How to remove screws which have been painted over

by **thezillionthsue** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:23 pm

Years ago a builder painted over some shelf brackets in my living room - including painting over the screws. With emulsion paint :shock:

I have tried everything I know to get the screws out so I can remove the brackets - which are metal. I have chipped away at the paint for hours, tried an electric screwdriver, you name it :evil:

Is there some special tool I could hire, or can anyone suggest anything? I don't want shelves there anymore, I have taken the shelves off but now there are metal brackets sticking into the room which I have had to hang a scarf over so noone pokes their eye out on them :shock:

Would be REALLY grateful for some advice! If the worst comes to the worst I guess I will have to wrench the brackets and screwss out of the wall somehow and have the wall replastered :shock:

AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH !!!!!!

by **thedoctor** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:41 pm

Make sure the slot or cross head of the screw is cleaned right out and then ask at your local tool hire shop for an impact driver. This is a very solid looking screwdriver which, when placed in the head of the screw, you hit hard with a hammer. The internal mechanism of the screwdriver twists under the impact forcing the blade to turn the screw.

by **thezillionthsue** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:24 pm

Thanks, that's very helpful :)

by **stevenc1603** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:36 pm

If that fails then you could drill out the head of the screws.

by **thezillionthsue** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:23 am

[quote="stevenc1603"]If that fails then you could drill out the head of the screws.[/quote]

Sorry to be dense, but how would I do that (would I need a special kind of drill) and do you mean the brackets would then come out of the wall because the head of the screw wasn't there but the rest of the screw would stay in the wall to be plastered over???

by **toptips** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:01 pm

whats left of the screw once the head has been drilled out can be removed by turning it with pliers or grips.might not be easy as the pliers need to be held tightly. you could also get a hacksaw blade,wrap a bit of cloth or kitchen roll around one end to protect your hand and cut off the rest of the screw level with wall,repair any marks on the wall with filler.

by **stevenc1603** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:29 pm

A normal drill bit designed for metal should take care of the average screw.

If possible use a punch to create something for the bit to centre on otherwise it will run away all over the place.

Once you have the head off you can either unscrew the remaining bit if you can grab it with something or use a hammer with or without the punch and drive it further in until you can patch over it.

HTH

by **chris_on_tour2002** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:29 pm

just using a normal screwdriver in the slot a couple of firm taps with a hammer will clear the hole and loosen the screw enough to turn. i often do this first, before splashing out on tools. more often than not its all thats needed. often come across this problem when trying to remove doors when the hinges have been painted.