Narrow heated towel rails buying guide
A narrow heated towel rail is under 500mm wide, so it fits the walls that a standard ladder cannot: beside a door, between a vanity and a shower screen, or in a powder room. For most small bathrooms the right call is a tall narrow ladder if the ceiling is high, or one to three vertical single bars if the wall is only a hand-width wide. Every rail in this collection is dry electric. This guide sets out the sizes, power types and installation with the specifications of the rails on this page.
Narrow rails by shape and size
| Rail | Size | Power and rating | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Bar ladder | 400mm wide, 1120mm high, 122mm deep | 240V, 65 watts, IP55 | A small bathroom with a high ceiling |
| 10 Bar ladder, straight round | 450mm wide | 240V | A tall wall that is only a little wider than a single bar |
| 10 Bar ladder, square | 450mm wide, 1200mm high | 240V, 89 watts, IP55 | A shared bathroom with limited width |
| 12V vertical single bar, round or straight | 142mm wide, 900mm high, 100mm deep | 12V, 30 watts, IP55 | A narrow wall beside a door or vanity |
| 12V straight square vertical | 42mm wide, 900mm high, 100mm deep | 12V, 30 watts, IP55 | The slimmest square bar |
| 12V flat pill vertical | 50mm wide, 900mm high, 50mm deep | 12V, 20 to 25 watts, IP55 | A wall where projection matters |
| 240V vertical single bar | 142mm wide, 900mm high | 240V, 20 watts, IP65 | A narrow wall where a transformer is not wanted |
| 12V horizontal single bar | 450mm long | 12V, 14 watts, IP45 | A short low wall, in a set of three or more |
The Thermogroup 8 Bar 400mm ladder suits smaller bathrooms with high ceilings, so it is the one to look at first if the wall is narrow but tall. A ladder gives a towel more contact with the heated bars than a single bar does, so it dries and warms a towel better. A vertical Thermorail heats to around 35 degrees, and a towel placed over the bars insulates the rail and lifts the temperature under the towel to between 50 and 55 degrees. A single bar has less surface contact than a ladder, so it dries a towel less well. Use one bar per towel.
Narrow does not have to mean one bar
Thermogroup single bars are sold individually and are designed to be installed in sets of three or more. A minimum of three single rails gives enough heated surface in contact with the towels to help them dry. They can be stacked to create a towel ladder look. A set of three 12V horizontal 450mm bars fits a 450mm wall and draws 42 watts in total. A set of three 142mm vertical bars side by side takes about 430mm of width plus spacing.
Each bar takes one towel. The straight round and straight square verticals include an optional towel hook that fits at the top of the rail, so one rail can carry a second towel.
12V or 240V
- 12V rails run from a transformer, which comes in the box with the Thermogroup 12V single bars. A 12V rail can go anywhere in the bathroom, including Zone 1, and it is hardwired with concealed wiring at the top or bottom mounting position. The 12 volt heated towel rails collection holds the full range.
- 240V rails connect straight to mains power with no transformer. The 8 Bar and 10 Bar ladders have Multiflex wiring, with a connection on the left and the right, and they mount either way up. They can be hardwired or plugged in. The 8 Bar is safe in Zone 2 and the outside zones. The 240V heated towel rails collection holds the mains-powered rails.
Settle the voltage and the wiring side before the wall is set out, because they decide where the cable and the transformer have to end up.
The in-wall panel for a very small wall
When there is no room for a visible rail, the Thermogroup Thermorad in-wall panel dries towels without one. It sits discreetly in the wall cavity behind a towel rail, robe hook or ladder. The large panel is 405mm wide and 1150mm high overall, with a heated area of 350mm by 930mm, and it is only 25mm thick. It has a maximum temperature of 50 degrees, draws 160 watts, has a 2 metre lead and runs on a programmable timer.
Installing a narrow rail
Have a qualified electrician install and test the rail. For a 240V Thermogroup ladder, these points apply:
- Mount it on a flat wall at least 600mm above the floor, with 300mm clear of permanent fixtures.
- Screw into studs where possible. On a hollow wall, use anchors suited to the load.
