# Hard wood floors - Can I re-use, after pulling it up?



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

you should be able to pull it up and put it back in. But this depends on many factors. You will just have to see what can be saved.


----------



## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

I believe I saw an episode of This Old House where they salvaged some hardwood floor that was nailed in. You may be able to locate this episode by checking their web site and searching for old episodes. They had some interesting points about how to pull the nails to minimize damage. If the floor is glued down, that is a different story, but most hardwood is tongue and groove, nailed through the tongues, and should be salvageable with careful extraction.


----------



## GregandRachel (Feb 14, 2010)

*hard wood floors*

Most of the hardwood flooring in our house was reclaimed from various outside locations. You most certainly relay hardwood floors. Just go easy taking it up. Nails that can't be pulled out can be cut off.We have found a rented tool called the bully really effective for pushing pieces together that maybe don't want to fit as closely as you want them too.


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

I've rescued a lot of beautiful antique flooring so know it is possible. Make sure it is thick enough to warrant your efforts though, especially if you will have to sand it when you put it back down.

Get a couple of good strong flat bars. The key to it is to think backwards and apply pressure to remove it opposite the direction it was nailed. Sort of pull up and out on it at the same time at the angle it was nailed so you can separate tongues from grooves. You will get the hang of it and get faster at it. Be patient, especially at first. 

Always pull the nails out the back of the boards, never try to pound them out the front. If I have a lot, I actually just grind them off. Nobody will ever see the heads still in the boards.


----------



## Penczak (Oct 26, 2009)

Cool, Thanks.


----------



## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

Nope, you can't reuse that stuff.

Better send it to me. I'll send a PM with the shipping address.




:jester:


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

jlhaslip said:


> Nope, you can't reuse that stuff.
> 
> Better send it to me. I'll send a PM with the shipping address.
> 
> :jester:


:laughing::laughing::laughing:Nice trick if the OP falls for it! He can send it here and not have to deal with customs stuff!


----------



## ferris13 (Sep 25, 2009)

I stapled my floor in, angled through the tongue. During install I did have to remove a few that I didn't like. I either destroyed the tongue or split the board with my flat bar because the staples just didn't let go.

I guess it depends on how it was installed.


----------



## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

sawzall with long bi-metal metal cutting blade, get the board wedged up slightly and clip the nails


----------

