How to Remove Dry Wall Plugs

Drywall plugs or anchors are an excellent tool to use when hanging heavier objects on drywall. These anchors help secure heavy objects from falling or pulling regular nails out of drywall. Drywall anchors are inserted into a hole in drywall and then have a screw inserted into them. When the screw is screwed into the anchor, the grips or arms of the anchor expand inside the interior of the wall to cover more area and create a stronger hold within the wall. Although these plugs are very useful, there may be need to remove one of these plugs from your drywall.

Step 1 – Remove the Screw

The first thing to do when removing a drywall plug or anchor from your wall is to first remove the screw from the middle of the plug. To remove it, use your screwdriver to unscrew the screw and remove it from the anchor. Some newer anchors are designed to collapse inside the wall and fall into the wall cavity. Once the screw is removed from the plug with this design, the inside grips of the plug will fall away, only leaving the head of the plug to be removed.

Step 2 – Remove Paint

If your plug has paint on or around it, you need to loosen the paint. Using your utility knife, place the sharpest point of the knife between the plug and wall and trace around the plug. This will break the seal between the wall and the plug that the paint created.

Step 3 – Pull Up the Plug

Now you need to loosen the plug slightly from the interior of the wall. You can use the same edge of the utility knife and wedge it under the bottom part of the plug. Pull up lightly just enough to raise the plug a small bit from the wall.

Step 4 – Remove the Plug

Now you are ready to remove the plug from the wall. Using your needle nose pliers, get a firm grip on the plug where you raised it from the wall. As you pull the plug out slowly, wiggle it slightly back and forth to help it loosen from behind the wall. Make sure you move slowly, steadily, and easily to prevent breaking the plug. If the plug does happen to break or a small piece of the plug is left in the wall, simply grasp that piece with the needle nose pliers and pull it out as well.

Step 5- Repair the Hole

Now that the plug is out of the wall, you need to repair the hole left in its place. In order to repair the hole left by the plug, you need to fill it with spackle. Take your spackle and put a small pea-sized amount directly over the hole. By using your putty knife, smooth the spackle over the hole and even with the wall. Once the spackle has dried, you can paint the spackle to match the remainder of your wall.