- Protect the rail with a suitably rated RCD circuit.
- Fit any timer or switch in the zone that suits its IP rating.
On a narrow wall, the 300mm clearance from permanent fixtures decides the placement, so measure it before choosing the rail. A rail is hot to the touch, so supervise young children near it.
What a narrow rail uses
Divide the rail's wattage by 1,000, then multiply by the hours it runs. A 14 watt horizontal bar running six hours a day uses 0.08 kilowatt-hours, and a 30 watt vertical uses 0.18. A 65 watt 8 Bar ladder uses 0.39, and an 89 watt 10 Bar uses 0.53. A rail should not run constantly, because heat builds up under the towel, and a timer keeps the running hours to the ones that count. The Thermogroup Eco Timer sits behind the switch plate and runs a 12-hour schedule, and the touchscreen timers set two heating periods a day across seven days. The controllers and thermostats and Thermogroup timers and thermostats collections hold them.
Finishes by rail
| Rail | Finishes in this collection |
|---|---|
| 12V round vertical | Brushed nickel, brushed gold, brushed stainless steel |
| 12V straight round vertical | Matte black, polished, brushed brass, gunmetal |
| 12V flat pill vertical | Polished stainless steel and matte black |
| 12V pastel verticals | Lilac Satin and Dusty Pink |
| 240V vertical | Stainless steel and matte black |
| 10 Bar ladder, 450mm | Matte black round, polished square |
| 8 Bar ladder, 400mm | Polished stainless steel |
The pastel Lilac Satin vertical is part of a pastel colour range, made for a bathroom with a pastel basin or accessories. The brushed nickel, black and brass and gold finish collections each narrow the choice across every width.
Which narrow rail suits which wall
- A 400mm wall that runs high: the 8 Bar ladder, 400mm by 1120mm.
- A 450mm wall in a shared bathroom: the 10 Bar ladder, 450mm by 1200mm.
- A wall about the width of one towel: a 142mm vertical bar, 900mm high, with a hook for a second towel.
- A wall where projection matters, such as a corridor-style ensuite: the 50mm flat pill vertical, 50mm deep.
- A short low wall: a 450mm horizontal bar, in a set of three.
- No wall to spare: the Thermorad in-wall panel behind an existing rail or hook.
Wiring by rail
The 8 Bar and 10 Bar ladders have Multiflex wiring, so the lead can leave from the left or the right and the rail can mount either way up. The 12V verticals have concealed wiring at the top or bottom mounting position. The Thin 240V vertical is hardwired only, with a top wiring position. The 12V horizontal has right-hand concealed wiring. Choose the cable side before the wall is lined, and check the lead length against the distance to the connection point.
Heating hours
The Eco Timer runs the rail for 1 to 11 hours at 50, 75 or 100 per cent heat, on the same schedule every morning and evening. The TRTS touchscreen timers let you program each day on its own, set all seven days the same, or set one schedule for weekdays and another for the weekend, with four switching times a day. The Portrait Boost Timer gives a boost of 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours and then switches off.
Wider options
If the wall is wider than 500mm, the 500mm to 599mm heated towel rails and 700mm to 799mm heated towel rails collections hold wider ladders, and the heated towel rails collection compares every size, finish and voltage together.
Sizing and what is in the box
Measure the wall before the rail. Overall size is the footprint on the wall, and the fixing distance is the distance between the mounts. They are different numbers: the 142mm round vertical is 900mm high with a fixing distance of 780mm, so set out the holes from the fixing distance and leave clear wall above and below. The 12V verticals come with a transformer and a fixing kit, the ladders come with a fixing kit, and the 10 Bar square ladder also includes a connection wire. Check the box contents against the wiring you already have. The 12V round verticals can be wired through the top or the bottom mounting position, so the cable can leave from whichever end suits the wall, and the transformer can then sit within 2 metres of the rail.
Care
Clean the rail with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive cleaner, because harsh scrubbing and acid cleaners mark the surface. Do not hang anything on the rail that has been in contact with oil, petroleum products or dry cleaning fluids.
