Removing carpet tack strip from tile floor w/o damaging tiles.

Rushdon

I've just bought my first house and lifted the carpet in the hall to find a tile floor which I'd like to keep for the time being. There is a carpet tack strip nailed into the tiles around the border of the room:

I'm wondering if it's going to be possible to remove the tack strip without causing irreparable damage to the tiles. I've got a couple of pictures but it won't let me post links yet.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Rushdon

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greyteam1959

Don't see any reason why you can't remove it.
Is it nail down or glued ??
Go at it carefully.
You will be left with lots of nail holes though & maybe some cracked tiles where they have hammered the nails through.
HTH

cyclonebri1

Ok, we can't see your pictures but for sure it won't be nailed through the tiles.

Normal practice on tiled floors is to fix with hot melt glue, in that case the solution is obvious, you attack it with a hot air blower.

But you do say it is nailed, so, it must be nailed in the grout lines, it couldn't be done any other way.


You need to nudge the trim at each nail point, then pull it back. That will have the effect of creating a gap under the trim as the nudge will have lifted the nail. You then need either a chisel, or similar item to gently lever each nail out.... Simples..

Ok maybe not, but that is the way to do it, ;)

societys_child

Vinyl tiles . . .

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London50

Good luck trying to remove them if the tiles are vinyl as they normally become very brittle over time and no matter how careful you are with the nails through them the chances are that the tiles will break up around the nail holes :0(

cattie

I have to agree with London50 as in my new home I had carpet grippers to remove from the original Marley vinyl tiled floors prior to refurbishment work taking place. Many of the tiles cracked or just came away in pieces as the gripper was pried up. They had originally been laid about the mid '60's I think.

cyclonebri1

societys_child wrote: »

Vinyl tiles . . .

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22417883/_DSC0191.JPG
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22417883/_DSC0008.JPG

Ah, fair enough, I did assume ceramic tiles as I can't see a problem with vinyl.

As regards keeping the floor as is, the damage is likely already done, some will have cracked on fitting anyway.
Your only real option is to get hold of a very fine nail bar and try to hammer it under the nail heads. That way as you lever you will be forcing the strip done as you lever under the nail head. At least that gives a chance to limit the damage but .........

Another point has just sprung to mind, tiles from that era are likely to have an asbestos content, be aware, I'd seal and install laminate or hardwood etc if that was on option.

(I do realise money may not permit that at this stage).

spacey2012

Those are 9x9 Marley asbestos thermo plastic vinyl tiles .
They need to be removed or encapsulated.

spacey2012

PS : Not wishing to soothesay, but it looks like you have just found out why they left all the manky old carpets down.
As the tiles break up, the asbestos works its way in to the carpet and your home.
The surveyor would have given birth had they have seen those 9x9's.

Better start saving up, going to be expensive, you can not even take them to the tip without a lab test certificate and waste carriers licence, even then I would not recommend you strip them yourself unless you have a good understanding of the methods and tools required such as a heppa vacuum.
9x9 were predominately white asbestos but blue was also used for some years as a filler.

cattie

Are you certain of the dangers you mention in the Marley tiles in your post spacey?

They are fitted in all the flats where I live & also in the communal parts. Last year the management company paid for a specialist survey to be carried out regarding the replacement of the tiles & the report states that any risk when removing them is very minimal.