How to Toggle Bolts for Fiberglass Tub and Shower Surrounds

Use special anchor bolts to install towel bars and shelves in plastic or fiberglass showers and tubs.

About This Project

• Overview and Preparation

• How to Toggle Bolts for Fiberglass Tub and Shower Surrounds: Step-by-Step Instructions and Pictures

• See More Bathroom Projects

Fastening towel bars, shelves or hooks to a fiberglass or plastic shower surround can be tricky. The surround is simply too thin to hold screws and there’s often a gap of 1 in. or more between the surround and the wall studs behind it. But with 1/8-in. toggle bolts, you can mount most light-duty hardware (like the adjustable shower head bar shown here). Keep in mind that this leaves big holes (3/8 in.) in the surround that can’t be patched later, so anything you mount will have to stay there permanently. The mounting system shown here isn’t strong enough to support the full weight of a person, so we don’t recommend it for installing safety grab bars.

Everything you need is available at home centers and hardware stores.
Here are some pointers:

• Some areas of a fiberglass surround may be reinforced with plywood. After you mark the hole locations, drill 3/16-in. holes. If you strike plywood behind the fiberglass, you can drive in stainless steel screws instead of using toggle bolts. If you don’t hit plywood, drill 3/8-in. holes.

• When you’re drilling through the side of the surround where the shower valve is mounted, apply only light pressure as you drill. Otherwise, you might suddenly punch through the surround and puncture pipes.

• When you buy toggle bolts ($2 per pair), also buy brass machine screws ($1) to replace the steel screws that come with the toggles. Steel heads will rust and stain the surround.

• When you tighten the toggle bolts, it’s OK to use a drill. But do the final tightening by hand. Too much torque can crack the surround.