallow studs, there is sometimes not enough space for the zip toggle to go in all the way and turn. In that situation I take an angle grinder with a cut-off blade and nip off a quarter inch at a time until it can turn. For light stuff like towel bars, I tend to use an expansion molly, especially since I acquired a 'setting tool" that makes putting them in and setting them almost foolproof.
100% prefer zip toggles over these metal ones he has. We've used hundreds of these, specifically the Toggler SnapToggle, to hang loads of TV's, shelves, racks, etc. Also, a benefit is in commercial buildings, you can use them with metal studs as well for even more holding power than drywall alone (or to be able to use less fasteners total)
This was a well timed video. I was planning to hang a towel rack just outside my shower over a floor heat register. It will double as a towel warmer and towel dryer.
Love ur videos!! They make a smaller, plastic drywall anchor that acts the same, probably less weight capacity but also much smaller! I have been using them on my paneling successfully. Thanks for all the great content, your neighbor in YT!
Hello, just wanted to say thank you with all your drywall advice and videos. Always hated mud work. But thanks to you I'm alot better at it now. And the tape buddy is awesome.
The plastic snap one are the best ..... Smaller hole and it allows you to remove the towel bar and not lose the so called butterfly. Way better option..... Sorry Vancouver Carpenter but I still love your channel!
I have always used the higher end plastic anchors in my walls with no problems. My walls are plaster board though. I have to use a masonry bit to pre drill.
They should either a make the bolt out of stainless steel or b have biting teeth on the backside part so when it tightens it locks onto the sheet rock on the inside of the wall so you can unscrew the bolt fully and replace it with a stainless steel bolt or no rust bolt.
Full of good tips. I picture a number of bathroom walls littered with toggle ears at the bottom of voids. I’ve personally contributed a few (put the mounting plate on the bolt first). And sometimes even the flimsy plastic sleeve anchors do so much damage repositioning is necessary - or adding a wood plate on the surface. Thanks for the video.
Great video Ben! I do a ton of towel bars, TP holders and bannister repairs and always use the toggle/butterfly anchors. Newer homes almost never have these things affixed to the studs anymore. Another good video recommendation is how to anchor a tv ( so many repairs I’m doing lately the homeowners hung their TVs with just anchors, the TVs fall off the walls and then I’m called to fix it for them )
Zip toggle company claim to be able to hang TVs off their anchors. Have you ever seen a failure using them? I use them for all kinds of stuff, still wouldn't trust them for a TV mount unless it was in metal studs and I mounted through the center of each stud flange with the toggle.
An upgraded alternative to toggle bolts are snap toggles. One of the advantages is you don’t have to put the bolt through the item 1st before you put it in the wall. Also you can remove the bolt and the toggle doesn’t fall behind the wall. I’ve switched over to snap toggles years ago and never looked back.
THANK YOU! I've been telling people these are the ONLY thing to use. Nobody listens to me. They all think those screw in anchors are the best. They dont work long term. I'm ALWAYS fixing their work, but they refuse to change
Common sense for you and I. Like to add, using dis-similar fasteners is a no-no in most cases. Aluminum, brass/copper, and steel will eat each other up. Voltaire and all that. But stainless is wonderful. It not only is rust free, but it is neutral. You can use it with anything. I always keep stainless nails on my truck. Tin roof, copper roof, galvanized, aluminum? Doesnt matter the stainless fastener works.
Installed a lot of drapery rods with toggle bolts in hotels that had drywall ceilings. Many times would alternate holes with EZ anchors, and that is my suggestion: use toggle on top of towel bar bracket plate, and EZ underneath, both sides. Metal EZ anchors seem like they work best if they aren't used exclusively, and are installed correctly (don't use an impact driver; if you do put too much torque on them on install, they are much less likely to hold the rated load). Then if you do get a little play, you can snug the toggle bolt back up; this will last a long time under normal use. And! I really appreciate your Hilti dead blow hammer, mine's a Milwaukee, and doesn't work quite as well, I can only imagine.
Yeah, they're better probably. The problem I have is I work maintenance. People break, bend, and fuck up towel bars in ways you can't imagine. So I'm taking the brackets on and off regularly. Downside of toggle bolts is they're not gonna come off and go back on. You gotta use new.
Here in the UK we have hollow wall anchors and a tool that aren't as bulky as toggle bolts. Also there are "core fix" fixings that have a metal tube that bridge the cavity.
