DIY help - Lifting carpet tack strip

[Murpheeee]

I am lifting a carpet to expose the HW floors below.

Those darn tack strips around the perimeter are a bitch to lift, especially when they are nailed down every 3"

Whats the best tool to prize them up?
I tried a flat head screwdriver but its marking the HW below.......

 

[JulesMaximus]

There are pry bars made specifically to remove molding and things like this that are nailed down. Try Home Depot or Lowes. They don't cost much.

 

[Hoober]

I don't know what they're called, but they look like a long screwdriver. They're angled in the middle of the shaft and the end is forked to help get under the strip. Go to Home Depot and ask for something that matches that description. They're also great for getting baseboards off.

 

[Beau]

was gonna recommend a flat spade, but since you're exposing the hardwood floor, I'm guessing you want as little dammage as possible.

In that case, I'd still use a hammer's claw and a thin sheet of wood or metal to pry against and protect the floor. May be a bitch, but at least you won't cause damage.

 

[Jzero]

I would use a prybar and a piece of shim to protect the floor. Man, I hate those things...covered with spikes on both sides, like some kind of medieval weapon.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

pry bars. great things to have... buy a couple!

 

[Murpheeee]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
pry bars. great things to have... buy a couple!

I have a pry bar.....problem is that its not fine enough point to get under the tack strip.

 

[RichPLS]

I use a flat shovel, a good thick quality one works great.

 

[NL5]

Go to home depot, they have a 7" prybar that is "flat" shaped. Woeks GREAT for tack strips - did my house last winter with one.

 

[Hoober]

Originally posted by: Murpheeee

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
pry bars. great things to have... buy a couple!

I have a pry bar.....problem is that its not fine enough point to get under the tack strip.

Get a smaller one, like NL5 suggests.

 

[Murpheeee]

Originally posted by: NL5
Go to home depot, they have a 7" prybar that is "flat" shaped. Woeks GREAT for tack strips - did my house last winter with one.

Okay I'll go take a look, thanks!

 

[imported_weadjust]

Painters 6 in 1 tool. Get one at wal-mart, lowe's etc.

http://www.painterstoolbox.com...bsection&linkid=61

 

[GasX]

good picture of a flat prybar. These are FANTASTIC tools and have a multitude of uses.

 

[cKGunslinger]

I just used a hammer. Knock them a bit on the side, then pry them up with the claw. I suppose a custom tool or a flat pry-bar would be just a good, if not a bit better.

 

[Ornery]

What you want is called a trim or molding pry bar, and they come in a variety of shapes. You can even use a full size ripping bar if you're careful, and you'll actually have better luck with that. Buy both. Why not? Here's more...

Use curved jaw locking pliers to pry out nails left behind. Use the back of the top jaw as the fulcrum, like a claw hammer, with a shim underneath to protect the wood floor. Text.

 

[Ulfwald]

I also recommend a good set of thick leather gloves.

 

[Homerboy]

I did this in 3 large rooms in our house
I tried lots of stuff but what I ended up with was a littel 6" pry-bar. Loosk just like its bigger daddy, but its tiny and cute
Worked like a charm and hardly scuffed the floors. I started out being anal and placing a rag under it which protected the floors fine, but 8 billion nails later I said screw it and just went to town. The scuffs are so damn minor didnt matter. I used a hammer and some light taping when needed.

and yes USE SOME HEAVY WORK GLOVES.

Those strips are deadly as sin.

 

[badmouse]

I used a thin-bladed putty knife to slide under the strip and lift the strip enough to get the thicker pry bar under it. By about the nine zillionth strip you get pretty good at it.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
good picture of a flat prybar. These are FANTASTIC tools and have a multitude of uses.

That's EXACTLY what I was talking about.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Take your existing one.. grind down the tip to be finer so it can get under it.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Murpheeee

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
pry bars. great things to have... buy a couple!

I have a pry bar.....problem is that its not fine enough point to get under the tack strip.

You're a manly man according to your user icon, so you should have a 2HP grinder in the basement - remedy that situation yourself. There's nothing wrong with modding your tools.

 

[Murpheeee]

Originally posted by: NL5

Originally posted by: Mwilding
good picture of a flat prybar. These are FANTASTIC tools and have a multitude of uses.

That's EXACTLY what I was talking about.

picked one up today - thanks guys

 

[Pliablemoose]

One of those big putty knives is handy to place under the pry bar where it touches the hardwood, helps reduce the scuffing.

 

[Goosemaster]

YOu won;t believe me until you've tried this but it works like a charm...it is sort of a shiv but it is actually a paint can opener...they look like grout speaders but have a "c" indentation on one side of the blade....

best it is chromed so it is safe with everything

 

[Murpheeee]

well one room is done - and only one sliced finger so far

that flat pry bar is awesome!