Tools and Steps for Removing Hardwood Flooring

Although hardwood floors should last about 40 years,to preserve the wood, do some pre-cuts with your
in the real world things happen to damage it overcircular saw to make it easy to get started. These
time and sometimes it becomes necessary toshould be 1-2 feet areas. If you were not sure how
remove hardwood floors. Whether you arethe floor was laid before, you should know after
interested in removing few pieces without damagingdoing this. Make sure you don't cut down into the
it or to go for hardwood flooring demolition, it willfoundation.Steps for removing hardwood flooring 1.Hit
depend on a few factors such as the following:-Waseach area of the floor with the sledge hammer
the original installation done well?-Is it a floatingenough to break things loose, but not so much as to
hardwood floor or a hardwood floor that is gluedbreak the foundation.2.Use your pry bar to lift the
down?-What type of floor will you be installing afterpanels and panel fragments up off of the foundation.
removing hardwood flooring?List of Tools CircularYou may find that it is easier if you use the tongued
Saw - You'll need a circular saw for when you needareas of the panels to pick them up out of the floor.
to cut into the floor.Chisel - You never know whenAlso, if you pull the panels out individually and stack
you'll need to get into a tight groove or push throughthem as you go, you will save a of of cleanup time
some glue. Claw Hammer - When floor panels areand may leave the surface area better preserved for
stuck up next to a wall area, you'll need a clawinstallation of the next floor.3.If there is glue stuck
hammer to grab, pull, and rip them out.Flooringbeneath where the panels were, you need to scrape
Scraper - The only way you'll get through a lot ofit up with the flooring scraper and the chisel as
glue is with the flooring scraper.Pry Bar - These are aneeded.If the floor you have removed was glued
necessity when it comes to picking up floor panelsdown, it may be quite a task for you to get your
that are stuck.Sledge Hammer - When nothing elsemess cleaned up adequately. In this case there will be
will get through, you can always count on yourglue fragments and stuck pieces of glue that could
sledge hammer to bust things.Before removingtake hours to clean. Saw dust and tiny pieces of
hardwood flooring It is important to understand whatwood are usually everywhere. If you have a sturdy
kind of flooring was used and how it was installedvacuum you can save some time, but you'll likely be
before you begin removing it. This will help youfinding things to clean up manually that will take you
choose the right tools for the job.If you aren't tryingquite a few hours to complete.