Never ever had a problem with the large plastic inserts...but then again ive never kids hangin on towel bars. Like your vids tho. Keep up the good work
The curtain tie back hooks on our big kitchen window had the screw in ones, right between two studs for the window. They were all tore out like they do, so when I fixed it, I cut the drywall out, screwed 2x4 pieces in the gap, and patched the holes. You can almost stand on those things now lol
4:50 - how to really do it. People slip in bathrooms and grab towel bars to avoid falling. That’s going to pull out a toggle bolt, and the gaping hole left behind might be the least of the injuries. If someone is doing a bathroom renovation, I’d recommend them to tear out that part of the Sheetrock, put in some 2x4 backing (as mentioned at the 4:50 part), and then patch the sheet rock. You don’t have to tear out the entire panel, just a 16” or so width between studs x 20” or less. If you’re planning to tile a bathroom wall, there is even less excuse not to install wood backing.
I prefer the plastic zip toggles. With them you can take whatever you’re working with off and put it back on without losing the toggle. They’re also a tad stronger because they don’t have a hinge to depend on.
Ok I kinda agree with you there. Although I have a better way I’ve installed a thousand towel bars as a maintenance carpenter think army barracks. The best is have backing next is buy the best fasteners. The best fasteners are the metal screw in type also pre drill the drywall before screwing them in . Thank you for your videos I’ve learned a few tricks from them.
Also you can try zip-toggle aka toggler or flip-toggle are great especially if you need to remove the bolt later. 100lb plus hold power. Only downside is the 1/2" hole you have to make for placement.
I’ve had success using Ramset togglemate. They have a larger contact area at the rear and fit tightly into the hole in the plasterboard so don’t tend to wonder around when the little monsters climb on the rail.
Have to disagree - these toggle bolts work great for items that are static (like a fluorescent light in a garage ceiling) but with things that are used constantly and have tension applied against them (like a towel bar), with time will absolutely loosen and fail. This generally happens due to the large hole (much larger than the stud size of the bolt) and wiggle movement - with time the loosen and cause a much larger hole/problem.
Have you used them? I would guess that, because the arms spread the weight over a greater surface, the wall wouldn’t break unless you really yanked hard.
@@larrygill2223 yes I've used them. Weight of the towels isn't the problem, really. It's the pulling of towels off, kids grabbing onto the bars, time. The arms spread out, yes, but they also have minimal surface area that pushes against the backside of the drywall. The way they're made is the arma are bent steel that have to fold over the bolt - which means the anchor digs into the backside. They eventually do give way. This is why loose towel bars and hand towel holders are a thing.
You’re right…done with the provided anchors and screws,the bars are really for decorative purpose. I chickened out and did it that way, so will probably have to do it this way. One video I watched, the guy used just one wing thing in the centre hole of the bracket as opposed to two.
I screwed a 1x4 across the area into the studs. Painted it the same colour as the wall. Then screwed the towel bar into that. Been five years with 0 issues
There is the bolt, and the "wing" is the nut part that springs open. For a finish head, just go to your hardware store and get the matching thread pitch in stainless, or, super pro is order exactly the head you want with the right thread pitch (and length!) from McMaster-Carr. Tacoma Screw in Washington will have them. And if you want a smaller hole, especially for the load rating of a towel bar use the smaller wing size, doesn't hold that much less weight. I am seeing people who are ZipToggle partisans, and a reminder that you center the Ziptoggle in your hole and no play like with an old-school toggle. Be careful to hit your marks precisely with Ziptoggles because the center of your hole is where your fastener is going to land.
Had a gross microwave-range fan combo to remove in the house I remodeled... The thing was held with toggle nuts through the plaster and lath walls... tried to "yoink it out", didn't work... When I tried to unscrew it, the nut just freewheeled on the other side of the wall.... I ended up Yoïnking that thing out in small pieces with a splitting maul!! The hole left to fix was a bit bigger than 2" but it was oohhh so satisfying!!!
what i find to be stupid is the towel bar i usually install has bracket spacing from 22 3/8 - 22 5/8 and framing alot of time is 24 on center. So if the bar itself was 23 1/2 in alot of house it could be installed to 2 studs instead of just 1. manufacturer must have some big saving be eliminating that inch.
Yep, many bathrooms are on outside walls with 24" spacing. There is such a disconnect between household accessories and wall spacing. I don't know why bathroom and kitchen sheet-rock doesn't already have a backer of some sort built in. i cant even recall how many products I've bought that were never 16" or 24" spacing, it's so obvious, it's like they do it on purpose, as no one could be that dumb without planning.
