Do you want to know how to remove a toggle bolt?
Fixing components onto cavity walls is one of the processes that will still catch out even seasoned professionals. This is why toggle bolts are so widely available. They provide extremely effective fixings in cavity walls.
That said, you must be very accurate when installing toggle bolts, otherwise, they must be removed. If this is needed, this article will explain how to do it.
Can Toggle Bolts Be Removed Easily?
If all processes are correctly followed, then toggle bolts can be removed easily. However, there are some variables that mean removing a toggle bolt is not always straightforward.
Unfortunately, unlike a molly bolt, a toggle bolt can’t be reused after it is removed. A new toggle is needed for the bolt because removing it causes the toggle to fall into the cavity of a wall.
The actual process of removing a toggle bolt is very similar to a screw. Simple spin the bolt anti-clockwise until it disengages the toggle and component.
How to Remove a Toggle Bolt
To remove a toggle bolt, simply follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Gather the Necessary Tools
Before getting started, you will need to make sure you have the following:
- PPE including steel toe cap boots
- Screwdriver
- An item to take the weight of the component or an assistant
- Filler (optional)
- Scraper (optional)
Step 2: Support the Weight of the Component
As you loosen the toggle bolt, the component will be fixed less securely to the wall. Either place a strong item underneath the component, that will take the weight of it, or get an assistant to hold the component in place.
Step 3: Loosen the Bolts
Insert the screwdriver into the head of the bolt. Carefully, with even pressure, turn the bolt anti-clockwise. Spinning the bolt in this direction loosens it. Eventually, the toggle that is engaged on the other side of the wall will fall off the thread of the bolt. When this happens, the bolt can be pulled from the wall and component.
Step 4: Secure the Component in a Safe Place
With the toggle bolt removed, the component is now loose and unsafe. Make sure to move the component into a secure position, where it won’t fall and damage itself or other people.
Step 5: Repair Any Holes in the Wall (Optional)
If the wall is to be left bare, then the holes from the bolts need repairing. To do this, take a scoop of filler with the scraper and push the filler into the hole. You want to leave the filler higher than the surface of the wall. Wait for the filler to dry, then sand it flat with low grit sandpaper, around 120.
Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks
There are some things you can do to make this process much easier. Below we explain some tips and tricks, as well as mistakes to avoid.
1. Keep Pressure on the Toggle
You have to keep pressure on the toggle whilst removing it. This can seem quite counterintuitive, but without keeping pressure on the toggle, it will spin in the hole and not loosen on the thread.
There are multiple techniques to do this and it might take some trial and error to find the one which works for you best. However, you can use either the claw end of a clawhammer or a cat’s paw to do this. Insert the hammer or cat’s paw around the back of the bolt head and gently leaver it outwards. Simultaneously, turn the bolt head anti-clockwise with the screwdriver.
2. There Is a Plan B
Sometimes removing a toggle bolt doesn’t always go to plan. If the steps outlined above don’t work, there is another option, but it is more fiddly. Avoid this plan if you can.
Drill off the head of the bolt with a metal drill bit. This will take quite a long time. But the result is that the head of the bolt drops off and you can push the thread of the bolt through the component and into the wall cavity.
3. Match the Screwdriver to the Bolt Head
To successfully remove a toggle bolt, you need to match the screwdriver to the bolt head. This means getting a screwdriver bit that is the same shape as the pattern in the bolt head. The most common screwdriver heads are Pozi, Phillips, and flathead.
If you don’t get the right screwdriver, or even the right size, you will strip the head of the bolt, or not be able to turn it at all. If this happens, you will have to resort to Plan B, which we discussed above.
4. Undo Multiple Bolts Evenly
This point is less relevant if the component is properly supported. However it is good practice, so try to follow it if you can. If there are multiple bolts to remove, you want to try and loosen them evenly. This means turning one bolt slightly, then the next, then the next, until all bolts are completely removed.
The purpose of this is to not put too much pressure on any one single point on the wall. If each bolt is removed one by one, the last bolt has a lot of force running through it. The danger here is either the bolt failing, but more likely that you will pull a hole out of the wall.
Summary
Removing toggle bolts is a fairly straightforward process if you follow closely follow the steps outlaid above. The trick is to support the component and keep the toggle engaged so the thread will turn through it.
If you follow these steps, you should be able to accomplish the task without many difficulties.
In case you need to use this type of fastener elsewhere, read my article about how to install a toggle bolt.