Towel bars are staple bathroom accessories in essentially every bathroom design. The inclusion of a towel bar allows you to hold your hand towels and bath towels comfortably in a dedicated area. However, there are still several things you need to know about this incredibly useful bathroom accessory. This guide will go over the 10 most common questions about towel bars, and how you can use them effectively in your bathroom design.
Do Towels Dry Better on Towel Hooks or Towel Bars?
Towel bars and towel hooks are two of the most common ways to hold, store and dry your towels. However, it is often debated which one of these bathroom accessories is better for drying your towels. In general, you should be looking for two main factors. First, which one will spread your towel out to dry the quickest? The obvious answer here will be a towel bar. Towel bars will effectively spread out a towel completely. This will dry it quickly and effectively. This is mainly due to the accommodating length of a typical towel bar. Towel bars can range anywhere from 12” to 36”, making it easy to fit any type of towel on it comfortably.
Second, which bathroom accessory can hold multiple towels at once for more efficient drying? The answer to this question will also be a towel bar. Towel bars can be so much longer and accommodating for multiple towels than any single bathroom hook. They will be able to hold more than one towel in most cases. Sometimes, the towels will have to be folded so both can be held at the same time, but they will still dry out effectively and relatively quickly. Of course, smaller towel bars will only be able to hold one towel. This includes hand towel bars, but they can still spread the towel out to dry easily. Bathroom hooks can only hold one towel at a time. This makes them a bit less effective in this sense. You should definitely consider a towel bar over a towel hook. Especially if you are forced to choose between the two.
What is a Standard Size Towel Bar?
There are several things to consider before determining the standard size of a towel. For starters, there are several different sizes for a towel bar. This means that different towel bar lengths should be used in different situations. The three main lengths for a towel bar are 18”, 24” and 30”. These different lengths can be used in different locations. In addition, they are used to hold different types of towels. Smaller towel bars should be used to hold smaller towels such as hand towels. The larger towel bars should be used to hold large bath towels. This will keep them dry and accessible at all times.
If you are looking for a true standard size for a towel bar, you should find the middle ground. For example, a standard towel bar should be able to hold one standard bath towel when folded in half. This will typically be a towel bar that measures 18” in length. A towel bar of this size will fit well in most mid-sized bathroom designs. A larger bathroom may need a larger standard towel bar size. For example, this towel bar should be able to hold an oversized bath towel folded in half comfortably. In this case, the standard towel bar size should be 24”. These standard towel bar lengths will provide your bathroom design with great dedicated locations for your towel bars in which they can be comfortably held.
What Can I Do With Unused Towel Bars?
Sometimes, you may find that you have an unused towel bar in your bathroom. Whether it is previously installed or installed on your own, there may come a time where it is no longer needed for its intended purpose. There are a few ways to make effective use of your towel bar however. For example, consider using your unused towel bar to hang other bathroom accessories, such as baskets. This is a great way to increase storage and maximize accessibility to certain items. Think of your unused towel bar as an additional piece of decor that can be used to boost the overall quality of your bathroom design. Don’t be afraid to be creative and use your unused towel bar as a great piece of style.
Of course, you also have the option to remove your unused towel bar and do what you want with it. You may choose to simply relocate it or remove it from your bathroom design all together. This is a great option if your main goal is to open up space in your design or simply make a fresh start. In addition, you may also want to save the towel bar in case you think you are going to be using it in the future. Whether you choose to make a creative DIY addition to your bathroom or completely remove your unused towel bar, you can make effective use of either option.
Where Should Towel Bars Be Placed?
The placement of a towel bar is an incredibly important thing to consider in a bathroom design. A good towel bar placement will determine how accessible and available your towels are when you need them most. With that being said, there are a few key factors to take into consideration when mounting a towel bar. For a bath towel, your towel bar should be placed on the wall opposite your vanity and within an arm’s reach of your shower or bathtub. This way, you will have easy access to your towels while standing in your shower. In turn, this will also prevent your bathroom floor from getting too wet. They should be mounted at least 48” above the floor.
Towel bars can also be installed in other locations depending on your bathroom’s shape and size. For example, if you have a smaller bathroom design, consider putting a towel bar on your bathroom sink or vanity. This can work well with both bath towels and hand towels. In addition, they can be mounted above your sink or vanity. If you choose this route, you should only use smaller towel bars for hand towels. As a general rule of thumb, bath towel bars should always be mounted on a large enough area to accommodate the size of a longer towel bar. Hand towel bars can be mounted near a sink in order to have easy access to them.
Are Towel Bars Necessary?
There are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not a towel bar is necessary for your bathroom design. First, what type of bathroom are you working with? A guest bathroom with a shower will most likely need a towel bar in order to properly accommodate guests with a dry towel. On the other hand, a small powder room probably will not need a towel bar, mainly because there won’t be much use for it. However, the need for a towel bar will definitely vary depending on your specific situation. As a general rule, if you have a shower or a bathtub in your bathroom, you will probably want to consider the addition of a towel bar or two. If you do not have either of those two fixtures, you most likely won’t need a towel bar.
Towel bars are not the only way to hold towels, however. Although towel bars are incredibly useful bathroom accessories, they are not absolutely necessary. Other substitutes for towel bars are available to consider as well. Bathroom accessories such as bathroom hooks and towel racks are great for holding bath towels in your design. Bathroom hooks are great for small spaces and towel racks work incredibly well in larger areas. Towel rings are perfect for small hand towels and can be used in both large and small bathrooms alike.
Should You Hang Towels Over a Toilet?