@@grantmackinnon1307 not many are framed though with 24" spacing What i see is 2x6 for modern houses for the r value with 16" spacing, exterior insulation as well if building for energy efficiency. All run of the mill older homes 16". Roof Trusses 24 oc
I have used self drilling fasteners, but I put a dab of gorilla glue before inserting them. The glue expands and makes a big glob behind the wall and they stay tight forever
I'm a big fan on have some backing installed during the framing. Closets on the other hand, you never know where someone wants to put a screw in. So just line the closet (3 walls) with plywood or OSB before drywall.
Those toggles have much greater "pull out" resistance, but the concern I have is there is much less vertical or sheer strength because the hole is so big and the screw is completely unsupported.
Perfect timing! My youngest had been using the toilet paper holder as a hand support and pulling the towel bar for fun. Any suggestions for bars without cover plates - do they make simply covers that your can thread in to hide the hole in the drywall? Also, any tips for walls with only 1" strapping and concrete blocks behind - our split level wall in the first floor only has strapping, not full framing, so there isn't enough space for a toggle to expand out and anchor screws don't bite into the concrete behind well. Thanks in advance for any ideas!
They do make longer concrete screws (tapcon), that will reach the brick or block in the back. Just get the right length, should embed 1-1.25 inches into the concrete.
Sometimes the easiest and best solution is to mount a nice piece of finished wood- paint or stain grade, round the corners with a router to give it a finished look. Screw that to solid framing/strapping/block wall, then simply mount your bar onto that. Obviously make the wood big enough to reach support to support, and center the bar on it. We do this at work sometimes for when people want several coat hooks in an office or classroom, and it works well and is very secure.
I'm a journeyman cabinetmaker, and do finish carpentry for a living. I've NEVER gotten those toggle bolts to work. I would use the yellow and blue plastic anchors, with the correct screw, a MILLION times over those particular toggle bolts.
Gotta keep back pressure on the toggles, while you're screwing them in. Like pull the head towards yourself. Besides that, just make sure your toggle doesn't get fucked up on its way in, and that its actually flat out behind the wall, before you start fastening it. Top two toggle tips, I can give ya devil.
Thanks for the tip. By the way, I have in my bathroom project a shelf with a wash basin over it. All have to be mounted on a ceramic tile covered drywall. Using these kind of mounts will require to drill all the way through the ceramic tile a pretty large hole, which is not ideal. Will regular anchors do the trick ? Otherwise what do you suggest ?
Depends how heavy what you are mounting is.n The cheap plastic anchors work really well when there is tile on the wall. The tile stops the drywall from blowing out.
I respectfully disagree with you on this one. That’s the worst choice you could make. First you have to drill a VERY large hole to get the butterfly through. This creates a week spot because you have to make two holes very close per bracket. And if you every have to remove the towel bar, when you unscrew the bolt the butterfly falls to the ground behind the wall. So now you’ve lost 4 behind the wall. If you decide to relocate the bar you have very large holes to patch. A very poor choice. I use those screw in plastic or aluminum threaded Farrells. They screw into the drywall and have a hole in the center to accept a screw. To remove you simply unscrew. They hold more and the hole is much easier to fill. In fact you can leave them in and just mud over. Much better. I enjoy your channel, thank you.
My 3 year old just ripped the towel bar out of our wall a couple of days ago. Whoever installed before us didn't use anything. Just screws into drywall.
Thank you! Kicking myself for not buying better anchors before install. Rushed to get the project done and used the cheap plastic ones included with the towel bar. A few months later, everything is pulling away from the wall! Oops *facepalm* #rookieDIYer
0:55 you push it through the board. Then you have to use your hand to open it and align it properly on the other side. You couldn’t do that, if it was a real wall.
Something I should mention. Part of the reason I used toggle bolts is because the hole were already blown out from someone using typical anchors. Toggle bolts are a great last option before opening the wall and adding wood backing.
There may be better anchors to use for brand new drywall. Have a quick read through the comments to find out what some other options are. Thanks for watching!!!!
I love these things - Reliable 'Wall-Arrows' (was gonna add link but of course - RUclips).. First found in the UK and only occasionally found in Canada, they are quick and easy to install accurately with just a hammer and can hold a ton.. I had 36" high Ikea wall cabinets with glass doors and full of glass & crockery hanging on two of them..
