Strange hooks behind skirting boards

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Hi,

In this lockdown I decided to replace the carpet near the downstairs cloark room with a laminate floor. For that, I thought it'll be easy to get rid of the old skirting boards and put in new ones, I like them better them putting trims.
However, taking out one of the skirting boards, it took lot of effort. I realized that the wall has an 'iron strip' with 'hooks' coming out and the old skirting board was holding onto it, thus making it difficult for me to take it out (Some pics of those hooks attached).

Couple of things I really need help with before going further.
  1. How can I install a new skirting board? The only way I can think is to make 'partial holes' on the back of the board where the hooks are and then put it there. But that'll be too much work and not sure if that's correct. The hooks are old and strong and it'll be a nightmare to think of chopping them off with a metal saw, esp with one every 0.5m approx.
  2. The concrete floor has a very think layer of chipboard kind of floor glued to it. What is it? Reason am asking is because I might have to double it up so that the final floor comes level with the rest of the house. Or is there anyother method I can use to do the levelling?
Am not a seasoned DIY'er, but confident enough to pull things up. But this really stumped me, so pls let me know what you guys think. Any inputs will be really helpful
cheers!
 

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These are traditional cut clasp nails - very common for fixing flooring and skirtings.
Pulling them out will remove some plaster - consider cutting them off with an angle grinder with a 1mm slitting disc.
John :)
 
Awesome, never know such thing existed, thanks for the quick reply :)

Managed to pry one out and its almost 100mm in length! With one placed every 0.5m, some in unreachable place behind pipes, not sure I can use an angle grinder. What's the easiest way to pry them out without damaging much of the plaster ?
 
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knock them to the left with a small hammer

knock them to the right with a small hammer

knock them to the left with a small hammer

they will then snap off.

the iron is quite poor quality.

plaster behind a skirting board is unnecessary and of no consequence.
 
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These things grip like hell.....they may be direct into blockwork or timber plugs inserted into the mortar between the bricks.
If you want to lever them out, always work below the skirting line. With a claw hammer and a block of timber underneath the head they may pull out.....personally I’d cut them off with the angle grinder - so long as they are beneath the back surface of the new boards you needn’t worry about neatness .
As JohnD says, they may fatigue off with hammering each way.
John :)
 
Cut brads or cut clasp nails are often used for fixing skirting boards into lightweight blockwork. Because they're flat and with a 'matt' surface, they grip very well, unlike ordinary round or oval nails, which can easily pull out.
 
Tried with a couple, 2 of them came out with some effort (alongwith some plaster), but others are refusing to budge, even if I hammer them from both sides to loosen them up. Just too many of them to individually pry them out, i'll have to try the angle grinder i guess.

And they don't seem to snap off at all!
 
Some of these nails are made from malleable iron, some from chilled - and its the latter that tend to snap.
Its the luck of the draw!
John :)
 
A cheap multi-tool or a recip saw will cut them - allow the blade to sink into the plaster. saves all the knocking and pulling about.

You have what look like glued down cork tiles. Or even vinyl tiles with a mottled pattern?
Some are self-adhesive but anyway, if necessary, they are easy to scrape up with a paint scraper or similar.
Reaching a finished floor height will depend on what height you've got to make up and the thickness of any floor coverings and underlayments?
 
a reciprocating saw to cut a couple of nails?
think i’ve just about lost the will to live here now.
 
Instead of pulling the skirting back off the nails, prise the skirting very slightly from the wall and using a metal blade in the recip, slide the blade down the back of the skirting & cut the nail.
You could even use a hacksaw blade to achieve the same result.

I assume that in an average room there's more than a couple of nails?

I do hope the troll doesn't pass away - it looks bad when you die in an institution or a pub.
 
In my own experience cut nails break easily (often because they are rotten with rust). Wrought nails tend to be a lot tougher, but they can be pulled out with a pair of carpenters nippers or a nail bar, using a piece of wood if needs be for extra leverage and/or to protect the wall/plaster beneath
 

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