Taking up floor boards

[MANDATE]

Taking up floor boards is not as easy as you may think.
I would not use a wood chisel for leverage, they are hardened and brittle.
You'll never cut through the centre of a joist with panal saw, in fact you won't cut through the side of a joist unless you've already removed the adjacent board.
You can get floorboard saws that are curved (but useless)
You have to consider what might be underneath where you intend to cut, pipes or electric cable. You may have to destroy one board to get access to ensure all is clear.
Two tools that make it easier. A nail extractor and even that causes some damage down the sides of nails. A circular saw set to a depth 2mm less than board thickness. This also needs special care. Nails must be avoided and the saw will kick back unless controlled. I screw a block of wood to the floor so the saw can be lowered gentley and kickback avoided

 

[adlplumbing]

ok I dont have a crowbar is using a wood chisel no good will I not get enough leverage

buy one their cheep enough

 

[Agile]

Crowbars are too think!

Most chisels are not much use either in practice although a good wide one should be.

I find a couple of 50mm bolsters are the best compromise. Once the board is a few mm above the next one the a crowbar will fit underneath. However, the 600 mm levers with a plastic handle are easier to use.

Nail removers dont work on the cut nails usually used on older houses. In fact the only way is to get the board out and hammer from the other side.

I hate removing boards! I must admit I can do it quite well if I have to but far prefer to get the customer to do it. I prefer playing with electronics.

Tony


Edited to correct type of nails.

 

[ColJack]

you want a flat bar, not a crowbar..
a nail pull and a flat clawed hammer are usefull too..

and aren't they cut nails, not wire nails in floorboards?

 

[Whitespirit66]

Use a punch to drive the nails right down on one end, if they are buried in the plank.
Then you can lever up that end.

 

[Agile]

Thats a useful tip for wire nails but hard work on cut nails.

Tony

 

[Terrywookfit]

FFS!!!
Why all this bo$$ox about doing a job that most of us do on a daily basis for the last 35 years??

Use a circ saw, mine has a plunging facility.Also a blade that cuts nails.
Cut on joist center and also down the T&G, (set slightly under depth).
Lever up with flooring bolsters and nail bar/claw hammer.

SIMPLES

 

[Nige F]

Thanks would you recommend I get a crow bar or will a wood chisel be ok to prise them up?

Bolster chisel

 

[BingoBongo]

You may have to run a stanley knife down the tongue if your boards are tongue & groove

You can hammer the nails down through the board with a punch

...I'd rather take a bit longer, I hate knackered floorboards, don't ask a spark to do it, they're butchers

(ducks for cover )

a spark stitch drilled a hatch in my mums chipboard with a 6mm drill bit.

any site ive been on they dont even bother just happen to turn up after you have lifted the boards.

god help them if their cables dont follow the same route as your pipes

 

[namsag]

Terrywookfit.
You mean you have never used the stanley knife method for cutting the tongues
And what sort of installer would ask the customer to lift the boards for them. Funniest thread i have read in ages...

 

[caesarmanager]

Any one no if this kind of tool ''Utility Bar 13" Sumo'' (its on the screw fix page) Is good for prising up wooden floor boards?

 

[seco services]

give us a link instead of us looking for it.

 

[caesarmanager]

I not sure how to up it as a link

 

[caesarmanager]

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/79987...ecking-Bars/Wrecking-Bars/Utility-Bar-13-Sumo

 

[MANDATE]

If your talking 1in floorboards secured with cut nails and your expecting to lever the board up and bring the nails up with it, there will be plenty of resistance and you'd do better with a longer and stronger bar with more leverage.
Cut nails probablely wont come out. You may get the board up and the nails will be left in situ. So it's a 'NO' vote for me