How to take down a flat roof - Help Please!

[TimPhelps]

Hi,

I'm wanting to knock down my garage. The bitumen is off the roof and I am left with hundreds of nails attaching the roofing boards to the beams. I'm hoping to reuse the beams. My problem is that each nail is nigh on impossible to prise free with a crowbar.

Can anyone recommend a technique that would be safe and quicker? Would it be quicker to drill around the nail heads? Cut the boards into sections? Are there any specialist tools for this?

Cheers

Tim

 

[kevindgas]

circular saw the boards between the joists and then prise the board off? if you only want the joists that is!

 

[Xenon]

Knock upwards from underneath.

 

[TimPhelps]

Thanks for the suggestions. Just to let future readers know, the best thing I found was to invest in a heavy duty nail puller for about £30. Once you get the hang of it, it takes nails out in one action, digging into the wood and gripping the nail as you lever it out. This way I can take down the roof and prep the beams without making it into two jobs.


Cheers