How to Remove Glued Down Hardwood Floors – 11 Simple Steps to Follow
While there are many motives that you could want to remove glued down hardwood floors but the process needs careful consideration. Because the glue is powerful, attempting to remove it mistakenly can result in a huge mess and even permanent damage to the subfloor. If you’re trying to figure out how to remove glued down hardwood floors, keep reading. You can take off wood flooring that has been glued down from concrete or subfloors by cutting them into manageable pieces, then pulling them off using a pry bar or hammer, chisel, or scrapers. Then, you’ll choose to recycle the wood or to dispose of the wood. This post will explain the steps to remove glued down hardwood floors or concrete without damaging them. We’ll add some suggestions for making the task more efficient and less time-consuming.
How to remove glued down hardwood floors
How to remove glued down hardwood floors are an attractive element in any home. They can also be difficult to handle when they’re time to replace or remove the floor. Removal of plywood with glued down hardwood in the wrong way could cost you many hours of laborious work, leaving you with a massive mess, and could result in permanent damage to the floor beneath it. Therefore, you should follow certain steps to remove glued down hardwood floors correctly. Let’s begin the discussion.
Learn more: How to remove slate floor tiles
Tools you’ll need: Hammer, Goggles, Reciprocating saw, Chisel, Putty knife, Scrapers, Work gloves, Mask to breathe, Close-toed shoes, Long-handled pry bar, Circular saw, Construction knee pads.
The layout of the removal area
Find out the exact amount of floor you have to lift and the location you’ll begin. This way, you can have the floor in a safe place without causing harm on the slab of concrete. It is possible to take away the entire floor and then lay another one or opt to only remove a certain section for ceramic tile, carpet or laminate, to alter the appearance of your floor. A clear understanding of the most efficient way to go about it will assist you in finishing the job faster. It is generally easier to tear off one or two centerboards and begin to work your way outward from the centerboards. Use tape to mark out specific areas and help make cutting and prying easier and more precise.
Use tarps to limit the spread
To remove glued down hardwood floors, it is necessary to use the tarps for covering light fixtures and furniture, appliances, and everything else that you do not want to cover in sawdust after you begin sawing. Additionally, all clutter can remove in the work area before starting to give you plenty of areas to work in. Remove all gaming consoles, computers, TVs, televisions, and other electronics that can harm out of the room. Even if they cover internal components, there is a chance of damage. Cover tarps with masking tape or painter’s tape, which is easily removed once you’re finished. While it may be tempting for many to avoid this step however the truth is that it’s not advised. Cleansing sawdust off areas that are not protected is a significant task that can significantly extend the project’s timeframe.
Wear the appropriate safety equipment
The floors with glue are typically difficult to remove, and that’s why, before you begin, ensure that you are ready to work safely. Use heavy-duty gloves to guard your hands when operating your circular saw. Also, put on a respirator mask to filter air, and most importantly, safety glasses. It’s a great idea to make sure you wear closed-toed footwear with solid soles as loose toenails, as well as other exposed edges, could engulf you. Long-sleeved garments can shield the surface from dust as well as harmful elements. Because you’ll be sitting down to lift the boards around, wearing a couple of knee pads could be life-saving.
Lifting and cutting hardwood floors
Divide the board into smaller sections of 3 feet (0.91 meters) wide. Perpendicularly cut the boards at intervals. They will shrink to a smaller size and make it easier for their lifting. A straight line should move the saw from one side of the workspace towards the opposite end. Then turn around and continue in reverse. The saw blade’s thickness should set the same as the hardwood to ensure you won’t cause damage to the subfloor. For instance, if your concrete floor is 5/8 in. (16 millimeters) thick, the saw guard must be set to 5 / 8 (15 millimeters). Cut approximately 30 centimeters. Also, make sure to not sew across what is called the “tongue” end of the board. You could use the floor scraper that you can use with your hands during the entire process.
