Tack Strips VIII

[naomikritzer]

11:29 p.m., and all the tack strips are gone.

The metal strip in the doorway is still there. The things holding it down appear to be threaded like screws, but without the little thing in the top where you stick the screwdriver. My father is going to bring a tool over tomorrow that might make it easier to remove them.

There is also some carpet pad still stapled to the floor, and those staples still need to be removed.

I am pleased with the overall condition of the floor. It's dinged up but not too badly. Molly's floor looks like someone spilled a can of paint thinner -- there's this huge SPLAT where the varnish was taken off. This floor doesn't seem to have anything like that. It's dirty and has lots of little holes in it, but it's basically in good condition.

Comments

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

Yay!

Those things are called "spiral nails." They're better for holding than regular nails, but they are not (should you ever feel the urge) adequate to replace bolts if you are, fer instance, assembling a staircase.

[naomikritzer]

Ah ha.

How do you get them OUT? Any suggestions?

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

Once you have any of the shaft exposed at all, you can grip them with vice-grips and spin them out. But getting any of the shaft exposed without destroying the wood is hard.

[naomikritzer]

They were already exposed, fortunately -- the metal strip was holding down carpet, and once the carpet and pad had been yanked out, they were sticking up about a half inch. The tool my father brought over today was in fact a vice-grip, and it took care of them very quickly.

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

I love my vice-grips; they are the tool of first resort for anything requiring the amplification of torque. (The tools of second resort use compressed air and live in the garage.)