If you have a smaller bathroom, you may struggle to find a comfortable location to hang your towels. This is most likely due to limited wall space or fixtures that are installed too close together. If this is the case for you, you may be wondering whether or not it is okay to hang your towels over your toilet. Your toilet area is generally very close to your shower or bathtub. You will have easy access to that area. So is it okay to hang your towels over your bathtub? The short answer is yes. However, there are a few things you may want to take into consideration before doing so.
First of all, there are no serious sanitary issues when it comes to hanging your towels above your toilet. As long as you keep your toilet area clean, your towels will be clean. The height at which your towels will be hanging may be a bit different from a traditional towel bar mount height however. You will need to mount your towel bar above a toilet. The towels will probably be hanging closer to eye level. This may not be an issue for some people. However, it can be a discomfort for some others. Overall, it will come down to personal preference as to whether or not you will want to hang your towels over your toilet.
What Do You Hang on a Towel Bar?
Although it may seem obvious, there are several uses for towel bars that you may not have considered. For starters, the main purpose of a towel bar is to properly hold and dry your bath towels or hand towels. This means that mounting your towel bar near a sink or on the wall will be the two most practical and common locations for your bathroom accessory. Your towels can be spread out or folded. This is depending on the size of the towel and the bar. This will be the most practical use of a towel bar. However, there are a few other uses for a towel bar. All of which can greatly improve the overall quality of your bathroom design.
Other uses for a towel bar allow you to get a bit more creative. Especially if you are struggling with space in your bathroom design. For example, towel bars can be used to hang other bathroom accessories such as baskets. Baskets are great for storing and organizing small bathroom items in order to have easy access to whatever you may need. Again, the main purpose of towel bars is to hold your towels. If you have an extra or unused towel bar, don't be afraid to explore your options.
Where Do You Put Wet Towels in a Small Bathroom?
Wet towels can be put in a number of different locations. This will keep your bathroom organized and orderly. The first place to consider is your towel bar. Towel bars are perfect for drying your towels effectively and quickly. Spread your towel out for the quickest drying time. If you need to dry two towels, but only have one towel bar, simply fold your towels in half in order to fit both of them comfortably. This will work especially well with bath towels. However, it is also perfectly fine to do this with hand towels as well. If you simply want to dry your towels to be used again the next day, a towel bar will be perfect. In addition, bathroom hooks and towel rings can also work very well.
There are other great locations as well. For example, consider a laundry basket. This is a perfect place to put your wet towels. Especially if they need to be washed. A dirty wet towel should not be repeatedly hung on a towel bar if it hasn’t been washed recently. Another place for a wet towel will be in a storage unit or cabinet. Of course, you should not simply throw wet towels in a cabinet. Make sure you have a basket or compartment that is dedicated to them. Hanging baskets, floor baskets, cabinets and other similar storage units can all work well for storing your wet towels to be washed.
Where Should a Hand Towel Be Placed in a Bathroom?
If you want to maximize function and comfort in a bathroom design, you will want a hand towel to be very close to your bathroom sink. This means a towel bar for your hand towel should be placed within inches of your bathroom sink. A towel bar will be the best option for you. Especially if you want your hand towel to be fully displayed and dry out as quickly as possible. The two most common locations for a hand towel bar will be on the wall next to your sink or attached to your vanity. This will give you quick and easy access to your hand towel when you are using or sink.
However, towel bars are not the only way to hold your hand towels. Bathroom hooks and towel rings are also incredibly useful ways to comfortably hold your hand towels, especially if you are a bit limited on space. If you are really struggling with space, a small bathroom hook will hold your hand towel on your wall perfectly. Towel rings are very common in bathrooms of any size, mainly due to the beautiful design and high level of functionality that it brings into a bathroom. Both bathroom hooks and towel rings should be mounted on the wall instead of a vanity in order to get the most out of the bathroom accessories.
How are Towel Bars Measured?
Center to Center
One common way to measure a towel bar is by measuring it from the center of one backplate to another. The backplates of a towel bar are the plates in which the screws will be installed on the towel bar, then onto the wall or surface. The measurement will give an accurate measurement of the length of the actual bar itself, instead of the entirety of the towel bar. This is a great measurement for finding out how many or what size towels you will be able to comfortably fit on the towel bar. One thing to consider, is that if the center to center measurement is any given number, you need to make sure you have extra room on each side to accommodate the backplate for a proper installation.
Edge to Edge
If you are looking for the full length of the entire bathroom accessory, the edge to edge measurement is going to be the length you will need. Unlike the center to center measurement, the edge to edge measurement will give you the full length of the towel bar. This is helpful if you are looking for the exact number of towel bars you can implement into your bathroom. An edge to edge measurement is incredibly important for finding full lengths of towel bars in order to work around the rest of your design.
Towel Bar Thickness (Diameter)
The thickness of a towel bar can sometimes be overshadowed by the length of the towel bar, but it is just as important. In general, a towel bar’s diameter should not be too thin or too thick. A good middle ground is generally what you should be looking for. To measure the diameter of a towel bar, you simply measure the bar itself. Wrap a measuring tape around the bar, not the length of the bar.
Towel Bar Escutcheon Plate Dimensions
The escutcheon plates of a towel bar are the plates that will cover the backplates mounted to the wall or surface when installing the towel bar. The size of the escutcheon plates may not matter to some, but they are decorative pieces of the accessory that can have a major impact. The escutcheon plate dimensions are measured by the diameter, which is the most practical and reliable way to measure them.
Towel Bar Protrusion
Towel bars must also be measured by how much they protrude, or stick out from the wall. This is an important measurement, especially in small spaces. There should be enough room for you to hang a towel on your towel bar so that nothing is touching the wall. However, it should not be so far out that it is getting in the way of other elements of your bathroom design.