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April 10, 2009
Removing nailed-in floor plywd
In the brownstone I've just bought, I'm ripping out years and years and layers and layers of linoleum, crappy vinyl, etc. I finally got down to the last layer, plywood, which is nailed down to what may be a salvagable floor. I got one piece off at the top of the stairs, where I had plenty of purchase at the edge, but for the rest, I think I will need to remove the nails rather than pry up the boards--especially if there's a chance I could salvage an original floor below. The problem: The ply is nailed firmly with tiny-headed twist nails. Any thoughts on how I can dig/pry the nails out? I was thinking about going around each nail head with a Dremel tool until I'd exposed enough head to get at it with a small pry bar, but that might just be crazy.
Comments
I did it, tedious but worth it for us. I thought the floor underneath wouldn't be salvageable but after it was sanded, poly it looked great. You have nothing to lose expect a day or so of work, give it a try.
Posted by: bqe1970 at April 10, 2009 9:07 AM
Buy the cheapest 5" grinder at Home Depot and take the heads of the nails. pry the wood up first then pull the rest of the nail out. Hold on with both hands.
Posted by: modsquad at April 10, 2009 9:11 AM
There's a tool called a nail puller. There's a jaw that you place either side of the nail head, tap the top of the tool with a hammer & it closes the jaw so it bites the nail. Then you rock the tool back - it's made so that's easy - & it pulls the nail out. Don't know how much they cost - mine's really old. You might be able to rent one.
Posted by: Arkady at April 10, 2009 9:36 AM
A simple "cat's paw" (http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/product/223040_front200.jpg) and a hammer would work, no? You're not trying to save the plywood... you just hammer the claw under the head of the nail and pry it out.
Yeah, it's tedious, but you need to pull the nails to get the wood up. It's not a good idea to try to pry the wood up directly.
Posted by: tybur6 at April 10, 2009 2:26 PM
If the nails are screw nails a cats paw probably won't work, the heads usually pull off and leave the nail. If that is the case securely clamp a vice grip pliers at the missing nail head and use a small pry bar to lift at the pliers. Or you may be able to pull and twist it out with the vise grips. Screw nails are the worst to remove.
Posted by: edifice rex at April 10, 2009 4:16 PM
I also would use the nail puller that Arkady described. We use an antique nail puller as well for removing old nails from reclaimed lumber- it grabs the nail by the shank not the head. I bought one from garret wade once and it kept clipping the nails off- the vintage nail puller i have never does that- "they just don't make 'em like they used to".
It may be a little unconventional but... a plug cutter around the nail, remove ply, and try twisting the nail out???
Posted by: southslope at April 11, 2009 1:28 AM
I am a tiny 5'4" woman. I did this exact job over three floors of my 'stone, using a very long, very large, very heavy pry bar.
Longer = more leverage. Pardon my french, but don't fuck around with each individual nail head... you'll be there forever.
Posted by: vanburenproud at April 11, 2009 5:54 PM
Long pry bars are good; however, the plywood is usually in large sheets. Take a circular saw and break it up, then pry it up in smaller units.
Posted by: Iknow at April 12, 2009 8:27 PM
I went the route of Iknow. I had a six-foot pry bar and was able, with effort, to live whole sheets. Some nails were left in the "sub-floor," which has been discussed. modsquad may be on to something, but would it be as satisfying?
Posted by: altervoce at April 13, 2009 3:45 PM
Update: I took off some of the heads with a grinder attachment on my Dremel, and then pried one sheet of plywood up on each floor. Alas, no fabulous heart pine waiting to be refinished; everything looks fairly unsalvageable. I think I'm going to leave the rest of the plywood where it is and put down bamboo.
Posted by: parkplaced at April 15, 2009 12:06 AM
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