Hi there

I would like to know what is the best way to tackle taking up plywood with adhesive on top. I was thinking remove the adhesive with a hammer drill with chisel then angle grinding the screw heads then prying the plywood. I dont really want any splinter damage on the floorboards. Advice appreciated!! Merry Xmas

Best Wishes

Howard

Prise it up with a wrecking bar, I presume you will be replacing with new ply, trying to get the adhesive off seems a time consuming task.

To get that ply up without damaging the floor slightly will be tedious...

Firstly, try to locate where the screws are....then use a 15mm hole cutter for timber....use this to drill a hole around each screw...( i did say it was tedious) then lift the ply up leaving behind all the screws and the small round piece of ply....then use a hacksaw blade to cut off every screw...If you have a grinder that could do it or a fein or bosh p180.....anything that will cut the screws off....that is the gentle way of doing it....

Other wise as mentioned straight in with a pry bar....

or another VERY TEDIOUS way,would be as Dave said,using a hole cutter then a pair of mole grips to unscrew the screw,that way you aint damaging the floorboards

Mabe, and it is just a maybe, if the screws have been put in uniformly you could locate a start point, take off the addy around the head and maybe again, manage to unscrew the screws. It does sound like a lot of work to protect the boards but hey, you know what your wanting to do.

Hope you get sorted out

Originally Posted by Alan.P

Mabe, and it is just a maybe, if the screws have been put in uniformly you could locate a start point, take off the addy around the head and maybe again, manage to unscrew the screws. It does sound like a lot of work to protect the boards but hey, you know what your wanting to do.

Hope you get sorted out

Cheers for that how much damage can you do to floorboards when ripping up ply? screws were not sufficiently long enough to pierce floorbords.What would you use to take the addy off the screw heads?

Best Wishes

Howard

Originally Posted by Dave

To get that ply up without damaging the floor slightly will be tedious...

Firstly, try to locate where the screws are....then use a 15mm hole cutter for timber....use this to drill a hole around each screw...( i did say it was tedious) then lift the ply up leaving behind all the screws and the small round piece of ply....then use a hacksaw blade to cut off every screw...If you have a grinder that could do it or a fein or bosh p180.....anything that will cut the screws off....that is the gentle way of doing it....

Other wise as mentioned straight in with a pry bar....

Dave thanks for this post!!

Originally Posted by medlar

or another VERY TEDIOUS way,would be as Dave said,using a hole cutter then a pair of mole grips to unscrew the screw,that way you aint damaging the floorboards

I think Ill go for this method first then Daves second ta.

Warm Regards

Howard

What are the floorboards that you are so concerned about damaging them???
Are you retiling?
If so it doesn't matter if you splinter the boards a bit.
Often the screws pull through the ply when pulling with a wrecking bar and then you can just unscrew them or use a crowbar to finish it.
If you are retiling then use a polyurethane subfloor adhesive to bond the new subfloor and put a bit extra where there are damaged areas. It expands as it cures and so fills in any little craters and gaps quite nicely.

Alberta's right here - get stuck in with a wrecking bar.
It may look a mess once you're done but it will be a lot quicker and you are very unlikely to upset the floor structurally.

Use a jemmy to lift the edge of a sheet then slide a spade in. You can snap the screws usually and the spade gives good leverage. Good luck

Pick axe works aswell

Originally Posted by Alberta Stone

What are the floorboards that you are so concerned about damaging them???
Are you retiling?
If so it doesn't matter if you splinter the boards a bit.
Often the screws pull through the ply when pulling with a wrecking bar and then you can just unscrew them or use a crowbar to finish it.
If you are retiling then use a polyurethane subfloor adhesive to bond the new subfloor and put a bit extra where there are damaged areas. It expands as it cures and so fills in any little craters and gaps quite nicely.

Hi Can I ask you more experienced tilers where to get the best information on how to tackle a job - who you should contact thinking specifications etc What is the M40 specification and who oversees it. Any info you could send me appreciated! How do I make sure I use the correct materials and how it should be tiled. Thanks

Merry Xmas

Howard

TCNA - TCA Publications

The 2008 version of the TCA Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation (English and Spanish versions) provides specification writers, architects, contractors and installers industry-consensus, detailed drawings and installation specification guidelines for 101 installation methods. The specification guidelines for each method include recommended uses, limitations, requirements, materials, preparation by other trades, movement joints and installation specifications. It references American National Standards (ANSI) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) test methods.

