[busyhammer]

Hi everyone, this is my first post and here is our problem right now. We (my wife and I) are currently re-doing an entire bathroom and in the demolition phase. We have removed all the cbu, dryall, tiles, toilte, vanity, tub, etc..

The only obstacle right now is the subfloor. Our subfloor is plywood (I believe) that is screwed to our floor joists/planks. The screws are a combination of Phillips head and Robertson head screws and screwed into the planks and joists in an irregular pattern.

The problem is many of the screw heads are corroded and/or stripped.. and its very difficult to get them out. So the question is what are some good ways of removing the screws? I have tried putting naval jelly on the heads to see if that helps and it did not. Our next attempt will be either cutting slots into the head with a circular saw.. or maybe using an extractor bit. Is there anything we may be missing? Getting this floor out is all thats lefts really for our demo and its becoming a real pain..

 

[joecaption]

Have you cut the subfloor on the out side walls where it runs under the walls yet?
Just make cuts between the joist and use a bar like this and the screws will snap off or pull out.
http://www.contractorstools.com/gutster.php

Or you can cut and remove the area between the joist and cut off the screws with a sawsall with a metal cutting blade.
Waste of time trying to get the screws out if there that bad.

 

[busyhammer]

Have you cut the subfloor on the out side walls where it runs under the walls yet?
Just make cuts between the joist and use a bar like this and the screws will snap off or pull out.
http://www.contractorstools.com/gutster.php

Or you can cut and remove the area between the joist and cut off the screws with a sawsall with a metal cutting blade.
Waste of time trying to get the screws out if there that bad.

This looks interesting. Are these available at HD, Lowes, etc? And will pulling up the board with the screws damage the joists? We have a couple of "wonderbars" from lowes.. is there any real world difference between that and this?

 

[framer52]

Quick question, why are you taking out the subfloor?

 

[joecaption]

It's going to do a small amount of damage not enougth to matter.
A wonder bar will work but you will be the one doing all the work not the bar.
Northern Tool is where I got mine.
No box store will have them.

 

[busyhammer]

Quick question, why are you taking out the subfloor?

This is the thought process

- Since we are redoing the whole bathroom, we asked ourselves why not re-do the subfloor since if its ever going to be done nows a good time.
- The floor is as follows Joists|Planks|Plywood|Some kind of black adhesive(Mastic?)|Vinyl|CBU|Tile we are now looking at the vinyl flooring layer. There is also some rotted wood that used to be by the tub and around the toilet.
- Once we removed all the CBU and Tile, there were a lot of screws that were sticking out throughout the remaining floor. These would have to be removed before laying new tile.
- We are adding a "mini-laundry-room" to the bathroom and want to make the whole floor completely waterproof with something like advantec + durock + kerdi.. probably overkill but so be it.

 

[JetSwet]

Quick question, why are you taking out the subfloor?

If the screws are corroded, its probably time to replace the subfloor.

 

[busyhammer]

It's going to do a small amount of damage not enougth to matter.
A wonder bar will work but you will be the one doing all the work not the bar.
Northern Tool is where I got mine.
No box store will have them.

Any experience with this type of tool?

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/klein-tools-55-1-2-in-grizzly-bar-64306.html

Its available at HD and I can get it today and would not have to wait for shipping anyway

 

[JetSwet]

A roofing shovel will is what I use some times to pull plywood off.

 

[busyhammer]

A roofing shovel will is what I use some times to pull plywood off.

maybe.. but I think I will stop by hd to look at that grizzly bar today..

 

[JetSwet]

What on earth is that link?!?....... hey any one want to travel to a different dimention in time and space...click the link lol

 

[busyhammer]

What on earth is that link?!?....... hey any one want to travel to a different dimention in time and space...click the link lol

Could be malicious... wouldn't recommend it

 

[sam floor]

Looks like a spammer.

 

[Seattle2k]

Any experience with this type of tool?

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/klein-tools-55-1-2-in-grizzly-bar-64306.html

Its available at HD and I can get it today and would not have to wait for shipping anyway

$84 for that? NO WAY! I just run my circular saw between the joists. If I have to cut across the joists, I set my blade to the correct height and make the cuts. Although I try to avoid running through the screws, my carbide-tipped blade has no problems hitting a few here and there. Then, I get a crowbar up under and pry the subfloor up and out.

 

[busyhammer]

$84 for that? NO WAY! I just run my circular saw between the joists. If I have to cut across the joists, I set my blade to the correct height and make the cuts. Although I try to avoid running through the screws, my carbide-tipped blade has no problems hitting a few here and there. Then, I get a crowbar up under and pry the subfloor up and out.

I agree, I thought it was a little on the high side too for what is basically a steel rod.. I ended up going to HD and even though they didn't have the Grizzly Bar they had a similar looking bar for about $20 so I went with that.

I like the idea of a circular saw cutting between the joists.. I may try that.. I don't know why I didn't think of that before! :thumbsup: