How to lift flooring using a pry bar?

3rd March 2020

	How to lift flooring using a pry bar


	Shop for Pry Bars


			Which design is best?
			Ideally, two pry bars should be used together for this task.

			Of the pry bars available, construction and precision pry bars are most suitable to lift flooring. If you want to reclaim your floorboards after lifting, though, make sure the bar you choose features a polished claw, minimising the risk of damage to the edges of the floorboards you will be inserting the end of the bar between. The construction pry bar is highly polished and features low profile (very thin) claws at both ends.


			What else will you need?
			A marker

			A circular or multipurpose saw – the choice is yours. Use a thin, small blade to avoid damage to the surrounding wood. (see: Saws) For boards which are fitted with both ends under skirting, you will need to saw across the ends of the boards, close to the skirting, to be able to lift them. The same applies to tongue and groove boards, the tongues of which will need to be sawn through in order to be lifted.

			A magnet (optional)

			Wonkee’s hoof-by-hoof guide
			The easiest way to begin this job is to identify a floorboard that has already been lifted once before. These can be unscrewed and levered up with little trouble. If this isn’t possible, don’t worry – the process for lifting a floorboard which hasn’t been removed before is not complicated!

			Step 1 – Mark joist Locate the joist. You can identify its location by looking for the nails fixing the board to it. Mark the edge of the joist with a line two to four inches to the side of the nails (shown here in yellow). Joists support your flooring, and should not be damaged; give yourself some leeway and cut further from the edge, rather than closer. You can always refine your cut later on.
			If your floorboards do not have a tongue and groove, proceed straight to Step 3.

			Step 2 – Cut tongues If working on tongue and groove boards, use your circular or multipurpose saw to cut down the length of the gap between the boards, separating tongue from groove on both sides. The more slowly and carefully you cut, the less chance of damage to the surrounding wood.

			Step 3 – Cut horizontally Now cut across the line you marked earlier. Be mindful of the location of the joist during cutting, and of the locations of any cables or wires running beneath the floorboards.

			Step 4 – Insert bar between boards You can now insert the straight claw of your bar into the gap created by sawing across the joist marker. You can tap the heel of your bar lightly with a hammer to help wedge the claw into place.

			Step 5 – Apply force Apply downward force to the opposite end of the bar.

			Step 6 – Insert second bar beneath board When the board is lifted slightly, insert the straight claw of your second bar between the edge of this board and the one adjacent.

			Step 7 – Apply force Apply force to the opposite end of the bar.

			Step 8 – Continue to lift When the board begins to lift on this side, move to the other, repeating the process. You may hear some cracking and tearing noises as the board is raised and nails are pulled up from the joists below – don’t be alarmed, this is quite normal!

			Step 9 – Remove board Eventually you will hear the last remaining nails come free with a ‘popping’ sound. You can now lift the board free by hand. If one end of the board is fitted under skirting, simply slide it out.

			Be sure to remove any protruding nails from the underside of a lifted floorboard immediately. (See: How to use a utility bar to pull nails.)