* This was the the US version, now they represent NA.

Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Association of Canada

The TTMAC was founded in 1944. Its mandate was to develop a method of standardizing terrazzo, tile and marble installation techniques, as well as being a technical resource and liaison for architects, specifiers, designers and engineers. TTMAC honours this commitment today as well as many other services and support of the hardsurface industry and its members.

Tile Installation Manuals

Specification Manuals 09 30 00 &
09 66 00 and Dimensional Stone Guide now available.

The TTMAC develops and publishes the standards for the tile and stone industry. The latest edition of these standards is the 2007 Specification Guide 09 30 00 Tile Installation Manual. The guide outlines how, for example, showers, decks, stairs and kitchen floors are to be tiled to insure that installation will be crack free, waterproof, properly laid out and installed with the quality of work meeting standard trade practice.

Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Association of Canada

*This is the Canadian resource.

These are the best resources NA has to offer, I am not sure as to what is over in the UK.
These will most certainly help though, I have hardcopy of both at home and refer to them when I need to.
This will help.

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your help its a great help. Listen I would like to work on some guides like how to self level things like Oli has done which will help my learning. What I need though is a pointer to some good info and your experiences. Like to give something back. If I damage the floorboards this women will want new ones shes very picky

Merry Xmas

Happy New Year

Howard

howard are you re tiling afterwards?if so i really would nt be bothered about any damage esp if the screws were nt long enough to penetrate the floorboards properly.
i would also take a circular saw along to help chop up the board to help make transportation easier.

is this the same job from earlier posts?is it has anything to do with TM(bolton)? i will gladly go look at it with you. As i know they will tell her my credentials.

Sorry if i am jumping the gun Howard. i think this is a job Howard has had a problem with before (previous posts about uncoupling membrane) and is having to rip up and make good but i beleive she is watching his every movement.(sorry if i am wrong pal)

could use a circular saw set to depth of ply to cut into manageable lengths, then use jemmy bar, watch out for screws when using circular saw tho'!

watch out for screws when using circular saw tho'!

I have an old blade that I use for situations like that so then it doesn't matter if you hit a screw or two, plus going through old thinset you don't want to use a new blade anyway.

If I damage the floorboards this women will want new ones shes very picky

I have worked for some very picky people before and I can assure you, if you handle it right you will have no problem.
You are not going to damage the boards much in any case.
Depending on the screw if you give it a couple of side to side smacks with a hammer it will snap off and if any bit is still sticking up you hit it down into the wood.
Face it, you are going to do some damage, albeit minimal, nicks and gouges and a few splinters and whatnot, but you cannot have bloodless surgery.
Really....it is a ripout.
I have had a few ripouts where I judged the subfloor to be dodgy in a few spots and I replaced it, it is not hard, and even if (doubtful, but) you were to damage a piece enough to warrant it being replaced I would let the customer know that they would have to pay for a new piece as it is a ripout and you cannot be held responsible for it's integrity. Sure you take care, but old crap sometimes has seen better days and is worn out and just falls apart.
If she wants you to be so picky and hand unscrew it and please don't dent or nick it.....the price of that ripout just doubled.

You still haven't said what the floorboards are made of either?????????????

Took my floor up today, I put this down 15 yrs go and boy did I do a good job of it, 12m/m ply screwed at 8inch centres, just knocked solid brick partition wall down and not one tile cracked on the floor.
It was an absolute pig to get up, levered one large section up approx 6x4 and carried out in one piece, most of the tiles on the ply still intact, damaged a few floorboards in the process but doesn't matter as it's coming up anyway and being replaced with 18m/m wbf.

Hi Guys

Lifted the floor. Took two people a day to lift 4m2. Had to hammer chisel the tiles and then the adhesive over the boards to reveal screws. Angle grinded the screws then lifted the ply. Job done thanks to everyone!

Best Wishes

Howard

Pleased you got sorted out, thanks for letting us know, sounds like a whole lot of pain, 2 blokes