refinishing hardwood floors that have particle board over them

Although it's going to be more time consuming, I would recomend trying to locate & remove the nails with the particle board in place rather than sawing it into smaller sections. #1, you run the risk of sawing too deep & damaging the flooring underneath the particle board. #2, directly on the hardwood could damage the floor. I would buy a pry bar that digs into the particle board & gets under the nail head. We called them a cats claw, or sheeps foot. I don't know the real name, but they do work well. Good luck with the project.