How to remove wood Polyfilla from a plasterboard wall?

[amySA]

Hi all,

My mother thought she was being helpful and used wood polyfiller to cover a few small holes on my walls. It is clumpy and wood coloured. (Stern words had and not allowed to diy anything in my home any more lol)

The walls are just standard and have a terrible builders paint on them (re-painting is a future task). 

Do I just attack this as a regular sanding job? 80 grit and work down and then re cover with the correct polyfillar to even out and repeat?  

Thanks in advance 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @amySA,

Some images of the areas would be helpful for our members when providing solutions as they would allow us to see exactly what you're working with.

If the wood filler is built up significantly from the surface, then knocking it back by sanding through the grits would be the correct approach. If this were a paintable filler, you'd likely be able to prime and then paint straight over it once you've corrected the height issue and smoothed the area. Of course, applying a skim coat of Polyfilla wouldn't hurt, either.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[amySA]

Thanks for your reply @MitchellMc 

This is the problem in question

 

 Few areas the same. The poly used is the Interior Timber Poly Filler available at bunnings 

[MitchellMc]

You're on the right track @amySA. Just give the areas a bit of a sand down until they are flush with the wall. A light skimcoat of Polyfilla and sand back again until smooth. Undercoat and then two topcoats. 

Mitchell