Removing staples from hardwood floors is considerably harder than removing it from softwood ones. If the staple cant be removed with the scraper, then it will be necessary to use a specialized lever action staple remover. Check the subfloor for any signs of rot that may be the result of leaks or spills, and replace any damaged subfloor panels. I did a little more deep searching online and found a tool called The Staple Popper. If its they arent too long (staple gun) you can use a shovel. Hereis a before and after of why it is so worth your time to remove staples and uncover hardwood. i found that there's staples everywhere and have been using a mini pry bar but this is taking forever. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I watched the video using the office staple remover. How To Remove Old Wallpaper With A Scraper? for the record, staircases suck. Free shipping on Qualifying Orders $75+ Details. Why Is A Scraper Sometimes Called A Stripper? This will also give slight added height and add extra leverage. You have really posted a wonderful insights here about floor carpet cleaning. If there is concern of damaging the face any small sheet of wood or plastic or smooth piece of steel can be used as backing under the vide grip. On the other hand, if the wood floors are going to be refinished or another type of floor covering is going down, those tack strips cannot stay in place. Actual work time will vary based on the square footage of the hardwood. It does look like it works very well. If your order also contains items that do not qualify, you would ONLY pay shipping charges for these ineligible items (as long as your order is over $75). By following these simple steps for how to rip out carpet, you can begin the process of upgrading to luxurious new carpet or even a different type of flooring. Most carpet can actually be recycled into a broad range of products ranging from car interiors to parking barriers. This offer typically excludes these products and categories: For more information on shipping, please refer to our Shipping Policy. If the staples or nails are already holding something down they are probably proud of the surface already. Before grabbing the nails with pliers, you might first need to coax them upward a little with a putty knife. Sometimes, one end of the staple will still stuck in the wood. The tool worked great did everything I wanted it to and the best part was I wasn't on my hands knees anymore ripping out staples. Periodically make cuts so you can pull the carpet up in manageable pieces. How do I know? Copyright 2022 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If not a flat head screwdriver or small pry bar or old chisel can usually be worked underneath with little to no damage and a slight twist without prying should help lift the nail or staple. The guys that leave them and cover them up are hackers and aren't qualified to do carpet. Note: Specifications are approximate and subject to change. An easier option is to apply a commercial adhesive remover to the adhesive. HD sells a Rigid 7" heavy duty scraper that works wonders for this. And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middleman and pass the savings on to you. Better Tools 80194 18" Floor Scraper w/4" Blade, Better Tools 80728 36" to 72" Telescoping Floor Scraper w/8" Blade, Marshalltown 12" Bent Blade Floor Scraper, Roberts 10-195 Heavy Duty 6" Convertible Scraper, National 550 Adjustable Handle Floor Scraper. If I were to do another project with wood floors and staples, I might try wrapping some foam around the handle. Its all done except for a small section under a waterbed (for obvious reasons). Many times, they covered up beautiful hardwood floors with them. And i hope this will be useful for many people. I take it you are a salesman for these? Providing better information on softwood and hardwood. Seriously. Lowering costs, tied together with higher wages, led to more and more middle class Americans installing carpeting in their homes. This long handle scraper is great for ripping up concrete, marble, ceramic tile, wood floors, roofing, asphalt, and tile, or chipping away at plaster. Chances are, the shoe molding is full of nails, so take care when pulling it out. The staircase was the worst due to the sheer number of staples used. You are welcome to share one image from Craftivity Designs on your personal blog, if you clearly link to the Craftivity Designs post and use nopin code. I don't leave staples of any type under any floor I do. Press down the handle to pop the staple out of the wood. One staple at a time. To remove the subfloor, use a pry bar to lift the edges of the plywood subfloor up as far as possible. It's just that simple! A. Don't get scammed by websites pretending to be Harbor Freight. Click to read the full Photo Use Policy, Lora Green, of Craftivity Designs, LLC, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Back a half century ago, the predominant flooring style for homes changed to carpeting. There was a product review that described using an office-style staple remover for hardwood floors and carpet staples. Also, if your blade doesn't lock, make sure your fingers aren't in its path if it should close on accident. I don't care about the subfloor so that can get dinged up. It appeared that carpet may have been laid several times because some of the staples were older/rustier/more fragile than the rest. Still not convinced that you should tackle the big project of removing carpet? Original hardwood hidden under ugly, old carpet can savebig buckson flooring. i just ripped out my carpet and padding in my dining room and putting in engineered hardwood, lock and fold Bruce. Ive even seen a few try to use a pry bar; but that doesnt work; nor does the screwdriver either. Compared to the other methods Im going to mention, its the only one that can be done standing up, rather than hunched over for hours while working on the floor. The tool worked great did everything I wanted it to and the best part was I wasn't on my hands knees anymore ripping out staples. theplywood.