Removing carpet staples / floor staples

[jamie86]

So, I’ve ripped up some old carpet from my new-ish house finally, and now I need to remove the staples from the floor. I read somewhere that you can use a floor scraper to shear off floor staples by running it over them repeatedly, which seems useful, but as I don’t have a floor scraper I was wondering …

Can a very wide clawed moulding crowbar be used instead? Same thin edge, but obviously shorter handle and thus less leverage. Would it work, or am I just going to bend the staples over? As you know I have a ridiculous collection of crowbars (it's a problem) and so I try to use them wherever I can.

I know I can use the claw to pull them out using the nail slot, but shearing them off is much quicker.

I thought rather than just give it a go and incite potential DIY disaster I better ask first.

 

[stillp]

Shearing them off can leave sharp spikes sticking up from the floor. Not sticking up far, but you'll know about it when you kneel on one!
Do the job properly, pull them out.

 

[jamie86]

Thanks stillp - does that remain an issue after carpeting over?

 

[stillp]

Probably not, but why not just remove them? it doesn't take long with a tack lifter and a pair of pincers.

 

[jamie86]

stillp you have a good point, haha! I'm just too eager to try new things I suppose - removing stuff with pliers I've done, shearing stuff off with bar claws I have not.

I'll stick traditional and save myself the extra hassle, though.

Cheers!

 

[emilybronte]

As an ex-teacher, I just use a staple-remover.

 

[stillp]

They work for staples in paper, but staples in a floor, from a hammer tacker?

 

[xr4x4]

Holy Christ .. Just hammer them flat!

 

[stillp]

Barbarian

 

[xr4x4]

 

[emilybronte]

They work for staples in paper, but staples in a floor, from a hammer tacker?

Yes, unless you are beyond feeble!