Change the location of an inconveniently placed towel bar.
Sometimes oddly-placed items in your home might make you exclaim, "What were they thinking?" about the architects. In the accompanying photo, you'll notice that when hanging, the bath towel overlaps with the toilet paper roll. Fortunately, removing a poorly placed towel bar is one of the simplest of home-improvement tasks. This homeowner may instead choose to install a round, loop-style towel holder using the wall space adjacent to the current towel rack or the empty wall space next to the window.
Instructions
Removing a Towel Bar
1. Identify the fasteners used to secure the towel bar to the wall. Typically this type of fixture is installed using screws. You can tell what kind of screwdriver to use by looking at the top of the screw, otherwise known as the head. You'll need a Phillip's screwdriver if the screw has an "X" on the top or a flat-head screwdriver if your screw has a straight line on top.
2. Turn the screwdriver counterclockwise to remove each of the screws one at a time. Secure the loose screws in a plastic bag or your tool box if you are not planning to use them immediately.
3. Hide the holes you created when removing the towel bar if possible. Whether you hide or repair will depend on their location as well as your existing wall color and texture. If you have the luxury of an eye-level location, the easiest method to conceal the holes is to try to find a few pieces of coordinating framed art. Simply nail holes, and arrange the artwork to cover the existing holes. A good option to conceal the holes in this particular photo might be attaching a shelf that runs along the length of the existing towel bar.
Repairing a Wall After Removing a Towel Bar
4. Sand the area where you removed the screws lightly with sandpaper to remove any jagged pieces of paint or drywall. Wash the area with soap, and rinse it with a towel soaked in plain, warm water. Thoroughly dry the area.
5. Mix the spackle using a putty knife, and apply it to the holes from the screws you removed. Using an "X" motion back-and-forth, slowly remove the excess spackle. Once dry, sand the area to make the wall even.
6. Re-paint your wall in a color to match the existing paint. For a change of pace, or if you have difficulty finding paint to match, paint the wall in a contrasting accent color.
Tape any areas that you'd like to protect from the paint you'll be using. Use painter's tape around windows, outlets and wall trim. You can avoid taping by carefully "cutting" these areas with a small paint brush that creates at least a 3-inch line.
7. Using a paint roller, roll the paint onto the wall, allowing sufficient time between coats for it to partially dry. Depending upon how well-matched the color is, one coat may be all that is necessary to sufficiently cover your repairs.
Tags: , placed towel, , wall space