Fit a towel rail to a metal stud wall — HomeGraft

Fit a bathroom towel rail securely, checking your wall type, working safely around hidden pipes and cables, then connecting it properly.

TR-01Prepare your tools and check the fixing kitUnpack the towel rail and lay out the fixing kit - a universal kit often doesn't include the right fixings for a metal stud wall, so check what you've got against what's needed before you start. Protect the bath or floor below the work area with a dust sheet or old towel to catch screws and dust. Gather your drill, spirit level, tape measure, pencil, and a stud detector or magnet. If you'll be drilling through tiles, cut a strip of masking tape to stop the bit skating on the glaze.

1 each · Heated towel rail with fixing kit

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Dust sheet

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 roll · Masking tape

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-02Mark the height and check it's levelMost heated towel rails sit with the top rail around 1200-1400mm from the floor, but check your rail's own instructions for the exact bracket spacing. Hold the rail or its paper template against the wall at your chosen height and use a spirit level to get it dead level before marking anything. Mark each fixing point lightly in pencil, then measure the gap between marks against the rail itself to make sure it's correct before you drill.

1 each · Spirit level

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Tape measure

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 each · Pencil

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-03Work out what's behind the wallRun a stud detector or a magnet along the wall - a magnet will catch on the screw heads holding plasterboard to a stud, and a line of these tells you where the studs run. Tap the wall: a dull, solid sound is brick, block or dot-and-dab, while a hollow sound between studs means plasterboard on its own. If you're still not sure, drill a small 2-3mm pilot hole in an inconspicuous spot - timber dust means a timber stud, fine grey swarf means a metal stud, and brick or plaster dust means solid masonry or dot-and-dab. Older properties, roughly pre-1930s, may have lath and plaster instead - this gives a springy, hollow knock and the plaster crumbles easily around the hole.

TR-04Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the usual 'safe zones' - bathrooms often have extra pipework feeding taps, showers or the towel rail itself, plus cables for extractor fans and lights. Use a cable and pipe detector, but treat it as a warning, not a guarantee - detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed board, and a metal stud frame can confuse cheap detectors further. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the electrics at the consumer unit before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-05Drill the fixing holes for your wall typeFor solid brick or block, use a 6mm masonry bit for a standard wall plug, or 8mm for a heavier rail, drilling 5mm deeper than the plug length; go slowly without hammer action until you're through any tile, then switch to hammer action for the masonry. For a timber stud, drill a 3mm pilot hole in the centre of the stud - no plug needed. For a metal stud, drill a small pilot hole sized to your chosen fixing, typically 3-5mm, checking the anchor packaging - metal studs are only around 0.5mm thick, so there's no need to force the drill. For dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a long bit of at least 90-100mm so you drill through the board, the air gap, and into the solid masonry behind, rather than just into the adhesive dabs.

1 each · Drill

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 set · Masonry drill bit set

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 set · HSS drill bit set (for metal stud/timber)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-06Fit the right fixing for your wallInto solid brick or block, use a wall plug rated for the rail's weight with a matching screw. Into a timber stud, use a wood screw driven straight into the centre of the stud - no plug needed. Into a metal stud, use a proper metal-stud fixing, either a self-drilling metal-stud anchor or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor - never a plain plastic plug or ordinary wood screw, as these strip straight through 0.5mm steel. A metal stud alone won't hold a full towel rail once it's loaded with wet towels and being pulled on, so if your bracket points fall between studs, fit a timber noggin or metal pattress between the studs first, or use a fixing long enough to reach the masonry behind if there is any. Into dot-and-dab, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and adhesive and grip the masonry, or a heavy-duty plasterboard toggle rated for the rail's weight if you can't reach the masonry.

4 each · Wall plugs (masonry)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Screws 40mm

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Metal stud self-drilling anchors

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

4 each · Hollow-wall toggle fixings

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 length · Timber noggin (if fitting one)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-07Fit the brackets and hang the railScrew the wall brackets into place using the fixings you've chosen, tightening evenly but not so hard that you crack a plasterboard face or a tile. Recheck the brackets are level with your spirit level before you fully tighten the last screw. Lift the rail onto the brackets and secure it following the manufacturer's instructions - most clip or bolt on. Give the rail a firm push and pull test once it's on to check nothing moves.

1 each · Screwdriver

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-08Connect the rail to the pipeworkTurn off the water at the stopcock before disconnecting or connecting any pipework. Connect the rail's valves to the pipework using flexible tap connectors or compression fittings, following the manufacturer's instructions for the correct orientation. Turn the water back on slowly and bleed the rail using its bleed valve to remove trapped air. Check every joint carefully for leaks over the next 24 hours before you consider the job finished.

2 each · Flexible tap connectors

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

1 roll · PTFE tape

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TR-09If your rail has an electric elementSome towel rails are dual-fuel, with an electric heating element as well as the plumbed connection. Any new fixed wiring in a bathroom counts as a special location under the wiring rules, and the work is notifiable. If you're not fully confident with bathroom electrics, get a qualified electrician to make the final connection - it's a small job for them and keeps you on the right side of the rules.

RULES

KNOW THE RULES

Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical work in bathrooms, a 'special location'. New fixed wiring for an electric towel rail element is notifiable work - use a registered electrician or notify your local authority building control.

TR-10Tidy up and do a final checkVacuum up any dust or swarf from drilling, especially metal filings, which can mark tile grout or the bath if left. Wipe down the rail and wall with a damp cloth to remove fingerprints and dust. Remove your dust sheet and dispose of any packaging. Give the rail one more push and pull test, and check it's still level, before you use it properly.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Save this as a project

Back to all guides