Removing Old Roofing Nails

Be careful not to damage the flashing.

Removing old roofing nails.

Roofers will be pulling up the old roofing material the building paper and in many cases the old sub roof and tossing them all into the dump truck. Use a straight claw hammer or flat bar to remove the nails. And i found a lot of on line recommendations to remove old nails and fasteners. When replacing metal roofing removing the nails is a tedious and necessary procedure.

Remove the shingles in layers as you work your way up the roof. Removing the shingles chances are the nails that will be securely seated in the wood so a bit of force will be needed with a twisting motion of the roofing shovel or spade. If you re keeping the old metal flashing carefully remove nails and bend it upward off the shingles with a pry bar. Remember there are roofing nails that keep many materials such as wood and asphalt shingles in place and these will be ripped out with impunity and discarded quickly.

You can make the job easier on yourself with the proper tools which include a clay hammer cat s paw pry bar. In this video learn how finesse and a few special tools help to free bent headless and the most stubborn of all galvanized nails. Skylight and chimney flashings are often worth saving if they re in good condition. You will want to start from one side of your roof and work your way to the other side.

Place the claw securely around the nail you want to pull. Drive in new nails where necessary to secure. This roof was being replaced because of of hail damage. Make nail removal light work.

Once it s out of the way pull any nails and remove any shingles and underlayment that are underneath. Here s my personal website. Use a straight claw hammer or flar bar to pull the nails. Pulling nails from boards with a hammer claw using brute force is a sure way to create ugly gouges and to bruise your knuckles.

Old nails pounded in the decking seem to be easy reason for manufacturer to void warranty. 6 hammer down any remaining protruding nails.