As always nice to have blocking behind the wall. I much prefer wood over the banding you sometimes find in commercial buildings, but its still better than nothing.
What about installing a metal drywall repair patch and then drilling through that?
Have heard of the GeeFix product. It got some great reviews (ruclips.net/video/aeFyQS2NGVM/видео.html). Not cheap and Amazon seems to be the only source in Canada
@@adammacer Lmao.
Toggle bolts are the best and I’m glad to see he uses the same hammer I use to tap them in.
I always cover the studs in a bathroom with 3/8" plywood or OSB first, then the drywall. That way there's wood everywhere, and you can fasten anything anywhere. I did the same thing in my shop, and in a commercial kitchen. It's really worth the extra cost, believe me.
Nice tip!
Plywood's getting expensive and that seems like overkill. As a builder I would never consider that. Just use random scraps of 2x6 or 2x8 in between the studs as the OP mentions. Also make sure whenever possible to install things that are 16 inches on center.
I had to remodel our hall bath; water damaged. Before I hung the sheetrock, I did exactly what you mentioned. I surrounded the room with 2 levels of 2X6 for hanging "things". Worked out great!
Did a similar thing for a basement finish we did in our house during 2020. My work-from-home computer office is in the basement. I have 3 monitors. Mounting them to the walls frees up a lot of desk real estate. But I didn't know for sure exactly how high they would be. Plus in the future, I will probably get different sized monitors. I put two rows of 2x10s horizontally across the wall behind my desk, so I'm good for pretty much anything that ever comes up.
Funny. My wife ripped the towel rack off the wall twice. After getting annoyed, I went to Home Depot and took a good look decided on toggle bolts. Two weeks late I find you made a video. Nice job! Worked great.
Brilliant method and clear and concise instructions. Worked a treat for me and only took around 30 minutes to complete the job. Thank you
Ben, your videos are always so helpful and this one was especially interesting because I will be installing a towel rack and toilet paper holder in a mobile home for a client of mine and toggle bolts should be perfect. Thanks!
Another option which I use in a lot of rental properties is making a decorative backing plate. Just a piece of 3/4” pine cut a little larger than the towel bar. Route the edges and round the corners or whatever you want to do. Paint it white (that’s usually what I do because it matches trim/doors). Then screw and glue it to the wall making sure to hit studs (doesn’t matter if it’s off-centered, you should easily be able to hit 2 studs even if the first one is only an inch or so from one side of the decorative mounting plate). Now you have something solid to screw the towel bar to. No pics handy but if what I said wasn’t clear I’ll grab a pic and add it in here.
Very clear - thank you!
"...long enough for the house to get sold..."
Good craftsman are hard to find, especially as homeowner.
I like your work and your cannel!
"yoink" always learn something from your videos... and the entertainment value is fantastic...
The Simpsons? That's where I first heard it.
@@FeelingLikeThatNow that’s Homer’s phrase!!
Thanks, especially for the put wood behind the wall thing, working my way up to get the courage to build my own house
Go for it!
@MichaelKingsfordGray I'm never gonna grow up
I’m the US we can get zip toggles, which hold the nut to the wall so it is reliably removable. They are much better than plain toggles IMO
Agreed, they are great
We can get them in the great white north also. One small problem I've run into is if the wall is framed with shallow studs, there is sometimes not enough space for the zip toggle to go in all the way and turn. In that situation I take an angle grinder with a cut-off blade and nip off a quarter inch at a time until it can turn. For light stuff like towel bars, I tend to use an expansion molly, especially since I acquired a 'setting tool" that makes putting them in and setting them almost foolproof.
100% prefer zip toggles over these metal ones he has. We've used hundreds of these, specifically the Toggler SnapToggle, to hang loads of TV's, shelves, racks, etc. Also, a benefit is in commercial buildings, you can use them with metal studs as well for even more holding power than drywall alone (or to be able to use less fasteners total)
This was a well timed video. I was planning to hang a towel rack just outside my shower over a floor heat register. It will double as a towel warmer and towel dryer.
Perfect timing!!!! My towel bar has been off the wall for like 2 months! And I've been through like 3 different types of drywall anchors!
Now a quick video showing how to fix the holes when your spouse tells you it is in the wrong place. :)
That's actually a pretty good idea for a follow up video.
Dude. This was my night last night.
Hung a giant mirror.
She doesn't like it there.
The place she told me to put it.
