Okay that title didn't quite come out right. Here's the thing, I look through the screwfix catalogue and find tons of screws for wood, masonry, speciality. But what about bog standard screws for putting into a wall plug ? I found self tappers but that just doesn't seem right, is there a specific screw for wall plugs a sort of jack of all trades ? can a wood screw be used with a wall plug ? are razor sharp, twin shanked, ribbed countersunk wax coated screws suitable ? seems like overkill to me.
General screwing advice
- Thread starter PhilipClarke
- Start date
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Ah ha, and bearing in mind my recent disaster with wall plugs coming out, some are still in, what is the cleanest way to remove a wall plug, I have not only my own but legacy plugs from the former owners, some of which are broken in four directions, with my own new Uno plugs, I found that on some screwing in enough not to expand the plug and the a firm tug was enough, but with other ones that have been split, I've tried putting in a HSS drill bit and drilling it out but it tends to skittter damaging surrounding paint work etc.. I've also tried using a small wood drill bit which appears slightly more successful but there does still tend to be skitter.
Essentially you can use any type of screw you like to go into a wall plug - but you dont need the razor sharp types as these are designed to go into timber without a pilot drill.
Self tapping screws work well, too - in fact anything with a deep spiral thread.
As for getting unused plugs out, you have tried all of the usual techniques - often they are best left in. However, drilling them away with an HSS jobber drill is best. Sometimes they just pull out, sometimes pliers help also. So long as the head is below the surface of the wall, you can get cracking with the filler afterwards.
John
Self tapping screws work well, too - in fact anything with a deep spiral thread.
As for getting unused plugs out, you have tried all of the usual techniques - often they are best left in. However, drilling them away with an HSS jobber drill is best. Sometimes they just pull out, sometimes pliers help also. So long as the head is below the surface of the wall, you can get cracking with the filler afterwards.
John
Use a offcut of timber and make up timber plugs , hammer into you existing plugs and you wont need to remove.
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not quite sure how that works with a plug sticking a couple of millimetres from the wall, the former occupants has a habit of not drilling hole deep enough and the still screwing things in so leaving fragmented wall plugs protruding. Oh here's an idea, could the plugs be sanded down ? the wall will need sanding when the plaster/ filler has gone on anyway.
A
Alarm
Sharp chisel, run it over and then its flush.
That be courting disaster, I'll be the one with the one foot chisel gouge needing plastering over.
Plastic plugs don't sand well, you need to get them below the surface, so drill them out or twist and pull with some side cutting pliers. You'll get there.....!
John
John
I find that if you partiall insert a longer screw by hand unto the plug and then get a pair of long nosed pliers or whatever you have to grip the screw and the end onto a block of wood you can usually lever the plug out without to much damage.
That, except I use a claw hammer. Fast and doesn't damage the plaster as with the screws only in a little way, they aren't clamped to the side.
Redundant plugs should be 'punched' just below the plaster surface (1mm maybe) the SHALLOW depression then filled. Trying to pull out a redundant plug (whatever method is used) is asking for the surrounding plaster to pull away .... resulting in a bigger repair job. The punch should be the same diameter as the plug ... if you don't have a set of punches then a short length of steel rod will do. Tip: a countersunk woodscrew with it's head placed against the plug and the sharp end tapped with the hammer makes a decent substitute punch.
If the plug's position has to be used again then drill the old one out with a Jobbers twist drill ... this beast will cleanly cut away the plastic of the plug.
If the plug's position has to be used again then drill the old one out with a Jobbers twist drill ... this beast will cleanly cut away the plastic of the plug.
Screw in a short distance then use a claw hammer to lever the whole lot out, make sure the hammer is bearing down on something like a piece of timber to protect the plaster. It always works though sometimes brings out a chunk of plaster.
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