Simple question really! I've searched the site and I have not been able to find an answer to this question. What are the steps taken to remove a nail-down solid hardwood floor?

Pull up base and shoe molding then with a circular saw set at 3/4", cut perpindicular to the flooring about every two to three feet. plan on wasting the blade you use because you will hit some fastners. Be careful around door jambs and transitions not to break those off while doing the demo. now the real question why are you tearing out 3/4" flooring.

Let's just say it was the wrong installation for my application.

The shoe molding is pretty straight forward, but what's the best way of removing the base molding? My initial thought is to score the paint at the top where the molding meets the paint, then pry it off?

Yep, cut the caulking and paint along the top where it meets the sheetrock or plaster, with a razor knife. Take your time and a steady hand.

Carefully pry!

I do as they said, but also use a stiff bladed putty knife to drive between the wall and base. You can wig-wag this back and forth, to get a little room, and then pry against the putty knife to keep the prybar from going through the wall. Try to start in the middle, between the nails, not right against them.

Hi Serbonze,
You're the fellow that has/had a pond under your home. How did that get resolved? What are your plans? I see you're planning on ripping out your warped 3/4" oak but what are you going to put in it's place? Hey, after all the great advice we've given you ( ), you can fill us in on your plans.

The questions on hardwood removal are really just because I'm curious, I'm not doing it myself.

Sean (Sean H on this board) has been absolutely terrific to work with over the last seven months. He's been very patient and answered all my questions, provided advice (along with everyone on this board), and provided me countless different proposals everytime I had to give something new to either the homeowners association or the insurance company.

Long story short, my homeowners policy would not cover the damage, the associations policy would not cover the damage, and we have no recourse with the builder because everything is within Tampa building codes. I did manage to have the association pay for labor and disposal costs for the tear out of the existing floor, and pay for the entire sub floor and materials (plywood and Bostiks).

I've gotten several different answers from the builder about how they installed the floors. The last I heard they only used roofing felt under the 3/4" solid, and not the tarpaper they had originally told me. At this point it doesn't really matter, but we will eventually find out once the old floor is torn up.

We have worked with both an architect and waterproofing company to come up with solutions to the problem. At this time it looks like we are going with completely waterproofing the underside of the homes and adding high powered exhaust fans to get rid of any moisture that might build up.

I have chosen to go with Mirage Engineered, using Bostik's MVP as a sealer and Best as an adhesive. I was planning on posting later after the floor is installed, with before and after pics.

Roofing felt is "tar paper"

What the builder didn't do is follow the proper standards for a hardwood installation, and building codes rarely even go that far. It is the responsibility of the guy installing the floor to be the professional and know better!!

With your own wood flooring inspector, this would have been a cake walk in the legal courts!


Sounds like your new consultants know what they are doing, unlike the original flooring installers and the clueless builder. These guys rarely care, until it hits them in their back pocket.

My blood boils everytime I here of a home owner getting taken advantage of by unscrupulous builders and flooring pro's. You dropped it, just like they were fishing for. Now it is your dime, to pay for there tremendous mistakes.

"You dropped it, just like they were fishing for. Now it is your dime, to pay for there tremendous mistakes."

Unfortunately, I didn't really have a choice as I'm not the original owner of the home. Additionally, I have a copy of the original invoice and warranty that came with the floor. It includes the following language:

"...assumes no liability for imperfections in subfloor and does NOT guarantee floors against the following: cupping, reverse cupping due to rough sanding, buckling, expansion or shrinkage of materials due to causes beyond our control, white and pickled floors, or topcoats. (Name witheld) is not responsible for HVAC systems, security wires, leakage of the icemaker, damage caused by conditions such as faulty contruction of the building, ordinary wear and tear, fire, water or checmical action, faulty maintenance, improper ventilation, excessive moisture or excessive dryness, separation of concrete or settling of walls"

As you can see, the installer's "Terms and Conditions" section of the contract covers every possibilty that I could use in my situation.

We have had several inspectors at the house, and they all agree that he damage was due to prolonged exposure to elevated levels of humidity/moisture. It took 9 years for the floors to cup, and only three out of 17 units in my association were effected. The rest have perfectly flat floors.

Regardless, this whole situation is over now and I'm looking forward to the new floor. Again, I have everyone on the board to thank, escpecially Sean, for his patience and assistance.