How to remove staples from old carpet to prep floor?

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How to remove staples from old carpet to prep floor?

John Fider
Real Estate Agent · Harrisburg, PA · Member since 2020 · 37 posts · 13 votes

Just ripped out the old carpets and have all these annoying staples that are ridiculously labor intensive to remove. Do you know of an easy way to remove them? I'm prepping the floor for vinyl installation.  


I'm thinking maybe I can use a gravel stamper to just quickly flatten them out...  any other ideas?

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Lynnette E.
Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
5y

Don't flatten them out to put vinyl over them, they will not allow the vinyl to be flat.  

Its not fun, but we pull them up with pliers and put a flat head screw driver under them to push them up a little if we can not grab them with the pliers.  Its a great job for a teen who want to earn money.  Pay by the room, not by the hour.  Turn on the music and let them pull.

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  • Lynnette E.
    Rental Property Investor · TN · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    Don't flatten them out to put vinyl over them, they will not allow the vinyl to be flat.  

    Its not fun, but we pull them up with pliers and put a flat head screw driver under them to push them up a little if we can not grab them with the pliers.  Its a great job for a teen who want to earn money.  Pay by the room, not by the hour.  Turn on the music and let them pull.

    12Reply
  • Mack BensonPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Woodbury, MN · Member since 2018 · 299 posts · 299 votes
    5y

    Flattening them will only let them come up in the future and bubble the vinyl flooring. Plus if you don't get them sunk all the way then the vinyl will not lie flat to begin with. About the only way I've successfully done it is by prying them up with a screwdriver or chisel and pulling them out with a needle nose, pliers, or channel lock. You need to make sure you get the entire staple out or they will have an adverse impact on your vinyl. I thought maybe a floor scraper would work but I think that may stand a better chance of breaking the staple and leave a sharp bit sticking out of the existing floor causing more trouble down the road. 

    Wish I had better advice.

    3Reply
  • Mike CumbieBusiness Member
    REALTOR® · Brockport, NY · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    5y

    I'll agree with the rest. Only other option I have done is removing the subfloor and replacing with thick decking. No less labor intensive and usually more expensive. It's best used when the floor is rotted and really needs to be replaced. Now of course you are removing staples from joists that have hung on. If the subfloor is good, take the time and rip them out one by one. 

    Good Luck!

    3Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    5y

    I like Lynnette's idea of paying a teenager.  Two of them can talk and pull out staples!

    1Reply
  • Mary M.
    Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    Needle nosed pliers and a small flat head screwdriver.  And yeah, take them out 

    5Reply
  • JD MartinBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    5y

    One other option: flatten them and cover everything with thin (less than 1/4") luan or plywood subfloor. If you are using sheet vinyl, you'll want a luan underlayment anyway. If you are using floating floors, then the subfloor panels will also take up any little imperfections. 

    BUT: this is a lot of work too, and more cost. If it was my house and I was using floating floors, I would be pulling them with a thin, long flathead screwdriver (for leverage) and a pair of lineman's pliers (needle nose will work you to death). Pop them with the screwdriver and pull them straight out with the linemans. If you break any staple arms use the pliers to either pull the broken arm straight out or bend it a couple of times in each direction and it will snap at the surface. 

    Aggravating? Yes, but if you want a good job 90% of just about everything is in the prep work. This goes for virtually everything you do in a house. 

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  • David M.
    Morris County, NJ · Member since 2020 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    Another is flat bar... also doubles as your “checker” as you can pass it over the floor to find the staples (just like using hammer to find left over screws/nails/etc on studs)

    1Reply
  • Max T.
    Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    Give a high school kid $80 and a pair of small pliers

    2Reply
  • Justin Robert
    Investor · Temple, TX · Member since 2015 · 111 posts · 83 votes
    5y

    @John Fider I will echo what everyone said. The only way to do this is just screwdrvier, pliers and elbow grease. I had a whole room to do, took a few hours with a helper. 

    2Reply
  • Trent M.
    Nebraska City, NE · Member since 2020 · 16 posts · 8 votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    I have had good luck with a shingle ripper tool. This isnt the exact one I borrowed from a friend but this is a whole lot easier than getting on your hands and knees

    https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200705736_200705736?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Construction%20%3E%20Roofing&utm_campaign=RoofZone&utm_content=65806&&ds_e_product_group_id=636595900943&ds_e_product_store_id=&ds_e_ad_type=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQjwreT8BRDTARIsAJLI0KLuT3rnHDJzfHgn-Uw3cEewsXdhAX0eQ1L7Ysq2WVmX2LqqBoJHyJ4aAjnWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

    2Reply
  • James Rolf
    Specialist · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2020 · 13 posts · 6 votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    I’ve done this a few times and I would be careful using a screw driver as it could damage the floors (or yourself). The best method for me has been using a heavy duty end nipper pliers to grab and roll/lift the fasteners out of the wood. I bought a pair with long handles from harbor freight so I didn’t have to bend down as much. For stubborn nails/staples, use the flat pointy end of a 5-in-1 paint scraper. Run it flat between the floor and the staple to lift without gouging, then use the nipper pliers to finish pulling. Best of luck!

