Need to remove oak mantel piece which is gorilla glued in place

Hi

I've got an oak mantel that I want to remove from the wall without damaging the plaster as much as possible.

The wall is dot and dab.

The mantel piece is attached to some clips that screwed into the brick wall, which it would just lift off but lifting it vertically upward, however it was also glued with gorilla glue to the wall.

I want to get it off with the minimum possible amount of damage. Obviously the wall surface where the glue has contacted it will get damaged but I'd like to keep the damage to just that if possible. Anyone got any ideas?
The only idea I've had so far is to hit it with a sledge hammer swinging upward from underneath, but I'm worried that doing so completely destroy the plasterboard (the wall is dot and dab).
Just a reminder that any solution to this is going to need to involve moving the mantel piece upward first because of the metal clips on the back of it

If anyone has any better ideas for getting it off I'd love to hear from you

Cheers

as an option use a multi tool to cut the plasterboard around the mantel and glue, this will mean the rest of the wall will stay intact, then can just get a small bit of plasterboard and fix in place, bit of tape and filler around the cut and your good to go.

sxturbo said:

as an option use a multi tool to cut the plasterboard around the mantel and glue, this will mean the rest of the wall will stay intact, then can just get a small bit of plasterboard and fix in place, bit of tape and filler around the cut and your good to go.

Click to expand...

Thanks sxturbo - you've got me thinking there, if I cut out the plasterboard as you say I'll still have the problem that the mantel needs to lift upward first before coming away from the wall because of the metal clips, however I could probably get a longer multi tool blade and cut between the mantel and the wall

How high does the mantel need to lift?

As long as there are no screws or bolts in the way a flexible pull saw like this should get behind the shelf to cut the glue. I have used one where a basin was siliconed to the wall.

They are brilliant for all sorts of difficult jobs.

Lots around Screwfix Amazon etc.

https://www.building-supplies-onlin...ll-saw-240mm-91-2in-7-17-tpi-irw10505164.html

sxturbo said:

How high does the mantel need to lift?

Click to expand...

probably a bit less than an inch from memory

Hacksaw blade or there is a flexible pullsaw on offer at Lidl next Sunday for £5.99