Thread: Staple gun nails in floor

Pull what you can out (staples) and the ones that break off, punch them down just like the flooring nails.
That way they will have to fill them too.
They are being lazy.
If left exposed and sealed with the floor estapol they will discolour, remember the timber floor is unfinished on the other side.
My $0.02 worth(from experience)

I would reckon they don't want to do it because it sucks. If you want it done (IMO the best thing) maybe do it yourself. I got 95% or more out of the floor I did. You have to be be patient, and careful. I did it with vice grips set very tight. Maybe a better way. I gripped the staples as tight as I could, and used the jaw of the grips to lever slowly off the floor. Sometimes they came out intact, sometimes they broke and I had to take each side out individually. Really need a good grip to get just one side out.

If you have the space, try "fixing" a lever to the gripping tool and lift both tool and staple vertically (together) rather than wiggling the staple.

I've used vice grips, fencing pliers and multigrips (depending on staple size) wired to heavy screwdrivers (and when I wanted a longer lever - a 500mm length of merbau decking). It's a two hand job with pliers and multigrips. One to lever, one to squeeze the staple. Use the gripping tool as a fulcrum and you need a sacrificial wooden block to protect the floorboard of course. Bind the "fixing point many times and try not to twist it except to tie off. Every once in a while tighten the wire binding. I've tried cable ties but you can't use cheapies. Sometimes takes a few goes to get the fulcrum point right.

I've never done floorboards but this approach works for me with new and old upholstery staples esp. when undoing suspect upholstery restorations. In my mind anyway, I think it's easy to get into a routine and breaks few staples.

Full staples with a fair grip for pliers should come out if pulled straight and if not rusted in. For those that break I've been fairly successful using side cutters. It's slow and painful but if you are careful and use the right touch you can get a good grip in to the soft staple metal without nipping it off. The sharp points allow you to get down close to the embedment and the jaw shape gives good leverage.

I agree I've managed 95+% clean removal, but I wouldn't want to pay somebody else an hourly rate to do it.

I use a Carpenters Pincer.

Thank you all for you advice - a long weekend ahead trialling all the ideas above. The results I am sure will be worth it in the end!

I found carpenters pincers too unwieldy for staples. They work great for nails, but I couldn't get close enough to the board for broken staples since the jaws on both my pairs of pincers are sharpened with double bevels. With side cutters you can even judicially probe below the surface to pick out staples that are broken off at the timber face.