Woe is life lol
Love ur videos!! They make a smaller, plastic drywall anchor that acts the same, probably less weight capacity but also much smaller! I have been using them on my paneling successfully. Thanks for all the great content, your neighbor in YT!
Hello, just wanted to say thank you with all your drywall advice and videos. Always hated mud work. But thanks to you I'm alot better at it now. And the tape buddy is awesome.
The plastic snap one are the best ..... Smaller hole and it allows you to remove the towel bar and not lose the so called butterfly. Way better option..... Sorry Vancouver Carpenter but I still love your channel!
I have always used the higher end plastic anchors in my walls with no problems. My walls are plaster board though. I have to use a masonry bit to pre drill.
They should either a make the bolt out of stainless steel or b have biting teeth on the backside part so when it tightens it locks onto the sheet rock on the inside of the wall so you can unscrew the bolt fully and replace it with a stainless steel bolt or no rust bolt.
Full of good tips. I picture a number of bathroom walls littered with toggle ears at the bottom of voids. I’ve personally contributed a few (put the mounting plate on the bolt first). And sometimes even the flimsy plastic sleeve anchors do so much damage repositioning is necessary - or adding a wood plate on the surface. Thanks for the video.
Great video Ben! I do a ton of towel bars, TP holders and bannister repairs and always use the toggle/butterfly anchors. Newer homes almost never have these things affixed to the studs anymore. Another good video recommendation is how to anchor a tv ( so many repairs I’m doing lately the homeowners hung their TVs with just anchors, the TVs fall off the walls and then I’m called to fix it for them )
Blocking between the studs is highly recommended
Zip toggle company claim to be able to hang TVs off their anchors. Have you ever seen a failure using them? I use them for all kinds of stuff, still wouldn't trust them for a TV mount unless it was in metal studs and I mounted through the center of each stud flange with the toggle.
@@chrisburns5691 Yes I have repaired several. Both the plastic sheering as well as the drywall pulling off due to too much weight.
@@edover50 my thoughts were always that people relied on them a bit too much. Especially for articulating mounts.
An upgraded alternative to toggle bolts are snap toggles. One of the advantages is you don’t have to put the bolt through the item 1st before you put it in the wall. Also you can remove the bolt and the toggle doesn’t fall behind the wall. I’ve switched over to snap toggles years ago and never looked back.
Snaps are my go-to any more. I less the holes are super close, I've hung alot off them over the last year or so.
Also has extremely high holding power, higher than nearly everything on the market for a hollow wall.
@@RecklessTheory Excellent point!
THANK YOU! I've been telling people these are the ONLY thing to use. Nobody listens to me. They all think those screw in anchors are the best. They dont work long term. I'm ALWAYS fixing their work, but they refuse to change
Common sense for you and I. Like to add, using dis-similar fasteners is a no-no in most cases. Aluminum, brass/copper, and steel will eat each other up. Voltaire and all that. But stainless is wonderful. It not only is rust free, but it is neutral. You can use it with anything. I always keep stainless nails on my truck. Tin roof, copper roof, galvanized, aluminum? Doesnt matter the stainless fastener works.
Really enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing your expertise with laymen like me.
Installed a lot of drapery rods with toggle bolts in hotels that had drywall ceilings. Many times would alternate holes with EZ anchors, and that is my suggestion: use toggle on top of towel bar bracket plate, and EZ underneath, both sides. Metal EZ anchors seem like they work best if they aren't used exclusively, and are installed correctly (don't use an impact driver; if you do put too much torque on them on install, they are much less likely to hold the rated load). Then if you do get a little play, you can snug the toggle bolt back up; this will last a long time under normal use. And! I really appreciate your Hilti dead blow hammer, mine's a Milwaukee, and doesn't work quite as well, I can only imagine.
I see impacts used way too much for this kind of thing, as well as door hardware. Like calm down and get a good little 12v drill for little stuff..
Yeah, they're better probably. The problem I have is I work maintenance. People break, bend, and fuck up towel bars in ways you can't imagine. So I'm taking the brackets on and off regularly. Downside of toggle bolts is they're not gonna come off and go back on. You gotta use new.
Drywall anchors are the bane of my existence. Toggle bolts are magnificent.
Here in the UK we have hollow wall anchors and a tool that aren't as bulky as toggle bolts. Also there are "core fix" fixings that have a metal tube that bridge the cavity.
These little videos are unbelievably handy. Keep em comin!
More to come!
