How to remove old square nails from floor?

[dmdm272]

Hi, hope you can help. I have tongue and groove floorboards held at the joists by these big rectangular nails.

They have a rectangular head with a kind of slight notch in one end creating a little "hook". I've never seen them before (hence the overly long description) but the same things held on my skirting boards so I assume they are a standard thing and those in the know will know what I'm talking about!

My problem is that they are a bugger to get out and I'm destroying my floorboards trying.

I've watched a few videos and read a few articles on techniques to remove floorboards but they all had normal nails in them and no one had these monster nails so none of the normal techniques worked.

Are there any tricks to getting them out without totally ruining my floorboards? A lot of them are slightly under the surface so I can't get hold of them with anything and if I lever up the board a bit and then knock it back down (which caused the head of "normal" nails in the videos to stick out a bit for easy retrieval) these monster nails just stay stuck in the wood and don't budge!


Any help much appreciated, I'm getting absolutely nowhere at the moment.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Why don't you use a nail punch and punch them through the floor board into the joist.

Andy

 

[Jackrae]

Sounds like your nails are the old style "cut" nails. One technique is to use a hollow drill, such as a hole saw, to cut around the nail. This then permits the board to be lifted with "minimal" cosmetic damage (apart from somewhat large holes all over the place). These can then be filled with plugs of similar wood or epoxy filler. With the board lifted, the nails can then be removed from the joists by conventional means.

 

[dmdm272]

Thanks for quick replies guys!

Can't knock them through I'm afraid Andy. I tried that but they are too big and "notched".

I think I may have to use the hole drill....unless anyone else has any ideas?

 

[foxhole]

They are standard flooring cut nails.You have to cut away T&G with a saw first and remove a board, then you can lift boards with leverage and remove nails.
You need correct tools.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-55-515-Wonder-Bar/dp/B00002X1XT/ref=pd_sim_diy_2/280-2417573-9440529

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-3603...04AOCZXM/ref=pd_sim_diy_1/280-2417573-9440529

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-N...ef=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=diy&qid=1275133086&sr=1-3

 

[dmdm272]

Wow thanks a lot for tips and links. Will get ordering and get started!

 

[gregers]

as above.cut through the tongues and then using bolster/chisel genty lift the boards.
once lifted you will find if your lucky that some nails will come up with the board.for the ones that dont either,using a block of wood and hammer to take them out,or just knock the nails side to side and they will snap at the joist.

 

[dmdm272]

Thanks all for the tips. Once I found out about cutting the T&G I stopped knackering the boards and got it all up...still took about 30mins per board though!

 

[smp50]

My entire house seems to have been built with those nails. Unless the wood had rotted or otherwise failed around the nail then I had to lift the whole floorboard up and then knock them out from the other side. If you're lifting boards then isn't that OK to do anyway?

 

[ldoodle]

They're the work of the devil. My original skirtings had them as well and when you pull them out of a wall, a giant round of plaster comes with it.

I've had success using something similar to Jackrae's method, but I use a normal wood bit (not spade), so the bit only just misses the nail. Do this all around and only go just past the depth of the nail head (not all the way through).

You should then be able to get the claw side of a hammer under the nail head and pull out.

I then filled in with wood filler, because I'm anal like that!

However, writing my method down clearly shows it to be longer than Jackrae's method - I didn't have a small enough holesaw bit but will now be buying one, and filling the holes while the board is up temporarily capping off one side with some scrap.

Alternatively you can replace the board with new - cut to size.