Whether you are planning on doing some demolition, or you just made a mistake and inserted nails where they shouldn’t have gone, then you will need to remove those nails from the wood.
With that being said, removing nails from wood can sometimes be rather difficult, especially if they are sunk in or are nails that have no heads on them. Therefore, today we’re going to talk about all of the different ways you can remove nails from wood.
Can You Remove Nails From Wood Without Damage?
OK, so this is often one of the biggest questions that people have because removing nails from wood will often include a bit of damage. The simple reality is that when you have to use pressure and leverage to remove a nail from wood, chances are pretty big that you will damage the wood below.
With that being said, there are some methods that are known for causing less damage or minimal damage, when compared to others. This is especially the case if we are talking about simply pulling the nail. If the head of the nail is exposed and you can easily reach it, such as with a claw hammer or pliers, you should be able to just pull it straight out.
However, if the nail is stuck or you have to dig down into the wood to access the head of it, you may end up causing damage. It really all comes down to how large the nail is, if it is stuck, the position of the nail, and whether or not it is a headless nail. Of course, it will also depend on the exact tool that you are using for the nail removal, which we will discuss directly below.
6 Ways to Remove Nails from Wood
Let’s take a quick look at each of the best ways to remove nails from wood. The best way for you will depend on the tools that you have at your disposal.
1. Using a Claw Hammer
The most commonly used method for removing nails from wood is using a claw hammer. This is probably something that you have seen done before. If the head of the nail is protruding slightly from the wood, or if it has not been hammered down too far, then the claw of a claw hammer should be able to easily grip it.
With the claw around the nail, you just pull sideways and upwards, and the nail is removed. This is absolutely the simplest way to remove a nail from wood, although a claw hammer does have problems.
First and foremost, if the nail head is flush with the wood, or even sunken down into the wood, then the claw will not be able to get to the head of the nail. Moreover, if you don’t pull straight with the hammer, you may damage the wood below. With that said, if you have sunken nails, a buried nail, or a headless nail, then a claw hammer will not do the trick.
2. Using Needle Nose Pliers
If you are working with a sunken nail or a headless nail, then a claw hammer will not be able to remove it, as it won’t be able to access the head to get a good grip.
If this is the case, another tool that you may use is a pair of needle nose pliers. Needle nose pliers have very thin plier heads, which makes it easy to reach down into tight spaces, such as for a sunken or headless nail.
That said, with needle nose pliers, you still need to find a way to grip the head of the nail. If the nail is sunken down into the wood too far, then needle nose pliers will not work. Moreover, getting enough leverage with needle nose pliers to pull a nail out of wood can also be difficult.
3. Using a Nail Jack
If you don’t have a claw hammer or needle nose pliers, or those two tools are not able to get the job done, then another tool that you have at your disposal is known as the nail jack. A nail jack is a very interesting tool, one that kind of looks like a pair of needle nose pliers, but has a curved handle.
They also have a sharp cutting edge. If you have a sunken or headless nail, you can use a nail jack to dig down into the wood a little bit and then grip the nail, and then since it has a curved handle, you can easily get enough leverage to pull it out.
A nail jack is perhaps one of the most common tools used in carpentry and demolition to remove nails. They allow you to grip a nail just like with needle nose pliers, yet allow you to use leverage just like with a claw hammer.
This tool is specially designed for digging down into the wood and removing nails. However, just keep in mind that the nail jack will also increase the size of the hole that the nail was in, and may also cause damage to the wood underneath.
4. Using a Pry Bar or Cat’s Paw Pry Bar
Yet another good way to remove a nail from wood is by using a good old pry bar. If you are looking for a heavy-duty tool to remove large nails that are really gripping into the wood, then this is a great tool to use. If you need to remove a nail that is stuck, and don’t mind causing a bit of damage to the wood below, then this is the best tool to use.
A pry bar may also allow you to dig down into the wood a little bit to gain access to the head of the nail. Now, if a normal pry bar is too thick and heavy-duty, and doesn’t allow you to get to the head of the nail, then using what is known as the cat’s paw pry bar is another good option.
A cat’s paw pry bar features two pointed tips, which means that it is much easier to dig down into the wood to gain access to the head of the nail. Moreover, a cat’s paw pry bar won’t cause as much damage to the wood below as a normal pry bar will.
A cat’s paw pry bar also has more of a bent front, therefore allowing you to get good leverage on the nail, just like with a claw hammer. Although using a cat’s paw pry bar is easier in terms of accessing the nail of the head, do keep in mind that you won’t be able to generate quite as much pulling power or force as with a normal pry bar.
5. Using a Nail Kicker
The next way to remove a nail from wood is by using what is known as a nail kicker. This is a special kind of tool that uses compressed air to blast air down into the nail hole, around the nail, thus forcing the nail up and out of the hole. These are pneumatic tools that use pressurized air to literally push nails out of the hole.
No matter the size or condition of the nail, a nail kicker should be able to get the job done. With that being said, these are expensive tools that are generally only used in professional industries, and it’s usually not something that you would buy for home use. However, if you do have a lot of nails that need removal on a regular basis, then it is certainly one of the best tools to use.
6. Using a Reciprocating Saw
If the nail is really stuck in the wood, and your main purpose is just to get it out of the way, then using a reciprocating saw is another option that you have at your disposal. Using a reciprocating saw fitted with a metal cutting blade, you should be able to cut right through the nail. Now, this might technically not remove the nail from the wood, but it will allow you to separate two pieces of wood that are nailed together.
What Is the Best Way to Remove Buried Nails From Wood?
The best way to remove buried nails from wood really depends on how much damage you are willing to cause to the wood below. If the nail is just slightly buried, and you don’t mind causing damage, then a claw hammer with pointed claws will work just fine.
However, if the nail is very buried deep, especially if it doesn’t have a head, then the best way to remove it will be by using a nail jack. A nail jack will allow you to dig down into the wood and then use those pointed claws to grip the nail, and then pull it out with the leverage produced by the curved handle.
What Is the Best Way to Remove Nails From Plywood?
The issue with plywood is of course that it is a piece of engineered wood that consists of many thin strips or veneers that have been glued together. Therefore, when you go to pull out a nail, especially if you pull sideways, you’re going to damage those veneers and cause the plywood to start splitting apart.
Therefore, although a claw hammer is something that you can use, it may damage the plywood and cause it to splinter. Therefore, using something like a nail jack or needle nose pliers is generally recommended. If you are very careful and don’t require all that much for us, a cat’s paw pry bar is a good option as well.
Summary
There you have it folks, everything you need to know about the best ways to remove nails from wood quickly and easily, all without causing too much damage to the wood below.
Depending on your situation, you might also want to read about how to remove nails from baseboard and trim.