How to remove an built-in shelf?

johnpyt

I'm a complete beginner, but keen to tackle DIY around the house.

We have these existing inbuilt shelves, and I'm wondering on the best way to remove.

The rails can be unscrewed.

Should I just smack it with a mallet from the bottom?

If we can preserve the wall/some paint, that would be ideal, but it's not a big deal.

We plan to replace the existing with a new shelving unit.

Any advice is appreciated!!

I have uploaded some images of the shelving. 

EricL

Hello @johnpyt 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about removing your inbuilt shelf.

I'm a great believer in recycling especially when it comes to timber. You may at some point be able to use these shelves either in your garage, laundry or even inside a cabinet. I propose using your fingers to feel where the screws are located on the shelf panels. If that does not work, I suggest using a rare earth manet to try and locate their position. Once you find the screws, you can then remove the shelves without destroying them and the wall will not be damaged a great deal.

Another technique you can try is to place a 70x35 piece on the edge of the shelf and hitting that with a hammer instead of the shelf itself. This is to prevent damaging the surface of the melamine panel. Once the screws pull out it will give you a better idea of where the rest of the screws are located on the panel.  

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric