Looking for some general demo advice.
I’ve got to remove my old oak floor, 1x plank sub-floor and 2×8 floor joists so I can set in new floor trusses. I’m wondering if its best to strip the floor in layers or just cut through the oak and subfloor with a sawzall, cutting it out in piece, then vutting out hte joists.
I’ve already built up the rim with additional 2x under the wall bottom plates so they don’t roll on me. And I figured out how I’m gonna lay in the new floor trusses and mount the truss hangers to a beam. I’m just not sure what the most efficient way to demo the existing floor would be, especially with electrical hanging loose in the basement below.
I’d appreciate any advice you guys can offer.
Replies
I prefer the layer approach, gives one time to ponder life and see how zen like demo can be.
I have done a lot ripping and tearing here, and it seems that the slow way can really be an education.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Just hold still, be agape of the beauty, it surrounds our being, encapsulation, and fear vanish.
yer not Richard Thompson , and a Cm7 is not the same as a Dm, cuz he told me so..........fight that mo fo.
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Bro, this might be a dumb question, but are you sure you have to pull up the floor? Would it be possible to use a portable jacking beam set up to slide in the new floor trusses while leaving the old joists in place and everything else, too?
I've managed to double up rotted joists by doing this a few times. You make a temporary two-ply built up beam outta 2x and jack that up against the area you need to raise with a couple of 2-ton bottle jacks or some steel jack posts. Sure beats heck outta ripping the whole joint apart if you can get away with it....
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
I wish that were an option. Unfortunately, the floor itself is in horrible shape and not worth refinishing. Water stains from a leaky roof, gouge marks so deep you can almost get to the subfloor, pet urine that penetrated deep into the wood, etc. The room suffered from decades of absolute neglect prior to our buying this place.
That being the case, I guess I'd just do as you've done and reinforce the rim so it won't roll...then take a chain saw and drop the whole mess into the basement with one big, satisfying boom!
Uh...don't forget to wear a harness and tie yerself to the overhead before you make that last cut, LOL....
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
That would be quite a picture. Me swingin' like Peter Pan in my Carhartts with a sawzall or chainsaw in my hands, unable to get back down.. I do believe that is exactly the nightmare scenario my wife envisions happening when she asks me to call a professional.
hee-hee-hee....
Drop it in big chunks. Start by making a hole big enough for a 5x7 section of scaffolding to stick up through, and then erect the scaffolding in the basement 2 sections high; that way you'll be able to make each final cut comfortably at waist height while standing on the scaff.
Continue cutting out pieces of floor and move the scaffolding around as needed to give you a secure place to work from. Rent a set of wheels for the scaffolding while you're at it; makes moving it around much easier....
A circ would be the easiest way to cut away both layers of floorboards between each joist. A chainsaw or sawzall for the joists themselves, I'd say. If you use a chainsaw, watch out for nails or you'll scrap the chain right quick. Also watch that you don't let your blade get bound up in the closing kerf as the piece starts to fall downwards.
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
good idea about using scaffolding, thanks.
Next best thing to having a Buck Rogers Backpack....
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Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
Even if the finish flooring is shot (is ALL of it shot?) that 1X planking might be interesting stuff in itself. If you've got yellow pine planking as subfloor, it can be cleaned up and used as flooring.In fact, if it is yellow pine and 6" wide and close to a full 7/8" thick, I need some. How close to Columbus Ohio are you? I might be able to help tear out for the wood.
I'm in Valparaiso, IN about an hour east of Chicago. If I remember right, I am about 6 hours from Columbus so likely too far. Let me know though and I can check the thickness and species of the subfloor, if you're interested.
Edited 8/28/2005 9:27 pm ET by pino
Yeah, 6 hours is too far. But good luck!
Any chance for any before pics?
Maybe we could start a thread about the worse shaped before pics and start a contest. heh heh
as Buddha said to the hotdog vendor .... "make me one with everything"
Sounds like you have decided to remove old flooring. If you do it in layers, I've found that a mattock works great for removing flooring--the flat blade gets under the flooring pretty easily and the handle is up where you don't need to bend to apply force (unlike a wrecking bar). I found that working in a team of two (if I can get the guy I work with to do it that way) works well; one guy pries and gets an opening started and the other wedges his blade into the opening a little furthere down and they both pry, then first guy moves beyond second and so forth.
Excellent idea, thanks.