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, How to Remove Paint from Wood with Vinegar, The Ultimate Guide to Sealing Laminate Floors, Install a Combination Boiler/Water Heater, Exterior Walls Construction: The Start-to-Finish Guide, The Uses of and Challenges in Cutting Formica, The Ultimate Guide to DIY Birdhouse Design, Aquarium Cabinetry: A DIY Guide to Custom Aquarium Stands, The Ultimate Guide to Building a Bat House, The Ultimate Guide to Building a Portable Generator Enclosure, How to Remove and Replace Your Load Bearing Wall, Drying Wood in the Oven: The Ultimate How-To Guide, How to Cut a Groove or Channel on Wood Without a Router. How Ive always removed staple or nails from types of wood. With that in mind, its a good idea to wear a respiratory mask and goggles when pulling up and disposing of old carpet. This method is easier on your hands. All rights reserved. It will pop out easily! Therefore, we werent worried about damaging the finish. Those were used to hold the padding in place and must be removed, no matter what sort of floor covering is going to be reinstalled in the home. We've always pulled them up using the small version of vice-grips. Use of images with text overlay (also known as a "pin image") or collage images are prohibited. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Best method I have used is a pair of dikes (cutting pliers) but don't cut just grab the staple longways and use them like a lever. When i was doing this, I used the chisel part of a crowbar and it worked great. You can use the blade backwards for staple pulling. Another common use for a floor scraper is to remove old underlay or carpet which has been glued directly to the wooden or concrete subfloor. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of homes where carpeting is installed in at least part of the home. How Do You Get Rid Of A Textured Ceiling? For me? I just used one of the slim knife parts on my pocket knife. I highly recommend people to try out this tool and can buy it at. I bought it to try it out and I have to say I was not disappointed at all. If you select an expedited shipping method, shipping charges will apply. Just a few seconds into the video the third stapel they popped broke off, so it is no better than the scraper that I showed. any suggestions for doing it quicker? Posted on Published: April 5, 2018- Last updated: June 1, 2021. Images may not be modified. Because the tacks are so sharp, its wise to wear leather work gloves for this step. Begin at the top of the stairway. This offer typically includes all tools and machines, as well as many other select products. Really nice information you had provided here. We have invested millions of dollars in our own test labs and factories, so our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. Do you know anyone that has a Fein Multimaster?Slick tool for carpet removal.Has a scraper blade that will cut through carpet. Around $25. Check the shoe molding for damage: If it looks like its in good shape, save it to be reused. Enter Our Dog Days of Summer BBQ Giveaway Now! So, what are the pros and cons of the traditional method? It is small and flat enough to slip under the staple and requires gentle effort! I still spent hours on my knees hunched over a hardwood floor but what a difference?! None of my friends who might have something like that do or else can't find it. If you are planning to remove any carpet from hardwood floors, try out this staple removing tool. Padding is not a hard crust layer that breaks easily. All eligible items will have clear FREE Shipping verbiage on the product detail page. I took care of one room pretty quickly followed by a hallway. However, for the DIYer, it wont save you tons of time. There are a couple of ways toremove carpet staples from hardwoodfloors: the traditionalmethod and the easy way. Now people are removing that carpeting and going back to the beauty of those hardwood floors. Empty the room of furnishings, open the windows, don your dust maskthen get to work. If not, youll need to take the carpet to a waste-dropoff facility. To remove those staples from plywood or pine board floors, the best tool is a long-handled scraper with an 8 razor blade. P.S. If the staple was put in unevenly and only one side pulls out of floor, bend the part of staple that's sticking out over the flat of the knife and pry it out diagonally so pressure is applied to the lowest part of staple still in floor. In this case, use pliers to pull the staple out of the floor. Attack stubborn glue with a reciprocating saw equipped with a scraper blade. It also looks like it is extremely hard on the hand. Depends on the staples used. If you are planning to use your scraper for another task, make sure that you have an ample supply of replacement blades to hand. Most likely, youll be spending hours on hands and knees, plucking out tiny carpet staples. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Carpet layers will usually just pound those staples down, before they install the new pad. But its not always as easy as one might think it is. Work in sections. Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home repair, and DIY. JavaScript is disabled. In that case, use the pliers to fully remove the staple from the floor. Begin pulling the carpet away from the tack strips on the perimeter. Though your palms will still get sore, there is. Not sure who told me but not my invention. It had plywood (not hardwood) under the carpet. Use the vice grip pliers to pull the carpet away from the riser. Just dont close down on them to the point of cutting off the staple, or it might have to be pounded in.