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Remove Nails Without Damaging Wood

Save expensive wood trim by using nippers to pull trim nails out through the back instead of the front.

by Brett Martin

From The Family Handyman

Images from this article

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Q  I’m trying to reuse the old baseboards in my living room, but when I tap the nails back out, they bend and the boards crack. What’s the best way to remove the nails?

Karen Jackson, Carmel, IN

A  Instead of pounding the nails back out, pull them all the way through with nippers. Place the board face down, grab the nail with the nippers, then roll the nippers forward or backward (Photo 1).

The finish nail will come out the backside without marking or scuffing the face of the board (Photo 2). In fact, the nail hole filler on the front side won’t even fall out!

1. Pull nails through the backside of baseboard with nippers.

2. The face of the board remains undamaged.

From The Family Handyman - February 2006

• • Walls
• • Wood Furniture
• Home Repair

• How to Fill Woodwork Holes Like the Pros
• Colored putty flawlessly fills woodwork holes.
• 
• Smooth Out Those Ugly Nail Pops For Good
• Smooth out your walls with this permanent solution for popped nails and screws.
• 
• How to Nail and Hold Boards Together at the Same Time
• Use superglue to hold the pieces together.
•