I love your videos!!!
Your voice calms me down! 🌝
Thanks Carpenter nice info, love those toggles, but the blocking advice solid gold always worth the time (which is not much)
i always make this repair for homeowners. i love toggle bolts!
I like your use of a drill for a hammer. I do it all the time. Use what ever is in your hand at the time or what's close.
Plan ahead when you remodel and put a 2x6 where all your towel bars, TP holder, etc. are going to land.
Check out the Project Farm video on "Which Drywall Anchor is Best?" for side by side comparisons.
My pro tip. Find a 32" towel bar. Companies make 18" and 24" towel bars is stupid.
If you can’t get stainless screws, clear nail polish on the fastener head will stop corrosion.
Never ever had a problem with the large plastic inserts...but then again ive never kids hangin on towel bars. Like your vids tho. Keep up the good work
The curtain tie back hooks on our big kitchen window had the screw in ones, right between two studs for the window. They were all tore out like they do, so when I fixed it, I cut the drywall out, screwed 2x4 pieces in the gap, and patched the holes. You can almost stand on those things now lol
Thank you sir, you are always informative,,
4:50 - how to really do it.
People slip in bathrooms and grab towel bars to avoid falling. That’s going to pull out a toggle bolt, and the gaping hole left behind might be the least of the injuries.
If someone is doing a bathroom renovation, I’d recommend them to tear out that part of the Sheetrock, put in some 2x4 backing (as mentioned at the 4:50 part), and then patch the sheet rock. You don’t have to tear out the entire panel, just a 16” or so width between studs x 20” or less.
If you’re planning to tile a bathroom wall, there is even less excuse not to install wood backing.
Hi Ben. Really enjoy watching your videos. Learnt heaps over time thank you. Cheers mate. 🦘🇦🇺
I prefer the plastic zip toggles. With them you can take whatever you’re working with off and put it back on without losing the toggle. They’re also a tad stronger because they don’t have a hinge to depend on.
I use those all the time where I work. They are called snap toggles
@@stormo65 yeah, we actually just call them toggle bolts and the ones in his video, we call butterflies or butterfly toggles.
Ok I kinda agree with you there. Although I have a better way I’ve installed a thousand towel bars as a maintenance carpenter think army barracks. The best is have backing next is buy the best fasteners. The best fasteners are the metal screw in type also pre drill the drywall before screwing them in . Thank you for your videos I’ve learned a few tricks from them.
Have an example of the exact type you mean? I've got a couple plastic toggles on the edge of taking so I'm looking for something better.
Also you can try zip-toggle aka toggler or flip-toggle are great especially if you need to remove the bolt later. 100lb plus hold power. Only downside is the 1/2" hole you have to make for placement.
Installing a proper towel bar is a very easy way to convince your guests your house is SOLID.
I’ve had success using Ramset togglemate. They have a larger contact area at the rear and fit tightly into the hole in the plasterboard so don’t tend to wonder around when the little monsters climb on the rail.
Have to disagree - these toggle bolts work great for items that are static (like a fluorescent light in a garage ceiling) but with things that are used constantly and have tension applied against them (like a towel bar), with time will absolutely loosen and fail.
This generally happens due to the large hole (much larger than the stud size of the bolt) and wiggle movement - with time the loosen and cause a much larger hole/problem.
Have you used them? I would guess that, because the arms spread the weight over a greater surface, the wall wouldn’t break unless you really yanked hard.
@@misstweetypie1 not only that….but we are talking about towels. Towels!!!! They’re not gold plated towels that weigh in at over 50lbs here
@@larrygill2223 yes I've used them.
Weight of the towels isn't the problem, really. It's the pulling of towels off, kids grabbing onto the bars, time.
The arms spread out, yes, but they also have minimal surface area that pushes against the backside of the drywall. The way they're made is the arma are bent steel that have to fold over the bolt - which means the anchor digs into the backside. They eventually do give way. This is why loose towel bars and hand towel holders are a thing.
@toyotaspeed90 wait, your towels are not gold? 😱
@@toyotaspeed90 ah yes you are right. Little bustards always pull down on those towels. Didn’t occur to me unit you mentioned it
You’re right…done with the provided anchors and screws,the bars are really for decorative purpose. I chickened out and did it that way, so will probably have to do it this way. One video I watched, the guy used just one wing thing in the centre hole of the bracket as opposed to two.
