Removing nails - any 'new' way to do it ?

zagmund

I've a load of floorboards and joists that were taken out while we were refurbishing the house. I may end up burning them in the stove or re-using them although I've no particular use in mind at the moment. For the moment I just want to store them and keep them dry.

The catch (from a storage point of view) is that they are currently full of nails so they don't stack particularly well. I'm looking to get rid of the nails and wondering whether there are any handy gadgets that can help.

I know the basics obviously - claw hammer, hit nail from behind, lever head out, rinse, repeat thousands of times. Or I could just brute force things and hammer the nail flat into the wood, but this will make sawing them in the future hazardous. And there's still thousands of them to do.

I also know there are all sorts of cool gadgets these days for making life easier in the DIY world. Is there by any chance a gadget available which might automate this process a little ? I know I will have to move all the wood, get it in position, etc . . . but if I can cut out the loop with the hammer it would save a lot of time and effort.

Any suggestions ?

z

subway

a pry bar might be more comfortable and easy to use than a claw hammer but i dont think there is anything thats going to mean you arent manually pulling a few thousand nails.

eirator

There are some new ones - just google for images of nail puller to see what I mean but this is one http://www.drivall.com/fencingtools/nailpuller.htm is an very old design that works quite well. That said I used to know a yard that did reclamed timber, the guys there used to take out thousands of nails and just used really good quality claw hammers.

Try youtube for some videos of nail pullers.

zagmund

Cool - thanks for the replies. Half the challenge is knowing the correct word to use. Now I know to go digging for "nail pullers".

z

CJhaughey

Estwing do an extra long shaft hammer, it makes life easier when pulling long nails out.

slpower01

Several different things can make it easier including a cats claw, nail pincers, pry bar and a straight claw hammer.... its one of those jobs that takes a while to do but can be worth it.

Just try one of these that works best for you... I find cats claw to get the head out a few mm then straight claw hammer to remove it fully.

1865

I use a combination of a Nail bar and a claw hammer.

Tap the nails from the piont to get the hear sticking out a bit using the claw hammer and then remove it with the nail bar. If you have lots of timber it works well as you can tap all the nails first and then flip the board and extract the mails.

A nail bar is less than €20 and a really useful tool.

biko

KwickGripper

slpower01

Wow looked up that kwickgripper... do you know anywhere over the east side of Ireland that would sell that??

1865

That KwickGripper looks great alright but the bit that pivots on the wood is a bit pointy. If it was curved it would do less damage to the wood.

biko

I don't think I've seen it in any shops, ebay and online shops would be best.

paddy147

Heavy Duty Double Ended Prybar is only 6 euro in Aldi.

Absolutely brilliant for popping nailed floorboards fast and easily.



PS-The long prybar is just over 24 inches long.
The smaller one is just on 18 inches long.

paddy147

zagmund wrote: »

I've a load of floorboards and joists that were taken out while we were refurbishing the house. I may end up burning them in the stove or re-using them although I've no particular use in mind at the moment. For the moment I just want to store them and keep them dry.

The catch (from a storage point of view) is that they are currently full of nails so they don't stack particularly well. I'm looking to get rid of the nails and wondering whether there are any handy gadgets that can help.

I know the basics obviously - claw hammer, hit nail from behind, lever head out, rinse, repeat thousands of times. Or I could just brute force things and hammer the nail flat into the wood, but this will make sawing them in the future hazardous. And there's still thousands of them to do.

I also know there are all sorts of cool gadgets these days for making life easier in the DIY world. Is there by any chance a gadget available which might automate this process a little ? I know I will have to move all the wood, get it in position, etc . . . but if I can cut out the loop with the hammer it would save a lot of time and effort.

Any suggestions ?

z

Old floorboards will spark and crackle like mad.

So use a fireguard or keep the stove glass door closed.

I burned some of my old original deal floorboards (mid 1950s house) and by jesus did they spark,spit and crackle alot.

Like a mini bomb going off in my stove every minute or so.:D

bette

What any self respecting handyman has in the toolbox.

AlanConnolly

You could always just use an angle grinder and cut the sharp ends off. That will allow easy shacking of timber.

You just collect the metal that not cut off / burnt in the fire, in your fire pit.

Easy as that.

paddy147

bette wrote: »

What any self respecting handyman has in the toolbox.

3 euro in Aldi.:)