En Suite Reno Part III: Prepping the Walls for Painting and How to Remove Drywall Anchors

Our en suite walls were littered with probably over 20 of these randomly placed drywall anchors.  Needless to say, they all had to be removed prior to painting.  Here are some instructions on how to prep your walls for painting and how to remove drywall anchors.

Supplies:

• Eye Protection
• Dust Mask
• Drill
• Flathead Screwdriver
• Drywall Putty
• Drywall Spatula
• Sandpaper
• Wet/Dry Vacuum

Instructions:

1.  Find a drill bit big enough to carve out the inside of the drywall anchor.  We used a 13/16 drill bit.  Hint:  You must use a drill bit made for metal.  When in doubt, use a larger drill bit.

2.  Drill out the middle of the drywall anchor.  Hint:  You should always wear eye protection when using power tools.

3.  The flange should pop out when using a flathead screwdriver.  If it does not, use a larger drill bit.

4.  Using sandpaper, clean up the rough spots.

5.  Fill the holes with drywall putty and scrape off excess. Allow to dry for approximately 24 hours.  Hint: The putty inside the hole takes a longer time to dry, so while it may seem dry on the outside, it probably isn't.

6.  Sand the drywall putty and apply a second coat.  Allow to dry (this will take less time than before) and sand again.  Hint:  You should definitely wear a dust mask for this step.

7.  Wipe walls clean and vacuum the dust.  Hint: When vacuuming drywall dust, always use a vacuum that is rated for drywall dust (ex. wet/dry vacuum with a fine dust bag).