I screwed a 1x4 across the area into the studs. Painted it the same colour as the wall. Then screwed the towel bar into that. Been five years with 0 issues
There is the bolt, and the "wing" is the nut part that springs open. For a finish head, just go to your hardware store and get the matching thread pitch in stainless, or, super pro is order exactly the head you want with the right thread pitch (and length!) from McMaster-Carr. Tacoma Screw in Washington will have them. And if you want a smaller hole, especially for the load rating of a towel bar use the smaller wing size, doesn't hold that much less weight. I am seeing people who are ZipToggle partisans, and a reminder that you center the Ziptoggle in your hole and no play like with an old-school toggle. Be careful to hit your marks precisely with Ziptoggles because the center of your hole is where your fastener is going to land.
Cool! I’ve used that same hammer at about 2:30 to install wall anchors.
Had a gross microwave-range fan combo to remove in the house I remodeled... The thing was held with toggle nuts through the plaster and lath walls... tried to "yoink it out", didn't work... When I tried to unscrew it, the nut just freewheeled on the other side of the wall.... I ended up Yoïnking that thing out in small pieces with a splitting maul!! The hole left to fix was a bit bigger than 2" but it was oohhh so satisfying!!!
Good tip Ben!
Put a blob of PL behind the plate you're toggle-bolting. Make it even stronger yet.
PL?
@@weldabar Polyurethane Construction Adhesive, sorry. PL is the brand name.
Fischer DuoTec 10 Plasterboard Cavity Fixings If you can get them, these are amazing.
What a wonderful tutorial!
what i find to be stupid is the towel bar i usually install has bracket spacing from 22 3/8 - 22 5/8 and framing alot of time is 24 on center. So if the bar itself was 23 1/2 in alot of house it could be installed to 2 studs instead of just 1. manufacturer must have some big saving be eliminating that inch.
Most framing is 16 on center with few exceptions like a garage. A 2 story house will definately be 16 on center to support the floors above.
Yep, many bathrooms are on outside walls with 24" spacing. There is such a disconnect between household accessories and wall spacing. I don't know why bathroom and kitchen sheet-rock doesn't already have a backer of some sort built in. i cant even recall how many products I've bought that were never 16" or 24" spacing, it's so obvious, it's like they do it on purpose, as no one could be that dumb without planning.
Backing for kitchen cabinets is real nice to have.
@@Mixwell1983 better R value if exterior walls are framed 24. Everywhere a stud is insulation can't be placed.
@@grantmackinnon1307 not many are framed though with 24" spacing
What i see is 2x6 for modern houses for the r value with 16" spacing, exterior insulation as well if building for energy efficiency. All run of the mill older homes 16". Roof Trusses 24 oc
Funny… how do you adjust in the wall, the butterfly with your hand like you did on
You got a big hole to flop it around a bit, normally they don't bind up like what he had happen. They are spring loaded and should expand well enough.
you can spin the loose bolt head in your hand to coordinate the toggle behind the wall
If theres vapour barrier and insulation u can run into problems especially if its behind tile getting the wings to expand is a nightmare
Sweet! I'll use these next time.
Wow. After reading the comment section I see people are passionate about toggles!
seems like a back up for if an anchor doesnt work since you can just drill your anchor hole larger if it fails and use this
I have used self drilling fasteners, but I put a dab of gorilla glue before inserting them. The glue expands and makes a big glob behind the wall and they stay tight forever
I'm a big fan on have some backing installed during the framing. Closets on the other hand, you never know where someone wants to put a screw in. So just line the closet (3 walls) with plywood or OSB before drywall.
Even better than the toggle bolt. Put a plywood backer between the studs before you hang the drywall. Then you can get a good bite with a screw.
Those toggles have much greater "pull out" resistance, but the concern I have is there is much less vertical or sheer strength because the hole is so big and the screw is completely unsupported.
There’s tons of friction on both sides of the wall holding it tight
I’m going to try those! My towel bar just got pulled off again 🤦♀️ thanks 😊
You’re welcome 😊
Perfect timing! My youngest had been using the toilet paper holder as a hand support and pulling the towel bar for fun. Any suggestions for bars without cover plates - do they make simply covers that your can thread in to hide the hole in the drywall? Also, any tips for walls with only 1" strapping and concrete blocks behind - our split level wall in the first floor only has strapping, not full framing, so there isn't enough space for a toggle to expand out and anchor screws don't bite into the concrete behind well. Thanks in advance for any ideas!
