I’m replacing some of the cedar wall shingles on my home. I purchased a shingle ripper (flat bar with hooks to grab nails).
I have not had good luck breaking the nails. I’m hooking the bar over the nails and wacking the bar as hard as I can with a hammer. Nails tend to pull out and bend rather than break.
What am I doing wrong? Do I need to sharpen my shingle ripper hooks?
Mike K
Amateur Home Remodeler in Aurora, Illinois
Join some of the most experienced and recognized building professionals for two days of presentations, panel discussions, networking, and more.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
mike ... a "shingle thief " is NOT meant to cut or break nails... it's meant to pull them out..
so
.. your's is working just fine
Thanks, Mike.
Now I really feel stupid!Mike K
Amateur Home Remodeler in Aurora, Illinois
Mike,
I got to thinking.
Since the shingles are overlapped how do I get a shingle out from the one above without cutting the nail or damaging the shingle above?Mike K
Amateur Home Remodeler in Aurora, Illinois
Pull those out to.I like the Vaughan 20" flat bar for this type of work (HD has them). The extra length makes it very handy to get under a nail that is slightly proud and lever it out.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
the "thief " is just for that purpose..
usually you have to start about 30" above your bottom.. just rough break the course below.....
then you carefully split the last course and pull the splinters down and out...
slide the thief up and hook over the nail.. rap on the thief and the hook will pull the nails out .. of course if you are following an idiot.. who didn't nail the cedar shingles where they are suppose to be nailed.. ( one inch above the covering course butt & 1/2" in from each edge ).. it makes it harder.. staples are also harder to thief..
the 2d and lower courses you simply clean strip.. relay your new shingles.. the last new course , traditionally, you lay about 1/2" below it's final place.. drive the shingle nails as toes ( slanted up ).. then you drive the butt of the last shingle up and into it's final location.. the toe-nail straightens out as you drive the butt and the head of the nail winds up hidden by the butt above..
Non-traditionally.. you can face-nail the last course with SS nails... i prefer the traditional method
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 6/29/2005 7:35 pm ET by Mike Smith