# Towel bar pulling out of the wall: how to fix it for good

Updated: 2026-10-24 · https://pros411.com/en/guides/handyman/towel-bar-pulling-out-of-wall

## Short answer

Take the bar off first: loosen the small set screw under each post with an Allen key and slide the bar off its brackets. Pull out the old plastic anchors. If a stud is behind the hole, screw the bracket straight into it. If not, use toggle bolts, which open behind the drywall. Patch the extra holes, put the brackets back and tighten the set screws.

> Safety first: Before you drill a bathroom wall, check for pipes and wires. Use a stud finder that also detects live wires, and stay away from the wall straight above or below the faucet, the toilet and any outlet or switch.

## How to fix a towel bar pulling out of the wall

![Cartoon towel hanging from a towel bar that is pulling out of the wall](https://pros411.com/img/guias/towel-bar-pulling-out-of-wall.webp)

1. **The post pulled out with its anchor.** Towels get yanked every day. The small plastic anchors that come in the box crumble the drywall, slip out, and the bar starts to hang.
2. **Loosen the set screw, lift the bar off.** Each post has a tiny screw underneath. Loosen it with an Allen key, slide the bar off the brackets, then unscrew the brackets.
3. **No stud? Use toggle bolts.** Scan with a stud finder. A stud takes a plain wood screw. No stud takes a toggle bolt: its wings fold to go in, then open behind the drywall.
4. **Screw the bracket on, snug the bar.** Tighten the screws until the bracket sits firm against the wall, without crushing it. Slide the bar on and tighten each set screw.
5. **Tug test, then hang the towel.** Give the bar a firm tug down and out. It should not move, creak or tilt.

## Why towel bars pull out

Most towel bars come with small plastic anchors. They are fine for a light shelf, but a towel bar takes a pull every time someone grabs a towel. Bit by bit the anchor chews up the gypsum around it, the hole grows and the post works loose. Steam softens drywall, which speeds it up.

## If the wall is tile

Tile takes a carbide or diamond tile bit. Put a piece of painter's tape on the spot so the bit does not wander. Drill slowly with the hammer setting off, and keep the bit cool with a little water. If a tile cracks or feels loose, stop: water can reach the wall behind it.

## What not to do

- Do not push a bigger plastic anchor into the same crumbled hole. It will pull out again.
- Do not glue or caulk the post to the wall. Glue will not carry wet towels for long.
- Do not drill blind near the faucet or the toilet. Water pipes run there.

## When to call a handyman

- The drywall around the bar is soft or wet: a leak may be behind it.
- The bar is on tile and the tiles are cracked or loose.
- You hit a pipe or a wire while drilling.
- You want grab bars: they have to go into studs or solid blocking, not toggles.

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## Frequently asked questions

### Can a towel bar hold with drywall anchors?

Only with the right kind. The small plastic anchors in the box often fail under the daily pull of towels. Screw into a stud, or use toggle bolts rated well above the load.

### How do I take a towel bar off the wall?

Look for a tiny set screw on the underside of each post. Loosen it with an Allen key and lift the bar off the brackets. Then unscrew the brackets from the wall.

### What do I use if there is no stud?

Toggle bolts. You drill a bigger hole, push the folded toggle through, and its wings open behind the drywall and clamp it. The package tells you the hole size.

### Can I use a towel bar as a grab bar?

No. A towel bar is not built to hold a person and will tear out if someone falls against it. Grab bars must be screwed into studs or solid blocking.

### How do I fix the old holes?

Fill small holes with spackle, let it dry, sand it smooth and touch up the paint. If the new bracket covers the old hole, you only need to patch what still shows.