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    Heavy floor scraper helps. They’ll be 6” wide and heavy enough to club a Canadian into submission.

    3Reply
  • Dan Bass
    Kansas City, KS · Member since 2019 · 58 posts · 66 votes
    5y

    @John Fider when the flooring company came to do my house, they had a large weighted flat blade attached to a rod. I’d bet you could rent this from Home Depot and do it pretty quickly then use pliers. YouTube is a great resource for this. They went pretty quick with that tool.

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    @Dan Bass

    Exactly what I was describing

    0Reply
  • Josh V.
    Excelsior, MN · Member since 2016 · 52 posts · 27 votes
    5y

    @John Fider I had this same issue a few years back. Bought a tool called The Extractor. It worked awesome and was way better than pliers. Have been able to use it for countless other projects as well. Probably one of the most used tools in the tool box.

    1Reply
  • Merrit Olson
    Member since 2020 · 9 posts · 0 votes
    5y

    Use a razor scraper.

    I did carpet tear outs for five years. This works the best.

    0Reply
  • Jennie Ballard
    Brazoria County · Member since 2020 · 69 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    Thin paint scrapper to lift them a bit then a pair of needle nose pliers to pull. If you grab top of staple lengthwise in jaws and roll sideways they come out easier without breaking arms off. The pulled staple is rolled into a c or @ shape.

    2Reply
  • James Williamson
    Investor · Littleton, MA · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    I've used an Ice scraper in the past with success bet the best way to make sure you get them all is needle nose plyers. 

    2Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    5y

    I have done this before and used a floor scraper. It gets most of them, but whatever is lift use a needle nose plier or flat head screw driver. It is some work, but not crazy. This is how a floor layer deals with it.

    Just do a search on "floor scraper" at any home improvement store. I have both an ice scraper and floor scraper. Ice scraper has more weight but floor scraper is sharper. Try both and see what works better.

    I am not a fan of adding a layer of subfloor, because you can end up with too much build up over time.

    1Reply
  • Nicholas Connell
    Flipper/Rehabber · Statesville, NC · Member since 2020 · 16 posts · 94 votes
    5y

    @John Fider Hey John, I'm currently in the middle of a rehab that requires a lot staple removal from where they had carpet. As others have said already, you HAVE to remove them (I know sucks) for the best results. I personally use wire cutters and twist my wrist against floor for leverage. Good luck dude!

    1Reply
  • David Vargas
    Contractor · Hopatcong, NJ · Member since 2020 · 24 posts · 14 votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    Flooring scraper/roofing scraper is the most efficient way. Pliers and screwdriver would take forever.

    With the proper tools that’ll take you 10min per room

    0Reply
  • David Vitarelli
    Inspector · Voorhees, NJ · Member since 2015 · 104 posts · 47 votes
    5y

    @John Fider sorry to say friend...knee pads, pliers and a flat head screw driver and plenty of time. I’ve done it many times....it never gets better. Fun fact...the steps are especially bad. Some installers like to staple the underside of the bullnose with the foam pad. As if pulling staples out of a wood floor didn’t suck enough...try doing it upside down! Good luck!

    1Reply
  • Cole Fleishour
    Rental Property Investor · North Canton, OH · Member since 2018 · 23 posts · 29 votes
    5y

    @John Fider

    Like others said a legacy large long handles floor scrapper but then get the remaining bent staples with this end nipper with a spring.

    SPEEDWOX Long Reach End Nippers 5-1/2 Inches

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07H82VWDL/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&th=1

    1Reply
  • Cole Fleishour
    Rental Property Investor · North Canton, OH · Member since 2018 · 23 posts · 29 votes
    5y

    @Cole Fleishour

    * correction to myself

    “ like others said a heavy long handled floor scrapper”

    0Reply
  • Scott Kuhnert
    Member since 2018 · 8 posts · 1 vote
    5y

    Forget the scrapers, screw drivers, and pliers. Go get a $15 nail puller and you'll be done in no time.

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NM6VAA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dlC_0GHMFbXHJDR8P?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

    0Reply
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