DIY Towel Rack - Easy STURDY Bathroom Hooks Without Anchors

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We made this DIY towel rack because we needed something that would be stronger than wall anchors to hold our kids’ towels. We wanted it to be able to screw right into the studs, but still create a finished look without screws sticking out in odd places. The whole thing came together for about $40, but could be done for even less depending the style you’re going for and what basic tools you have on hand (I’ll link the products we used and some other good options in the supplies list below).

A basic towel rod or a pretty hook screwed into the bathroom wall is a great option for quiet homes. But for a room that multiple toddlers use many times a day, these options just were not cutting it. After having multiple towel hooks rip out of the wall simply from littles trying to grab their own towels (over and over…), we decided we did not want to use plastic anchors again.

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screwing bathroom towel rack into kids' bathroom wall

These DIY towel hooks are one of those quick projects that makes a big impact. (No more damp towels hanging over the shower curtain!) With a piece of wood, some coat hooks from Amazon, and just a few basic tools, we now have a super sturdy towel hook rack that even a little boy can’t pull down.

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Why Make This DIY Towel Rack?

Screw directly into the studs. No matter where your studs are, we’ll show you two different options to easily hide the screws so you can screw directly into the studs and create an incredibly sturdy rack for holding towels. Perfect for a kid’s bathroom.
Choose your size and style. This basic method is super versatile, so you can make your towel rack whatever style and size you want with as many or as few hooks as you want.
Create a cohesive look. This is a fairly simple project that can really make a room look put together and bring the space up a notch.

Supplies You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make your towel hook rack.

A piece of wood. We used a 7″ x 34″ piece of aged maple. Hardwood is a great option if you have access to it, or you can grab some square stock from any big box hardware store. Or just use whatever you have on hand.
Wall hooks. We used this set of oil-rubbed bronze hooks and found them to be very sturdy. Here’s another option for hooks that we’re going to be using for a different room and is more cost effective.
Stud finder.
Drill and countersink drill bit.
Level.
Screws. We used 2″ general construction screws.
(Optional) Plug cutter. We used this plug cutter set to hide the screws. It’s also possible to hide them without using plugs (see step 4).
(Optional) Stain or poly. We used a flat finish.
(Optional) Sandpaper. 120 or 150 grit works well.
(Optional) Wood glue. Titebond Quick & Thick dries quickly and clear. (If you don’t need plugs or your plugs fit very tightly you may not need glue.)

How to Make a DIY Towel Rack Without Using Drywall Anchors

1. Determine general placement and size

Start by determining the general placement of your towel rack and how big you want it. We wanted to have four hooks on ours, so 7″ x 34″ seemed like a good size.

2. Determine stud locations using a stud finder

Next, use your stud finder to find the wall studs. Of course, they will probably not be centered where you want your towel rack to go, but that’s the beauty of this project! We can easily hide the screws no matter where the studs are.

There are two ways to hide your screws:

If you want the most freedom in your placement, you can use a plug cutter to cut some plugs from your offcut, and then use those to fill in the holes after you screw your board to the wall (see step 4).
In some cases, and for the easiest option, you may be able to simply lay out your hooks so that two of the hooks fall on the studs. That way, you can just screw straight into the wall when you attach the hooks.

It’s a good idea to try laying out the position of your hooks at this point so you can see if having them land on the studs is an option.

3. Cut your board to size

Next, cut your board to the size you’ve chosen.

You can use basically whatever you want for this project. Hardwood is a great option if you have access to it. Menards usually carries some. Otherwise, you can check the trim section of any local big box store and find some square stock, like clear pine, poplar, or oak.

We used some aged maple that we had sitting in the garage.

After cutting your board to size, you can machine the edges with a router if you’d like or just soften them with sandpaper.

Sand your board smooth (120 or 150 grit works well).

4. Cut your plugs (optional)

If you’re not able to position your hooks so that you can screw directly into the wall studs (see step 2), you can use your plug cutter to cut some plugs from your scrap pieces of wood and fill the hole. This is what we did. If you planned ahead and positioned the hooks just right, go ahead and skip this step.

Take your offcut and plug cutters and cut a few plugs. You’ll likely only need two, but go ahead and cut a few more. This way, you’ll have different options, so you can use the best plug that matches the grain where your screw hole is. We used a countersink drill bit which worked well with 3/8″ plug cutters. Otherwise, just use the appropriate drill bit for what size plugs you want to use with the plug cutter set.

To cut your plugs, drill most of the way through the wood. Then, take the board to a table saw to shave the back and cut the plugs out. If you have access to a bandsaw, that will work even better. Be sure to wear safety glasses, as these plugs like to fly out.

Another option is to cut your board thinner and drill all the way through with the plug cutter, but then you’ll just have to pull each plug out, which is a little more time consuming.

Take your plugs and sand a chamfer on the corners. This makes it easier to pop them into the hole.

5. Finish your materials

You can either finish your materials before or after installing it on the wall, depending on what product and method you want to use. We chose to spray ours, so we pre-finished the material before hanging.

Make sure to finish your plugs, too. You can stick them on some tape while you finish them.

Stain or polyurethane works well. If you don’t already have something on hand, General Finishes topcoat (flat) is a good product to use. Just follow the instructions on the can.

You could also opt for a solid color paint instead of stain or poly. A trim enamel paint like Sherwin Williams Emerald works well.

If you choose to finish after hanging, here’s a tip to make your plugs look more seamless:

Put the plugs in a little proud over your screw head
Sand them flush after you’ve mounted the board to the wall
Then, finish your hook board on the wall in place (make sure to tape off around it so you don’t get finish anywhere else).

This will ensure the plugs look much more seamless.

6. Installation

Time to install.

If you know your hooks will not land over the screws, it’s easier to install the hooks before hanging. Otherwise, you can do that step after hanging the board on the wall.

First thing, make sure you remember where your studs are. Then, transfer the location of the studs to your board (where you want the board to be placed on the wall).

Use your countersink drill bit (or other bit that will fit your plugs) to pre-drill.

Next, mount your hanger board to the wall, using your level to ensure it’s straight. We hung ours 63″ from the floor.

Next, take your finished plus and ensure that the depth of the screw from the outside face of the board has sufficient depth for the plug (so the plug isn’t proud). Otherwise, sand down the back side of the plug.

Spread some wood glue over the back of your plug and inside the hole. Titebond Quick & Thick is a good option that dries quickly and clear.