by Stephen Shipley »
Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:32 pm
Are you intending to replace the boards? If so it may be better if you cut a hatch before you start to lift. Try to pick an area which will be covered by a rug or a piece of furniture. This is not always possible as there is often some reason why the hatch has to be in a particular place.
If you have or can get hold of a circular saw, you can set to cut just through the boards (assuming you know how thick they are - could be a big "if"). Yu can also get hold of special floorboard cuting had saws - not a thing you are likely to find worth buying. Either way it's probavbly a question of finding someone with the tool and asking for help. You need to cut along the joists (hence across the boards). You can see where the joists are because you can see the nails which go into the joists. Try to cut along near the middle of the joists - but avoid the nails!
Then cut along the boards from joist to joist. If you can do this so that your hatch contains no nails it is only the tongues and grooves which are holding the hatch down. You should be able to work from your last saw cut and prise the hatch up board by board. It might be a good idea to number the boards so they will go back down again.
If you are intending to lift and dump the entire floor you can just blaze away with whatever comes to hand - don't fall through the gaps you make ... especially if you are working upstairs.
Good luck
Stephen
