How do you remove glued and screwed down wood floors? (hardwood floor, refinish)

[SunnyKayak]

Im in the process of flipping a house and it has this dated not attractive wood floors in the kitchen. It not your typical wood floor but 5 inch wide planks with grooves in between each plank the main reason I am removing them.

In the process of trying to remove it I have pulled the plugs and the person who installed them must really didnt want the floor to squeek because each plank has about 12 screws and it is glued to the plywood subfloor.

I try sawing it off but it only comes off in small sections and bottom part of plank stays due to it is glued. Most of the screws will not come out due to they also are glued to the floor.

Is there a easier softer way to remove these floors?

[EricD]

Too bad they're ugly, I think wide planks are coming into style.

Could you set a circular saw to the exact depth and then just cut like crazy over the glued area, and then try knocking the wood off with a hammer or something. I'm not sure, that's a tough case... good luck.

[garth]

It sounds like the easiest way to resolve the entire mess is to remove the plank and wood subfloor as one piece. Since the planks are not just screwed or nailed to the pylwood subfloor, but also glued, you're going to have a problem if you're even able to remove just the planks. You'll be left with glue residue on the plywood, which may tear away top layers of the plywood when you start working on it.

Since you've already taken some of the planks up, you've probably discovered their thickness. Let's say they're 3/4 inch thick. All you need to do is determine the thickness of the plywood subfloor. Once that is done, add the two together for your total depth, set your circular saw for that depth, and then start cutting away. Cut the floor into manageable sizes so you can pry them up. It should be easy as long as the subfloor is attached via nails to the floor joists and the screws in the planks just go into the subfloor.

Once everything is up, glue and screw (or nail) down your new subfloor. It will be smooth and pretty, all ready for the installation of your new wood floor.

As long as the various assumptions are true for your situation, I think you'll find this solution as the easiest way to go. You'll have to buy yourself some new plywood subfloor, but you'll save youself lots and lots of aggravation and labor. You may also end up buying new subfloor if you try to save the old stuff when it gets damaged from the old glue under the planks, so to just do it from the start will end up the most expedient and labor saving method.

[GregW]

I would have said, "leave sleeping floors alone" and just cleaned and waxed it. However you already started the hard way, so do as garth suggested and take the sub floor as well.

BTW - Be very, very careful with the saw. If you hit any screws or nails it could strip the blade and sent fragments everywhere. Try and find a blade that will cut through nails. Be very careful anyway - full face shield, gloves etc!

[JBrown]

Of course if all that florring runs under the base cabinets as wel...well you can figure that out right ??

[thepizzaguy]

Ask this old house has a Q and A. You can check their website for info, and send them a question if you like. It's the glue that concerns me. Sounds like it's going to rip up the sub flooring. I think someone here had it right.

[SunnyKayak]

Ill check into it I have 2 days to decide (probably longer if I get to frustrated)

Someone asked why I didnt just leave it and it is because Im moving a kitchen bar that seperates the breakfast nook and kitchen to make the kitchen area larger so the floor woood just look odd, and it has grooves between planks that salt sugar everything else will stick into.

I appreciate the advice you guys expressed. I am putting down tile floors in this area and the replacing the plywood might be the best opition since it also will be covered with backerboard.

Thanks

[vpcats]

Ohhhh couldn't you have refinished the hardwood? Those wide planks are NICE! and yes, popular again too.

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by vpcats

Ohhhh couldn't you have refinished the hardwood? Those wide planks are NICE! and yes, popular again too.

As mention above the grooves isnt ideal for a kitchen and im expanding the floor layout of the kitchen by moving the kitchen bar that seperates the breakfast nook and kitchen and therefore a half tile and half wood floor kitchen wood not look good.

The ones on the stairway to the upper level and entrance way will stay.

[evangelina]

I am desperate to remove glued down hardwood floor that we installed 8 months ago can someone please give us any good suggestion! we want to reinstall the floor!!!! Please HELP!