How do I remove shelving hardware?

November 16, 2006 6:48 PM

How do I remove shelving hardware?

I want to remove some Closetmaid shelving from a laundry room. I didn't install the shelving, so I'm not 100% certain about the mounting hardware. Some of the anchors used to install the shelving appear to be a modified toggle bolt (see the "Drywall" section here). What's the modification on the tried and true toggle bolt? You can't unscrew the thing. The head of the bolt is smooth, preventing you from unscrewing the bolt and letting the anchor fall behind the wall. I'm hoping there's a way to remove the bolt other than using a crowbar because that would enlarge the holes in the wall.

Does anyone have any experience removing this hardware? Or have I misidentified what I'm working with?

posted by clearlynuts to home & garden (6 comments total)

This would be a little easier to answer if we had pictures.
posted by EastCoastBias at 7:19 PM on November 16, 2006

I think you just pull the pins straight out with pliers.
Remove the hardware then the plastic bits should come out.
posted by Fins at 7:26 PM on November 16, 2006

Can you get a pair of Vise-Grips around the head of the bolt? If that doesn't work, grind a gash out of the head of the bolt with a Dremel and use a flathead screwdriver.

If you don't have either of those, go get them. As soon as you have them you will wonder how you did household chores without them.
posted by Uncle Jimmy at 7:31 PM on November 16, 2006

Ditto what Fins said. The ClosetMaid wall anchors I've used looked like this, and you just pushed the pin into the anchor to cause the "wings" of the anchor to flip out.
posted by jferg at 7:53 PM on November 16, 2006

Update, I just removed a pin and some twisting is required.

They are not threaded, just twist back and forth to overcome friction.

Most any pliers will do.
posted by Fins at 8:04 PM on November 16, 2006

If they are toggle bolts that expand behind the wall and are threaded for a screw to hold the shelf bracket, you can't remove them without making a pretty ugly hole. Easiest thing is to hammer them slightly below the wall surface (be careful not to use too much force), then spackle and repaint.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:38 AM on November 17, 2006