Lifting old floor boards

[sjohn]

I have been offered a house lot of old hard wood floor boards from a house built in the 1940's. Not sure what type of timber they will be but I reckon they will be some type of Australian hard wood. Question is, does anyone have some tips on the best method of lifting the boards without damaging them? Thanks, Sj

[bnpenty]

Yup SJ,

Firsly I'm assuming you want to relay them but you havn't said what the problem with them is?

Take a bit somewhere and find out, definitely, what it is

If you have timber that fracures along and across grain more so than flooring average (like Cypress) you will have at least a bit more of a problem

The simplest method (guys n gals...I'm sticking my neck out here, re all the guys who love a good crowbar) is as follows.

Cut a 25mm slot along the board you start with, pull out rest of board. Cut 50mm hardwood wedges (the depth the nails are driven) x (3 or four boards widths long); long and thin. Use wedges along all joists, banging them in gently in the sense you stop and move to another wedge when you hear something spintering, also watch for nails. When the wedges are getting close to being fully in, you gently free the first raised board. Keep banging til the next one falls, usually undamaged, into your hands, and just keep going.

It's easy and quick but but very tiring, so get a fit person to do it. Nick

[falc72]

The guy at the Rockdale heritage wood shop told me they hose them down so they slip easier but said you'd have to dry them for a month after. I dunno. Just what I was told.
all the best.

[bnpenty]

I'm going there next week,I'll check that out.

[Connollys]

You pick up a floor lifting tool from Rite Way Hire in Sussex St Coburg

Cheers

[powderpost]

A lot of houses up here, of that vintage had 150mm pine flooring covered with lino. Often had old newspapers under the lino that made for some interesting reading.
Jim

[sjohn]

A lot of houses up here, of that vintage had 150mm pine flooring covered with lino. Often had old newspapers under the lino that made for some interesting reading.
Jim

Thanks guys. Flooring turned out to be pine, not hardwood. Got some up and lost some (they were held down with 75mm nails !!) Powderpost was right about the old news papers...

[echnidna]

being 1940's probably baltic pine so well worth salvaging