Denailing floorboards

[robecr03]

I recently purchased around 35 square metres of 5 1/4 inch blackbutt floorboards. They are from a demolition and have not been denailed, so i am wondering what is the best method to denail these without damaging the floorboards surface

[Toymaker Len]

One of the things that somtimes works is to pull the nails through the bottom side of the board. You will need a v big pair of multigrips or such. If it works it leaves no tear-out on the face of the board. If the wood is too hard and the nails keep breaking then you just have to gently tap them back through the holes from the underside until enough nailhead is proud to grip with a claw hammer then use a little pad of plywood to support the hammerhead/wrecking bar as you apply pressure. I think you shouldn't worry too much as whatever happens you will have the old nail holes scattered over the new floor and they will add a bit of depth and character... Good luck.

[robecr03]

I've tried both the methods mentioned above with succses but some damage to the timber. The method that has been most succsesful for anybody intrested is to use a pop rivet gun to pull the nail from the underside of the board

[seriph1]

brilliant idea that pop rivetter!

The other thing to use..... and I recommend the pull-through method always as opposed to removal from the top...is to use pincing pliers - long handles like multi-grips but with arched and bevelled oincer blades for either grabbing and drawing or cutting off ..... I usually end up doing a bit of both - on the stubborn ones I pull em well below the surface then snip.

Also....and I only say this because on my first used-flooring job I made this costly error - a LOT of flooring is asymmetrical! ie: you can't turn a few boards over as youre laying them, because they seem cleaner or whatever.....well, you can - they just wont fit properly, as I found out back in the 12th century when I did it - they will break...... After 23 yrs I STILL can't believe I was that dumb
:)

Cheers

[Barry_White]

Just a point if you have to drive the nails back through the top surface, if you place the board on a piece of soft wood.

When you hit the nail the soft wood will prevent the break out of the surface of the board but ensure the head of the nail is past the surface of the board and then you can then move the board off the soft wood and then finish driving the nail back.

You can then pull it out with your claw hammer, pinch bar, pincers or whatever.

[Taffy]

I have used all of the mthods above, its a case of suck it and see.
one addition to the theme you may like to consider, when you have to drive the nail back the way it went in, you will usually find that the old soft nail will bend (if not already), straighten the nail with a pair of pliers, then hold the weak point with the pliers while you knock it through, saves a bit of wood damage and some time. the tool I use for pulling nails is a pair of vice grips, they have a rounded end and grip like hell. if I use a pair of pincers I have a long pair that are in fact horses hoof trimmers, pretty cheep from a produce shop and they work fine.

Best of luck, I have a friend who has done the same thing and he has only done a third (that is WE have only done a third) now he is having a rest until he needs more.
One other thing, A Triton Super jaws is a very handy tool to have.

Taffy

Steve, why do the boards break? as per the reply above I helped a friend lay a room full of boards and we turned them all over, hasn't been more than a couple of months but no sign of breakage. I only ask this because he hasn't laid the bulk of the flooring yet. (Don't want to be smart in hindsight and don't want to do it twice!!!)

[seriph1]

Glensa Taffy

The boards break when mixed between what I guess you could call "right side up" and "upside down" due to the tongues not being in the centre...... so when they are nailed the tongues or half the groove splits away..... if you guys have flipped all of them, then it will be fine....which I am sure you knew

:)

Sorry I wasn't clearer, lads (and lassies)