They do make longer concrete screws (tapcon), that will reach the brick or block in the back. Just get the right length, should embed 1-1.25 inches into the concrete.
Sometimes the easiest and best solution is to mount a nice piece of finished wood- paint or stain grade, round the corners with a router to give it a finished look. Screw that to solid framing/strapping/block wall, then simply mount your bar onto that. Obviously make the wood big enough to reach support to support, and center the bar on it. We do this at work sometimes for when people want several coat hooks in an office or classroom, and it works well and is very secure.
Thank for another great video!
"That springs open..."
(pushes it open from the other side)
Why don't the fasteners come with teeth to bite onto the sheet rock so you can swap out the bolts after installing
Toggles are OK for light stuff. But use gripits. They are a game changer. I replaced a sliding barn door that some idiot put in with toggles.
Surprised "wingits" did not get mentioned? A little pricey but I've done grab bars with them and they hold up strong.
Great instruction! Thanks
I'm a journeyman cabinetmaker, and do finish carpentry for a living.
I've NEVER gotten those toggle bolts to work. I would use the yellow and blue plastic anchors, with the correct screw, a MILLION times over those particular toggle bolts.
Gotta keep back pressure on the toggles, while you're screwing them in. Like pull the head towards yourself.
Besides that, just make sure your toggle doesn't get fucked up on its way in, and that its actually flat out behind the wall, before you start fastening it.
Top two toggle tips, I can give ya devil.
They do work well, I've used them at work a ton. Zip toggles work great as well, tend to be for heavier duty stuff.
2:34 like a real pro, That's real life!
You should check out toggler brand anchors. Same concept but a lot easier to use.
I would like to see you play the violin hanging on the wall!
Thank you. Very helpful.
Nice hammer drill action
That's a nifty screwdriver you used at 4:07.
Is it part of a kit?
Thanks for the tip.
By the way, I have in my bathroom project a shelf with a wash basin over it. All have to be mounted on a ceramic tile covered drywall. Using these kind of mounts will require to drill all the way through the ceramic tile a pretty large hole, which is not ideal.
Will regular anchors do the trick ? Otherwise what do you suggest ?
Depends how heavy what you are mounting is.n The cheap plastic anchors work really well when there is tile on the wall. The tile stops the drywall from blowing out.
@@vancouvercarpenter The shelf + basin weight around 15kg or (or 33 lbs). I think I will go for regular anchors. Thank you.
You could always try the smaller plastic ones, if they fail, upsize the hole to the toggle bolt
Never thought about using stainless screws replacing the toggle screws thanks....and yes the shitty anchors behind my toilet paper holder failed...
always informative thanks.
I respectfully disagree with you on this one. That’s the worst choice you could make. First you have to drill a VERY large hole to get the butterfly through. This creates a week spot because you have to make two holes very close per bracket. And if you every have to remove the towel bar, when you unscrew the bolt the butterfly falls to the ground behind the wall. So now you’ve lost 4 behind the wall. If you decide to relocate the bar you have very large holes to patch. A very poor choice. I use those screw in plastic or aluminum threaded Farrells. They screw into the drywall and have a hole in the center to accept a screw. To remove you simply unscrew. They hold more and the hole is much easier to fill. In fact you can leave them in and just mud over. Much better. I enjoy your channel, thank you.
I had to use one of these for a hand towel ring
If only i could reach around the wall and hold the anchor like you.
toggle anchors to hold a 1lb towel bar? i guess in Vancouver the towels are heavy duty
More like people pulling hard on towels, kids etc. Ive fixed a bunch in my time with toggles
What is your opinion on the plastic toggle bolts?
I prefer a bathroom exposed to the weather ;)
I have found that the "GeeFix Heavy Duty Wall Anchor" to be a better choice than the toggle bolt.
Is the blocking behind the dry wall, that is in a nice straight line, attached by just toe nailing it into the studs?
Yes
Cut the towel bar width to suit the studs😊
My 3 year old just ripped the towel bar out of our wall a couple of days ago. Whoever installed before us didn't use anything. Just screws into drywall.
Thank you! Kicking myself for not buying better anchors before install. Rushed to get the project done and used the cheap plastic ones included with the towel bar. A few months later, everything is pulling away from the wall! Oops *facepalm* #rookieDIYer
0:55 you push it through the board. Then you have to use your hand to open it and align it properly on the other side. You couldn’t do that, if it was a real wall.
the common plastic drywall anchors ALWAYS fail