How to remove wall mount without damaging wall?

[Cliff_is]

I am about to pull my Panasonic plasma and wall mount off the wall and would like to avoid taking the paint, texture, and drywall with.

Even though I mounted 100's of TVs when I was an installer, I never learned a good method for removing them without causing damage to the wall.

Anyone have any advice?

If so, we can turn this into a quick article for the website as well... and I will be eternally (maybe not eternally) grateful.

 

[09 OrangeSRT]

I would suggest doing everything in reverse and do it slowly and carefully.
A little hole filler and touch up paint and you shouldn't see it was ever there.

 

[macddmac]

I like to use plywood between the mount and fished wall (no caulk) it keeps the load spread out. When removed, just fill the screw/ lag bolt holes.
Cheers, Mac
ps I put a bevel on the ply and paint it so it doesn't look like a$$

 

[Cliff_is]

I like to use plywood between the mount and fished wall (no caulk) it keeps the load spread out. When removed, just fill the screw/ lag bolt holes.
Cheers, Mac
ps I put a bevel on the ply and paint it so it doesn't look like a$$

Well, I just took the mount down and it came off without taking any paint with it.

Guess I was worried over nothing in this case.

But I know I have taken down a number mounts in the past that have essentially glued themselves to the wall. Maybe that was just on walls that had been recently painted. Or where the mount was tightened too much and had set there for a few years. hmmm.....

 

[slipperybidness]

Well, I just took the mount down and it came off without taking any paint with it.

Guess I was worried over nothing in this case.

But I know I have taken down a number mounts in the past that have essentially glued themselves to the wall. Maybe that was just on walls that had been recently painted. Or where the mount was tightened too much and had set there for a few years. hmmm.....

Probably it also depends on the quality of the paint.

 

[avengineer]

I recently took one down that took not only the paint, but the paper surface of the wall board. It could be the type of paint and how dry it was when the mount was put up. Usually fixing a wall is not killer expensive, especially if you might want to re-paint anyway. The hard ones are textured walls, but they are also less prone to stick.

 

[Cliff_is]

I recently took one down that took not only the paint, but the paper surface of the wall board. It could be the type of paint and how dry it was when the mount was put up. Usually fixing a wall is not killer expensive, especially if you might want to re-paint anyway. The hard ones are textured walls, but they are also less prone to stick.

That's what I'm talking about!

It's not so bad if it's your home. But what if it's a client's home who was promised, "oh sure, they can just take that TV down." Then you take half the wall with it.

I wonder if sticking some sort of wax paper or carboard behind it would prevent this from happening....