Methods On How To Successfully Remove Anchors From the Wall

If you’ve ever undertaken a home improvement project, you know how essential wall anchors are for mounting TVs, shelves, frames, and other decor securely. Anchors can bear heavy weight in areas of drywall that don’t have studs, and they come in multiple forms. Once you’re ready for a fresh look or wanting to rearrange your space, however, anchor removal can pose a challenge.

We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of efficient and hassle-free methods to remove or recess these anchors, patch the unsightly holes they leave behind, and prepare your wall for a seamless makeover! 

Before You Remove Drywall Anchors

There are multiple types of removable drywall anchors. These include sleeve anchors, molly bolts, and toggle bolts. They all leave larger holes in walls than basic nails or screws do, and when you’re removing anchor bolts in particular, you’ll need to consider a few things before starting the job.

1. How you want to remove the anchor. There are multiple methods we’ll outline below, and each one could serve you well, depending on the individual anchor or situation.
2. How much patching up and repainting you plan to do. If you’ll be repainting a room, plan on budgeting enough time to patch up any holes with spackle before priming and painting. Plan on letting the spackle dry completely before applying paint!
3. What size drill bit to use. Certain methods require drill bits to unscrew both the screws inside the anchor and the anchor itself. You’ll need the right size of bit to get the job done.
4. Consider future wall anchors. You can plan your room’s new look based on what anchors you might want to use to rehang your heavier items. You’ll ideally want to use anchors that can be installed easily and removed easily.

How To Remove Wall Anchors In 5 Ways

There are multiple options for removing anchor bolts—just pick the best ones for your space! 

Option 1: Recess the anchor into the wall 

This is often the best way to remove drywall anchors—if you can get away with it! With a cutting edge on your drill, score the edges of the drywall around the anchor. Then place a screwdriver over the anchor, ideally one with a wider head. Tap it lightly with a hammer until it recedes into the wall enough to be covered by spackle. Just make sure the anchor isn’t in the exact spot where you’ll need to place another anchor later on. 

Option 2: Pull the anchor out with pliers

This is the next easiest method for removing wall anchors, particularly if you can grab them with pliers. You might be wondering: Can you unscrew a screw from an anchor? The answer is yes, but it might damage the anchor. Once you’ve removed the screw, however, simply grab the anchor tightly with pliers and pull until the anchor comes out of the wall.

Option 3: Twist the anchor out

This is a great option when you’re trying to figure out how to remove screw anchors. With a screwdriver that fits tightly into the anchor’s opening, use a hammer to tap it further in until it’s tight enough to turn with the screwdriver. Turn the screwdriver counterclockwise, and pull outward until the anchor becomes loose enough to extract.

Option 4: Cut the anchor out

If the anchor won’t budge, consider cutting through the drywall around it and pulling that small section of wall out. You’ll need to repair the wall by spackling over the hole—see below for more details!

Option 5: Score the drywall, and push the anchor into the wall

You can also score the area of drywall around the anchor before hammering the anchor through the wall so it falls between the studs (where no one will ever notice!). It can help to find a nail with a head that’s larger than the anchor’s opening and use it to drive the anchor (and possibly the scored drywall around it) through the wall. You’ll once again need to patch up the wall.

Patching The Drywall

When you’re ready to patch up the hole in your wall where the anchor was, you’ll have a few options depending on how you removed the wall anchor:

1. Flatten the edges of the hole.

   Whether you’ve recessed the anchor slightly or created a full hole in your wall, make sure the edges are flush with the rest of the drywall. 

2. Spackle the hole.

   Use criss-cross motions when applying spackle, and apply enough so that you can fill the hole and flatten the excess spackle against the wall.

3. Allow the spackle to dry overnight.

   This step is important to ensure the hole is repaired properly! 

4. Sand and paint the spackle.

   Once the spackle is dry, sand it with medium-grit sandpaper. After removing any dust you create, cover the hole with paint (or primer if you’re planning to paint the whole room). 

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As you can see, learning how to remove wall anchors isn’t difficult, but the actual process of doing it can take time. If you don’t want to remove your drywall anchors alone, consider hiring a Tasker today