To remove the anchored brackets that hold wire shelves to the wall, it’s critical to first remove the screw or nail that holds the bracket to the wall. Attempting to remove the anchor and nail at once will damage your wall. Use a screwdriver or electric drill to reverse screws out of the brackets. If the anchors are nailed in place, use a flathead screwdriver, scraper, or pliers to extract the nail. Once the nail or screw has been removed, the anchor should pull free of the wall without causing damage.
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Can You Reuse Closetmaid Shelf Brackets?
If you follow our system for removing wire shelf brackets and anchors, they will be undamaged and suitable for reuse. This rule applies to most closet shelf systems, including Closetmaid. After uninstalling the shelves, you can re-install the wire shelf system in another closet or storage space.
- If Closetmaid shelf brackets are removed carefully they will be undamaged and ready for use elsewhere.
- To prevent damage, remove screws and nails before attempting to pull the wall clip loose from the wall.
- Avoid prying the brackets forcefully off the wall—this can result in damage.
The key to removing shelf brackets you intend to reuse is to work gently and remove hardware (screws and nails) before removing the bracket or wall anchor. The wall anchor is designed to spread outward and brace against the back of the wall when a screw or nail is inserted. Removing the hardware first allows the shelf anchor to fold back together and easily pull out of your wall.
Using force, such as prying the bracket off the wall with a hammer, is likely to damage the anchor too extensively to allow reuse. You will tear a hole in your wall and may crack or damage the shelf bracket itself.
How Do You Remove Wire Shelf Anchors? [5 Steps for Wire Shelf Removal]
Removing wire shelf anchors requires the proper removal of the shelving system itself. Below, we’ll walk through the process of removing wall shelves in a manner that prevents damage to your walls and the shelves themselves. For this job you will need:
- A Phillips head screwdriver or electric drill
- Flathead screwdriver
- Pair of square-nosed pliers, like these lineman’s pliers.
- Utility knife or scraper (optional)
This simple set of tools is all you need to get the job done right. Let’s jump in.
Remove Items From Shelves
Before you can begin removing the shelves, it’s essential to remove all the items currently resting on top of them. Move the items to a safe area outside the workspace. You’ll have an easier time removing the shelves if you have as much room as possible to work.
Remove Shelf Supports
Identify the angled shelf supports that run from the front of the shelf to the wall. Use your screwdriver or electric drill to back out the screw that holds each angled support to the wall. Then, unhook the support from the front of the shelf and set it aside.
Lift Shelves Off Brackets
If your shelf anchors have an open-top, your shelf will now be able to lift straight up, off the wall brackets and end brackets. If this is the case, remove the shelves themselves and put them aside. If your shelf anchors are designed so that you cannot remove the shelf without first removing the wall anchors, skip this step for now.
Remove End Brackets
If your shelf is installed where one or both ends meet a perpendicular wall, there may be end brackets installed to support the front of the shelf. These end brackets are typically secured to the perpendicular wall with 2–3 screws or nails.
- Locate the end brackets used to support the front of the shelf in some installations.
- If screws were used to hold the bracket in place, remove them with a screwdriver or drill.
- Remove nailed-on brackets using a flathead screwdriver to pry the nail out far enough that the head can be grasped with pliers for removal.
If you used screws, back them out with your screwdriver or drill. If you used nails during installation, use a flathead screwdriver to pry the nail out far enough to allow you to grasp the nail head with pliers and extract it. Then, the bracket should come free from the wall.
Remove Anchors and Wall Clips
Now, we’re ready to remove those pesky wire shelf anchors. In most cases, the shelf will be removed, and all you’ll be left with is a row of anchors along your back wall. To remove them:
- Locate the screw or nail that secures the anchor to the wall.
- If a screw was used, back it out using your screwdriver or drill.
- If a nail was used, pry it out from the wall clip using a flathead screwdriver, scraper, or utility knife.
- Once the nail has been pried outward far enough, grasp the head with pliers and pull the nail out.
- Remove the anchor itself only after the screw or nail has been removed.
The wall anchors used to hang wire shelves are designed to expand when a screw or nail is driven into them. If you try to remove the anchor without first removing the hardware, you will tear a large hole in your wall. Removing the screw or nail first ensures the removal will be easy, and wall damage can easily be patched and repainted.
How Do You Get Nail Anchors Out of the Wall When Removing Wire Shelves?
Although most wall anchors are installed with screws, making removal easy, some wire shelving systems are installed with nails instead of screws. If you encounter this, it’s important to work carefully. Pry the nail out and away from the plastic clip far enough that you can grasp the head of the nail with pliers. Then, pull straight out. Using a hammer or pry bar to remove these nails by force can dent or damage your wall.
- Remove nails from wire shelving wall clips by prying the nail away from the clip, then extracting the nail with pliers.
- Do not use a hammer or crowbar at any point in the process—prying nails out this way risks damage to your wall.
- Some nails used to hold wall anchors may have screwlike heads. If they do not back out when a screwdriver is used, pry them out and use pliers to fully remove them.
It’s important to note that some nails used to install wire shelves have a single slit in the nailhead, implying you can remove them with a flathead screwdriver. Usually, removing these nails with a screwdriver is not possible. The nails have very fine threads and spin in place. For these nails, employ the same pry-and-extract method used for standard nails.
