How To Remove Old Parquet, Dismantling The Base

How to remove the parquet? Parquet is not only one of the most common and familiar types of flooring, but it is also one of the most durable. The service life of a properly installed parquet can be several decades. However, sooner or later even the best coating has to be replaced. Is it difficult to remove the parquet, is it possible to dismantle it yourself, how to do it, and what is needed for this? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.

Preparing to remove parquet

Tools

Before you begin removing the parquet, you need to prepare your tools. You will need:

nail puller, or crowbar
a hammer, preferably heavy enough
chisel
hammer drill with a chisel
garbage bags
broom and dustpan

Means of protection

It should be noted that removing parquet flooring is a rather dirty job, so you should take care of reliable work clothes, preferably with elastic bands on the legs and sleeves to protect against dust, hard-soled shoes, and protective equipment, such as:

headdress covering hair
gloves
construction glasses or face shield
respirator

In addition, it is necessary to prepare durable garbage bags, as well as a fire extinguisher, which is necessary for safety precautions when working with electric tools in a very dusty room.

Preliminary work

Before dismantling the parquet in the apartment, it is necessary to clear and prepare the area for future work:

remove things, household appliances, furniture and carpets
dismantle wall lamps and remove shades or lampshades from the ceiling
remove skirting boards, thresholds, and door frames resting on the parquet
If there is wiring running along the floor, you need to turn it off

Please note that removing the parquet is a rather labor-intensive process, and it may take several days to completely remove the parquet. Even if you do it yourself, it makes sense to find someone to help you take out the trash and do the chores.

Dismantling technology

Dismantling any type of parquet consists of the following steps:

removal and removal of parquet
disassembling the base (if present)
removing trash, clearing screeds, and cleaning the premises

Depending on the type and fastening of the old coating, the algorithm of actions at the first stage differs.

The complexity and technology of disassembly depends on several factors:

Type and design of the coating. There are different types of parquet: pieces, consisting of small blocks, panels – from panels of different shapes and sizes, and parquet boards, resembling boards of different lengths. Each type requires certain features not only during installation but also when removing the coating. The easiest way, especially when it comes to complete dismantling, is to disassemble a floor made of modern parquet boards with locking fastenings; it is a little more difficult to remove panel parquet. The biggest difficulties usually arise when dismantling an old piece of parquet glued to a concrete base or secured with nails;
Base construction: parquet flooring can be laid on a concrete screed, chipboard, plywood sheets, or a system of wooden joists made of boards.

Dismantling different types of parquet

Let’s take a closer look at the dismantling of the floor of each type of parquet.

The preparatory work is the same in all cases. Before opening the parquet, you should remove the baseboard. If a hidden strip is used to attach the plinth, you just need to remove the insert and unscrew the dowels. If the profile is simply nailed to the floor, it all depends on whether it will be reused. In this case, the nails are driven inside with a punch, and then the baseboard is carefully removed using a nail puller.

If you don’t need to save the plinth, you can immediately squeeze it out with a chisel or crowbar and tear it off. You can also split the baseboard with a hatchet, remove parts, and then pull out the nails.

Removing parquet boards

The modern board is the simplest and most convenient type both when laying and removing parquet flooring. It’s quite possible to do both procedures yourself if you have the most basic skills.

How to remove a parquet board with your own hands – step-by-step instructions:

We find the board that was laid last at the door and carefully separate it from the rest.
Moving diagonally, remove the following panels one by one. To do this, carefully widen the gap on the short side with a chisel and slightly push out the panel along the long side until the lock is released.

Important! If the removed coating is intended to be reused, all elements should be numbered during their disassembly; this will significantly speed up and facilitate subsequent assembly.

If the parquet board is laid with glue or attached to the base with nails or screws, a hammer and chisel will be required to dismantle it, and preserving the coating for further use is much more difficult.

Dismantling of panel parquet

Panel parquet consists of square panels made of chipboard or wood with strips of different sizes glued to the surface. Like the piece, it is also laid with glue or secured with nails but can be removed much faster and easier.

To remove panel parquet:

Determine the last panel laid. Since the parquet is laid from the window, you should look for it near the opposite wall.
Using a chisel, we widen the gap between the panels, place a crowbar under it, carefully lift it, separate it from the base, and remove it. As a rule, the panels are laid with glue or nails, so it is quite difficult to tear them off. To remove the panel parquet, you can also use a grinder to cut adjacent panels.
Using the same algorithm, remove the next shield and gradually remove the entire coating.

Dismantling block parquet

The most labor-intensive type of parquet in both installation and dismantling. It consists of individual small dies attached to the base.

Dismantling of block parquet is carried out as follows:

We tap the floor with a hammer throughout the room and find the area with the dullest sound. This is where the coating moves away from the base the most, and this is where you should start.
Carefully widen the gap between the dies using a chisel and a hammer, pry up the die and gradually separate it from the substrate.

Read Other: The Ultimate Guide to Blown-In Insulation Installation Services in Hartley, Texas

To pick up the parquet flooring, you can also use a hatchet, driving its blade between the die and the base and gradually widening the gap.

Move on to the next die and gradually remove all the coating.

If the parquet is laid with glue or secured with nails, it is necessary to use a crowbar and a nail puller. In this case, the parquet flooring most often cannot be removed entirely and you have to break it off piece by piece using a chisel, chisel, and hammer. If the parquet was laid on bitumen resin, you can use a hair dryer to soften the base. If you do not intend to save the dies, you can use a sanding machine to remove the parquet laid on glue, but in this case, you should be careful, as there is a risk of bumping into a nail and damaging the equipment.

Important! There is especially a lot of debris during the removal of block parquet, including small debris, as the dies break and crumble.

Dismantling part of the parquet

In some cases, there is no need to remove the entire parquet floor; it is enough to replace only part of the covering in a certain area. In this case, the installation technology will also depend on the type of parquet and fasteners, as well as on whether the removed elements are intended to be repaired.

As a rule, irreparably damaged dies are replaced, so the main task when removing them is not to damage the substrate. In preparation for removing part of the covering to protect it from dust and debris, cover the rest of the floor with film and carefully secure its edges.

Removing part of the parquet with your own hands – step-by-step instructions:

We cover the perimeter of the area to be replaced with masking tape.
We make an incision with a grinder around the entire perimeter. Care should be taken not to damage panels that are not intended to be replaced.
If we are talking about panel parquet or boards, we make cuts along the area of the area to be replaced as follows: the first row is parallel to the cut already made, and the next ones are located diagonally.
Remove sawdust and debris with a vacuum cleaner or brush.
Using a chisel, remove the cut pieces.
Remove trash.
Remove the remaining glue, and clean the screed or backing.
We select parquet fragments to replace the damaged ones and remove the connecting elements from all sides, trying on the resulting fragment in the prepared place.
Apply glue for laying the parquet to the base.
Carefully coat the edges of the prepared area with glue, place the fragment in the intended place, and press firmly.

Removing parquet flooring is a difficult and messy process that requires preparation. However, as we have seen, in some cases it is not so difficult to remove old parquet and, knowing the technology, it is quite possible to do it yourself. The most important thing is to prepare well, follow the instructions, and take care, among other things, of protective equipment to ensure your safety.

Read Other: Keeping the Las Vegas Heat Out: Supreme Spray Foam LV

How To Remove Old Parquet, Dismantling the Base – Detailed instructions