How to mount a towel bar
courtesy Colonial Bronze Company

Most towel bars use what is known as a “surface mounting.” Surface mounting is used when access to the back of the material to which a knob or pull is affixed is inaccessible, or when no visible mounting is desired. It is sometimes called a blind mounting because no visible means of mounting are evident.

The components of a surface mounting are as follows:

• An anchoring device, such as a wood screw (for use with solid wood), a toggle bolt (for use on thin substrates like tile or drywall), or a plastic or metal anchor (for use in thicker substrates).
• An aluminum bushing, or sleeve, used to create a post to which the hardware is mounted.
• A mounting rose, or washer, against which the bushing rests
• A set screw that goes through the side of the hardware and is tightened into the bushing to affix the hardware to the post
  

The components of a surface mounting are as follows:

• An anchoring device, such as a wood screw (for use with solid wood), a toggle bolt (for use on thin substrates like tile or drywall), or a plastic or metal anchor (for use in thicker substrates).
• An aluminum bushing, or sleeve, used to create a post to which the hardware is mounted.
• A mounting rose, or washer, against which the bushing rests .
• A set screw that goes through the side of the hardware and is tightened into the bushing to affix the hardware to the post.

The first step to making a surface mounting is to create a post projecting out from the surface to which the hardware is to be mounted

The second step is to slide the pull over the newly-created post. Then, using the small screw set at a right angle to the post, the pull is secured to post.