Step 1 - Check how the Tack Strips are Secured
Once you have pulled your old carpet up, you will see the padding laying on top of a series of tack board strips. You want to look at this material closely to see how they are attached to the floor before trying to pull them up. This will prevent damage to the natural floor as you remove them. Stapled tack strips will leave behind tiny holes in the natural floor surface, as screws and nails will leave large scars in the floor once they are removed. If you are planning to keep the natural flooring, the way the tack stripes are attached can impact your projects end result.
Step 2 - Removing Nails and Screws
Some tack board will be secured with nails or screws and can seriously damage the original floor if not removed correctly. It was very common in the 1970s to carpet over nice hardwood floors with plush carpets and shags, but over time these cultural popularities changed hands for the traditional look and feel of hardwood. In some cases the original floor will be simple sheets of wood instead of a nice floor and you will want to install wood floors over this, or simply replace the carpet. In either case you will want to ensure that all nails, staples, screws and glue are removed from the floor surface before moving forward.
When removing tack board that is held by screws or nails, you will want to do all you can to prevent scaring the natural floor surfaces by moving along slowly. Take the time to remove each strip by hand to reduce damages as you go. Nail holes are going to leave pits in the floor surface, which can be filled and sanded after all tack strips are removed. Screws will need to be removed individually to avoid splitting or cracking the floor as you go.
Step 3 - Stapled tack Strips
If the tack board is held into place with staples, the job will be less intensive than screws or nails. Generally you can simply grab one end of the strip with pliers and pull, which will peel most of the strip up. Use a putty knife in either case to remove any glue or other bonding residue that remains before installing the new floor.
