How do I repair a broken Porcelain towel rack?

tylerm15 · 02-21-2012, 02:18 PM

I broke the towel rack in my bathroom while painting. It's a porcelain/ceramic (not sure which) and sticks onto the tile wall. One of the holders came right off the wall (small hole in center remains on the wall, but it's on the tile). Material around it seems to be hard/solid (not caulky). I have a photo, see attached. And don't let my name fool you, I am a young woman, and have next to no experience at any of this.. Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks!

AirdrieHandyman · 02-21-2012, 02:21 PM

Most of them have a small set screw on the bottom that attaches the mounting bracket to the back. If you remove that and then remount it to the wall you can reattach the ceramic with the set screw again.

tylerm15 · 02-21-2012, 03:03 PM

Unfortunetely, no screws or mounting hardwwear on the back

Willie T · 02-21-2012, 04:07 PM

Buy a tube of that "2-part Epoxy" (the fast-curing kind), and apply it all around the backside flat rim.

Hold the fixture on the wall till it sets with either tape, or... a long piece of thin (preferably flexible) wood braced against the opposite wall across the room. Prepare the length of the wood ahead of time so it is just the right length to hold the fixture very firmly in place.

JazMan · 02-21-2012, 07:58 PM

Yea, the handyman thought it was a clip-on towel bar. That post does not look broken from here. It's set with thin set mortar which is the impression left on the cavity. Looks like it just came loose. Should be an easy fix.

Jaz

tylerm15 · 02-22-2012, 09:05 AM

Willie T, Thank you I will try that. One question, there seems to me a "lip" of previous adhesive around the rectangle where I will mount the piece back, do you think I should sand that down or try to reapply as is?

cleveman · 02-22-2012, 10:43 PM

I opened this up because I thought you had broken the actual rod. I always wonder how I will replace these, if you somehow bend a replacement in or what?

It looks like the ceramic base has split in two pieces to me, not just come away from the thinset. If it came away from the thinset, then it left that impression in the thinset and it wasn't filled. I always fill mine with thinset and place them on the wall.

Anyway, just epoxy or thinset it back on.

How did you knock it loose? I've always wanted to see what it would take to remove a soap dish or shelf or towel rack and I thought the backerboard would come with it.

diy'er on LI · 02-24-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cleveman

I opened this up because I thought you had broken the actual rod. I always wonder how I will replace these, if you somehow bend a replacement in or what?

I had that annoying scenario happen in my toddler's bathroom. He yanked on the plastic towel ring. Those rods and rings are very brittle plastic and break when they drop to the ground.

Answer: some mom and pop companies who make ceramic towel bars / toilet paper holders actually sell the rods separately. Since the original bar fell off, one of the 2 sides must have some play and need resetting anyway. However the rings? you must buy an entirely new towel holder. bah.

I installed the new holder and have confiscated the ring until my son is old enough to not destroy it. his hand towel now rests on top of the toilet tank. The ring will be his 8th birthday present

cleveman · 02-25-2012, 09:51 AM

I'm talking about the translucent plastic bar (hollow) that goes between the posts. They bend a bit. If one is broken, I suppose you buy a new one and somehow bend it to get it to fit in.

joecaption · 02-25-2012, 11:47 AM

I see no way you could ever bend one of those rods enough to get a new one in. There installed as the brackets go up.
If your bracket or the rod is broke it may be best to just go buy a new one and clean off the old thin set on the wall and start over with new thin set. Lowes and Home Depot sell them.

cleveman · 02-25-2012, 11:26 PM

Hopefully I'll never have to replace one, but I think about it when I install them. All it will take is some kid trying to do a pull-up.

If I can't bend one and snap it in, then I would try to get a long one and somehow cut it so it telescopes in a bit, then put a set screw in it to hold it out as long as it is supposed to be.

DannyT · 02-25-2012, 11:53 PM

they used to make replacements for those that were spring loaded on one end.

joecaption · 02-26-2012, 12:00 AM

http://www.eclectic-ware.com/Eclecti...ace-a-bar.html

cleveman · 02-26-2012, 10:48 AM

Wow! That is a pretty eclectic offering.

tylerm15 · 02-27-2012, 12:36 PM

I might not have worded my question correctly (out of purely having no knowledge about bathroom repairs)....

The bracket came off the wall (see pic above) The actual rod is fine, but how the heck do I get the bracket to stick back onto the wall? Someone suggested 2 part epoxy, someone suggested tile mastic (and I know nothing about either). What is the consensus?