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How to remove floorboards

Close up of a Bunnings team member to pry up a floorboard using a crowbar

Overview

Sometimes you want to keep old floorboards when you remove them. We show you how to lift up your old boards so you can use them again. You'll also see what tools you can use to make the job a little easier.

Steps

1Cut into one board

Sweep your floor to get rid of any loose dirt. Set the depth of your circular saw to 20mm, which is the standard depth of a floorboard.  Floorboards are usually nailed onto each joist with two nails. Cut two parallel lines along the length of your floorboard that run inside the line of those two nails.
Bunnings team member using a circular saw to cut into floorboards

2Remove the cut floorboard

Gently hammer a chisel into one of the saw cuts. Then use a chisel to pry out the centre piece. Once the centre is removed, chisel away at the sides of the cut board until they come away from the nails. This allows you to gently ease the sides away from the other boards and hammer the exposed nails back into the joists.
Close up of a person hammering a chisel in between two floorboards

3Lift the remaining boards up with a wrecking bar.

Use a wrecking bar to pry your boards up. Lean the bar against the joist for support. Place the blade of the wrecking bar under the board slightly away from the joist. Then gently lever the board up in stages. Once the board has come up a bit, place the blade in between the two nails on the joist and, using the joist for leverage, pry the board until you hear the nail pop and the board comes off.
Close up of a Bunnings team member to pry up a floorboard using a crowbar
Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.