Removing Particle Board Flooring?

Question

I am removing a particle board subflooring that someone went nail crazy with. There is a nail about every 3 square inches. I have been using a wonder bar and sledge to pry up the particle but it is a blistering processes and takes up small chunks at a time. I have heard to get a carbide blade for my skill saw and start ripping the floor with it at the depth of the board. There are SO MANY NAILS that this doesn't seem possible.

Should I just get a good carbide blade and some saftey goggles and rip 3 inch strips between the nail heads and pull up the board, then go back and remove the strips with nail heads remaining or is it just going to be a back breaking hand blistering process with a sledge and wonder bar.

Does anyone have a better method to suggest? I can't get at it from underneath or rip it along the joists becaus there is 19/32 plywood under the particle that I want to save its still good.

Answer 1

Why anyone would use particle board over good plywood is beyond me, but i do not know of anything better than what you are doing, unless you might try using a nailpuller. Even THAT is not going to be fun. I am presuming someone used rosin coated bails if you are having THAT hard of a time.  May be a dumb idea but how about using a flat faced drill and drilling the heads off the nails. Then pull the nails out later.??????  Best i can do. Good luck.

Answer 2

First are you sure you want to take up a subfloor?

Is it sound most flooring options will go directly on top of it. Is it flat you can put any flooring over it.

If you still need to get it up, I would use a "Saws-All" Milwaukee tools brand name but all tool companies make them. they are like a reciprocating hacksaw. You can get different blades of various things, Metal, wood or Bi Metal that works for wood and metal( Perfect combo for your job) you will have to work a space for the saw the way you have been working but you can cut the nails from the heads and flush with your joists. this will work extremely well if you have room under your floor, IE Crawl space or basement.

Option #2 use a body grinder( Side Grinder) on the heads after the heads are ground off the floor should come up in one piece, then use a sanding disk to smooth the nails flush with the floor joists. Either of these tools can be rented or purchase for $100 or less.

Option #3 hire a contractor to remove the floor!

Good luck!

Answer 3

ditto on why you want to remove it unless you have a height to another room problem or it is in bad shape.  

The board is nailed like flooring should be to prevent squeaks.  (There should be building paper between the layers.) And so most contractors would leave it down if possible.  

If you have to take it up you have several options.  First, you could start by taking all the nails out or enough so you could pry the board up.  To do this you need a tool with different names.  I have known it as a "cat's paw".  Unlike the blue or black flat pry bars the area around the notch is rounded and is meant to be hammered into the wood around the nail heads dig underneath and then you can lever up the nails with the standard flat pry bar.  At some point you will need an edge or seam to pry up and pull the sheet out.  If none is convenient you will have to make a cut with your soon to be dead saw blade.  Once you have your edge you can use another tool: a proper crowbar: the bigger the better.  Pry the sheet up, put pieces of 2x4 under to hold where you have pryed and work around the edge with the crowbar.  Use 2x4 blocks as a fulcrum and a full 2x4 on edge as a lever to pry up the middle of the sheet.

Answer 4

Caryy on with what you are doing. It is not going to be easy.

if it was , every body would be doing it