How to lift Tongue and Groove Floorboards

[Caesar]

Dear All

We live in a house built 25 Years ago, I am having the central heating replaced totally including pipework. The plumbers have informed us that lift the boards will be really difficult and that it is up to us to remove and relay the flooring once the central heating is done. My question is how easy would it be to remove tongue and groove flooring which consists of chipboard tiles say 20 x 20 inches and approx 1 inche depth? many thanks.

 

[DAZB]

Use a circular saw and set the depth gauge so it just barely goes through the flooring in case there are cables and pipework around. Try to cut over the joists too as it makes relaying them so much easier.

 

[JohnD]

plumbers are often very bad at lifting and relaying flooring anyway, so you will probably take more care and do a much neater job.

get in a stock of 50mmx50mm timber as you may need to fit noggins to support the flooring cut edges when you relay them, and the T&G will have been cut so offer no support..

I like to use countersunk wood screws rather than nails to refix floors as well.

if you find it difficult, ask around for a good local joiner or carpenter (look at a sample of his work). he will have the tools and experience to do a nice job and be faster than us DIYers. If the panels are then fixed using screws they will be very easy to take up and put down again, e.g. at the beginning/end of each days work, or to look for leaks, and he can make replacements for any that get damaged (some will)