Vent Pipe in the way

[briansweat]

We're remodeling our master bathroom and purchasing hardware now. We have a 72" double vanity with two mirrors. The space between the mirrors is perfect for a small, round hand towel rack, but here's the problem. The vent pipe is directly in the middle of the wall/vanity

Photo Before drywall:


I didn't want to mess with the vent, so I was planning to relocate the towel rack, but I really want it in the middle. There isn't much room on the left due to switches, an outlet and the left sconce light.

So, my question is, how should I mount a towel rack directly in front of the vent pipe? The drywall is ~3/8 inch off the pipe, not much room to work there.

It doesn't seem likely that any sewer gas would leak from a single screw hole. Also, I don't think there would ever be any water/waste at that height. The towel rack would be 4ft off the floor.

It's a one-story house and we haven't had any backed up sewer lines in the 8.5 years we've lived here.

Am I crazy to even be thinking about possibly screwing into the vent pipe? If not, what type of screw (coating) would be the best to avoid corrosion? I could pre-drill the hole to avoid splitting the PVC pipe and maybe dab some silicone on the pre-drilled hole before driving the screw in.

 

[Terry]

You are crazy for wanting to screw into a pipe.
Run to the store, and pick up some fititngs, pipe, primer and glue. Offset the pipe around where you will be installing the mirror.
Pick up two 45 bends and one 90 bend. That would be the least amount of fittings. Or you can use four 90 bends, or four 45 bends.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[briansweat]

You are crazy for wanting to screw into a pipe.

Thanks! I really just needed someone to say that.

Of course, the drywall is already installed

I'm already looking at an alternative to the vent problem. 99.9% of hand towel holders are "rings", but I did find a couple that have two mounts, one on each end of a 9-10" rod. or one of these european toilet paper holders with a mount on one side and a hook for the towel

 

[Cacher_Chick]

Use a towel hangar that does not require any screws dead center.

Alternatively, mount a nice looking wood backer to the wall and attach the towel hangar to that.

 

[Willie Two]

None of my business but is that 1 1/2 pipe sealed into the larger pipe?

 

[Terry]

You may want to use a drywall anchor, then you only go in so far, and the screw doesn't even touch the pipe.
In fact, the pipe has been installed toward the back of the stud wall, which is pretty normal. Plumbers like to run the waste toward the back, and then run the copper on the front face, and then nail plate.
I would go ahead and install the towl ring with the anchor.

 

[ilya]

I would try a toggle bolt if you can-plastic drywall anchors tend to come loose pretty quick on towel bars.

 

[Dlarrivee]

I would have provided some backing to anchor into before drywalling.

What was the point of posting a picture of a stud wall, and then saying it's already been covered up 2 hours later?