Pull each nail straight along the line it was driven, because pulling at an angle splits the board: slide a cat’s paw under the head at about 30 degrees, lever the head up, then finish with a claw hammer resting on a thin block of wood. Drive nails you cannot reach through the board from the back, straighten good ones for non-structural use, and cut off any that snap flush with the wood.
Part of Building Material Recovery
A nail left in a board damages saw blades, splits wood in the next build and punctures feet, so denailing is tedious but essential before any recovered lumber is stored or cut.
A Straight Pull Saves The Board And A Blocked Hammer Saves Your Wrist
Nails resist being pulled sideways, and they split the grain when bent out of line. A claw hammer used alone also dents the board and gives poor leverage once the head comes up. The method below follows the parent article.
What You Need
- A claw hammer, a cat’s paw and a flat pry bar.
- Pliers for nails too short to pull.
- A nail set or a bolt of suitable diameter for driving nails out.
- Thin wood blocks to rest the hammer on.
- A bucket for recovered nails.
- Eye protection and gloves. Nails and rust flakes fly.
Method: Cat’s Paw, Claw Hammer, Straight Pull
Step 1: Set the cat’s paw. Place it behind the nail head at about 30 degrees to the wood surface.
Step 2: Drive it under the head with hammer blows on the paw.
Step 3: Lever the nail up until the head sits proud enough for the claw hammer.
Step 4: Block the hammer. Slide a thin block of wood under the hammer head as a fulcrum. It stops the hammer denting the board and gives more leverage.
Step 5: Pull straight up along the nail’s insertion axis. Pulling at an angle splits the wood.
Step 6: Embedded nails with no reachable head. Drive them through the board from the back with a nail set or a bolt, which pushes the head out of the front where you can grab it.
Step 7: Snapped or brittle nails. Old rusted nails can break. Cut the stub flush with a hacksaw or file it down, so nothing protrudes.
Step 8: Sort the nails. Pull them into a bucket. Straighten bent ones on an anvil or flat steel surface. Straightened nails are not as strong as new ones but serve for non-structural work (parent article).
Step 9: Check the board. Run a gloved hand and a magnet along it to find any nail you missed.
Common Mistakes
- Levering at an angle. It splits the board and bends the nail.
- Skipping the wood block. The hammer dents the face and the pull is awkward.
- Hammering nails flat into the board. They remain in the wood and ruin the next saw blade.
- Using bent nails for load-bearing work. Straightened nails are weaker.
- Leaving the nails scattered. They puncture feet.
Safety
Flying nails, splinters and rusty puncture wounds
A nail that springs free or a splinter that flies off a splitting board can reach your eyes, so wear eye protection. Keep your free hand clear of the line of the nail, and never hold the board against your body while pulling. A puncture from a rusty nail should be washed and cleaned promptly; see Wound Management. Collect nails as you go and never leave boards with exposed points.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Assessing Wood Condition — judging the cleaned boards
- Combine with: Hardware & Fasteners — storing the recovered nails