Replacing out-of-date or poorly placed bathroom wall fixtures is a quick and inexpensive way to make a bathroom more functional and attractive.
The dominant trend in bathroom design involves the use of large ceramic tiles in the 16-inch-square range. And that means some of the traditional porcelain fixtures that fit in the same spaces as 4-inch tiles won’t work any more.
But you still can add porcelain soap dishes, towel racks and similar fixtures to a ceramic tile wall; the style of the fixtures and the installation method has changed a bit, though.
The cost of the wall fixtures depends in part on their material. A soap dish of porcelain might cost $7 to $10 while a dish of marble dust and resin molded to look like natural stone might cost $50.
If you have an old-style wall of 4-inch tiles, you can use ceramic fixtures that have a square protrusion on the back to fit into the space left by removing one or two tiles.
Work carefully to remove tiles to replace them with a fixture; it’s a time-consuming job. Start by putting a drop cloth over any plumbing fixture under your work area. Chips from the removed tiles can scratch and damage surfaces if you accidentally put weight on them and grind them in.
Remove the grout around the tiles you plan to remove. Start removing grout at the center of the line you want to remove. As you proceed, tap the chisel toward the area you’ve already cleared of grout. If you chip outward from the cleared area, you may accidentally chip grout you don’t want to remove.
Once the grout lines are removed, use a chisel and tap an X across the face of tiles you want to remove.
Keep tapping to break the tile into four triangular sections, then break up and remove the tile a section at a time.
Carefully scrape away adhesive on the wall behind the removed tile using a utility knife or putty knife.
Try not to damage the wallboard under the adhesive or you’ll have to patch it before you proceed.
To glue the new fixture in place you can use a ceramic-tile adhesive applied with a trowel of the proper size and configuration for the adhesive you have chosen.
With ceramic-tile adhesive, using the proper trowel is critical because applying too much glue is as bad as not applying enough.
For large tiles, you can attach porcelain, stone or composite material fixtures directly to the tile surface using two-part, epoxy adhesive.
Wall fixtures designed to go with large format tiles have flat backs that provide a smooth surface for applying epoxy adhesives.
More Top Picks Best Bakers Rack
Epoxy adhesives come in two tubes, one containing a resin and one containing a hardener. The two components are mixed before being applied to the surfaces to be glued together. .
Use epoxy adhesives according to the instructions on the package. The surfaces where they are applied must be clean, dry and free of grease or oil. Lightly sanding a glossy tile surface may help the adhesive stick.
Using either ceramic tile adhesive or epoxy adhesive, you can use masking tape to hold the fixture in place while the glue dries.
Once the glue dries, allow additional time for the glue to cure completely before applying any weight to the fixture. Adhesives take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to reach maximum strength.
Add a border of caulk around the fixture to finish the job.
If your bathroom walls are drywall or plaster, hanging things from them is fairly simple. A 24-inch stainless steel or wooden towel rack will cost you about $20 to $25. A brass rack the same size might cost $35 to $45.
Remove the hooks and racks you want to replace by removing the screws that hold them to the wall.
If you don’t see any screws, look on the bottom of the rack for a rectangular opening that has been slid down over a metal bracket that was screwed to the wall. Look for retaining screws holding the fixture to the bracket.
If you find retaining screws, remove them and lift up on the fixture to slide it off the bracket. If there are no retaining screws, simply lift the fixture off the bracket. Tapping lightly with a hammer on the bottom of the fixture should loosen it if it’s stubborn.
After removing the screws holding your racks, hooks and brackets in place, fill the screw holes with a little spackle or joint compound. You can smooth the repair and paint to cover the little blemish later or position the new fixture to cover the holes.