Make use of a pry bar to raise the boards
To remove the floor that has been glued down, it is necessary to place the pry bar’s tip into the floor. Learn to clean your cherry floors. Use the handle to push the wood from its place. If you’ve cut the boards into smaller sections, the boards should slide out. As long as the soil remains removed and the process is to be repeated. Make sure to lift the boards in the direction in which they were nailing. This can avoid splinters and cracks. If your boards have been glued too strongly to move, then tap the board’s bottom at the point where it joins the subfloor using the chisel to make gaps. The best solution is to employ a glue-down wood floor removal device. This can make the task much simpler.
Remove old flooring
Keep a large cleanup container. A trash bin lined at work must use as a cleanup container. There is a container to place the wood pieces that throw away into when you complete your task. This is a safer and efficient method instead of throwing everything into the form of a loose pile. Once you complete the flooring, it can take you to the dump or recycling center. Be cautious when you take it to the dumpster, as there’s a chance of numerous nails that are loose and have sharp edges. The price to take off flooring that is glued down could be costly if you do not know how to get rid of your wood flooring that is glued down correctly.
Gather the remaining staples
There’s a good chance that loose fasteners from metal scatter on the floor, so take care while moving around your work area. You can collect these inputs using your hands or utilize an effective hand magnet to remove any metal debris lying about. Staples and nails that ruin must dispose of in the garbage. The protruding nails bent before removal to reduce the risk of them becoming risky. Wear gloves during the cleaning process if you come into the path of sharp items.
Clean up your workspace thoroughly
Scrape sawdust, wood chip, and other particles into smaller piles and then use a shop vacuum takes them away. Remove tarps, wrap them up in a careful manner and take them out for cleanup or removal. If required, clean the area to get rid of small dust particles. If you are doing large-scale maintenance, apply anti-dust sprays as well as microfiber towels for smaller particles. You’ll have to follow our recommendations if you are looking to remove glued down hardwood floors.
Cut an entire board lengthwise in half
If your hardwood flooring is in good condition, You may wish to store it away and utilize it elsewhere. To salvage hardwood effectively, it is first necessary to cut a straight piece of wood across its length. After you’ve removed both sides of the board, there will be enough space to work on the other. The option of releasing some paintings to remove others in certain instances. Find a centerboard, then extend both ways outwards.
Remove the remaining boards
Use one edge of the board, and lower by placing the pry bar’s edge directly beneath the staples or nails. It is important to pull the boards carefully to prevent splintering. Take your time, and do the best you can to keep all boards in good condition. Use the lever for one-half meter at a time and focus on the areas held by adhesives or fasteners. Conserving your flooring can be a long-winded process; however, the payoff is a new supply of good hardwood.
Cleansing and storage of wood salvaged
From this point, you can save the wood or make use of it in other projects. Clean each board with a damp cloth, and place them in dry, cool conditions until you’re ready to utilize them. If you want, you could polish, sand or stain older wood to bring it to a like-new condition. Reclaimed wood can use as flooring for another area of your home or to create a unique wall paneling made of rustic wood or create a garden path or for any other purpose. Sometimes the material recovery may offer for sale. Lumber can sale to other businesses or to individuals who are looking for low-cost building materials. The longer the flooring pieces are will be, the more valuable they will be. Keep all of these details. It could be helpful for the flooring removal project.
How to remove glued down hardwood floors: Tips
However, in certain wood flooring removal cases, people will want to remove them without harming the floor. For concrete floors, if you’re doing it with no other tools than the hammer and chisel, it’s unlikely to go well. However, some users have reported great results using a flooring removal machine. They suggest setting it up at a 45-degree angle, slowly moving across and around each board. If you follow this method, you could expect to save more flooring boards. However, most of the time, you will not keep the floors to use in different locations. This was the case when an expert fitted your floors. It’s all luck if your floor remains unharmed.
Check out: How to choose the perfect hardwood flooring underlayment
Conclusion
To remove glued down hardwood floors isn’t easy to take off, particularly if you’re not an expert in this area. You must hire experts for this kind of job. Concrete floors can be an issue for many. If you feel you can manage it, then take our advice, and you’ll be a breeze. Be careful when it comes to flooring that makes of concrete. However, the wood can damage and then not be used for a different project later on.
