The new layout of a room generally leads to a radical change in its decoration. As a result, we end up with pegs on the wall that are no longer useful since the hanging objects and furniture are often moved or even removed. It is of course essential to remove all these pegs which no longer serve any purpose. A task that is not always easy for ordinary mortals when DIY is not one of their favorites. Let’s take a look at the technique to adopt for cleanly remove an old dowel of a wall or ceiling depending on its category.
Remove a multi-support anchor
To install this type of dowel we used a drill and a drill bit. It’s when you want to remove it that things get tough, because it’s ultimately a nearly impossible task to be carried out without damaging the wall. We therefore opt for another solution which simply consists in hide it permanently so that she is forgotten. The method is as follows:
- Push the multi-support plug deeper into the wall, either using a hammer or by hand, which is more or less difficult depending on the material in which the plug has been placed (placo, concrete block, stone, etc.) ,
- Apply filler to cover the ankle,
- Respect the drying time recommended by the manufacturer,
- Sand the coated area to obtain a perfectly smooth surface,
- Install the desired coating (wallpaper, paint) or make a careful connection if the rest of the wall has already been redone.
If we opted for the multipoint anchor because the object to be supported was heavy – radiator type for example -, it is of course necessary to hide each multi-support pin by repeating the operation described above as many times as necessary.
Removing a Molly Dowel or Expansion Dowel
The Molly dowel is installed with or without expansion pliers, depending on whether it is a classic, self-drilling or self-drilling dowel. To remove it, proceed as follows.
You must first remove the screw with a screwdriver (Phillips or flat) or with pliers. Then we must break the collar which keeps the ankle in place. A flat screwdriver can be used for this, which prevents the support from being damaged (Placoplâtre for example) and once the collar is broken, it is recovered with pliers. Finally, all that remains is to poke ankle molly with a screwdriver to make it completely disappear.
For the classic expansion anchor model, it is possible to break the collar after removing the screw, either with a drill equipped with a bit whose diameter is slightly larger than that of the dowel, or with a hammer. This last solution involves leaving the screw in place and tapping on the screw head in order to recover the knob after having disengaged it.
It’s up to everyone to see which solution suits them best for removing an old Molly peg from their wall. The main thing is to ensure do not damage the support wall. If, despite all the goodwill in the world, we are unable to remove the expansion pin, there are still two slightly more robust solutions, namely:
- In a dry room (excluding bathroom, shower room, kitchen), leave the old Molly in place (provided it does not protrude at all) and mask it with an acrylic sealant suitable for non-humid rooms.
- Remove only the screw, dig the wall slightly with a screwdriver to be able to insert the expansion plug so that it no longer protrudes from the wall, then fill in the hole thus made using a mastic for a dry room or a coated suitable for damp rooms.
And sanding required after drying in order to obtain an ultra-smooth support.
Remove a tapping dowel and a self-drilling dowel
These are two types of plugs that are easily installed with a screwdriver. Their removal generally poses no difficulty since it suffices to remove the screw in the same way to release the dowel.
Horizontal fixing: remove a spring pin or toggle pin
It is the pin which is posed with the drilling machine and whose wings are folded back so that the system is well locked. It is used for horizontal fixing. It allows for example to suspend a chandelier from the ceiling. If you want to replace this type of light with a more modern model, you must of course remove this plug when it is no longer useful. Again, this is not not always possible. We therefore proceed as for the Molly by trying to push the ankle a few millimeters so that it is no longer visible. At worst, it will be possible to hide it with a coating.
We can completely understand that coming up against this type of difficulty when doing work for the first time has something to do with it. destabilizeeven to discourage. But it is quite possible, even highly recommended, to entrust your work to a renovation professional who will know how to remove the old useless pegs before attacking the serious things and transform the living space in the most beautiful way. A online comparator enough to receive several free and non-binding quotes, allowing you to compare the prices of the services before choosing the solution that best suits you.