Remove tongue and groove paneling by pulling out the nails.
Like hardwood flooring, tongue and groove paneling is held in place by concealed nails. When a change in room decor calls for its removal, the process is no more complicated than methodically pulling the nails out. The fact that you can't see them shouldn't be a deterrent, because as you remove each board, the nails holding the next one will become visible. Exercising care while you work will allow you to preserve the paneling and if it's in relatively good shape, you may find another use for it.
Instructions
1. Pry off the trim from the corners of the wall with a pry bar. Start at the top or bottom of each piece, near a nail, and work a pry bar underneath one edge. Pull up on the trim until the nail pops loose, then pull the nail out with a claw hammer. Work your way along the trim until you have removed all the nails, then remove the trim.
2. Remove the baseboard trim in the same way, then remove the trim at the top of the wall.
3. Slip the pry bar under the board nearest the corner, as close to one of the nails that have been exposed by removal of the trim as you can, starting at an outside corner and at the top or bottom of the wall. Pry the board up until the nail pops loose, then pull out the nail with the hammer. Remove all the nails in this way, then pull out the board.
4. Use a second claw hammer instead of a pry bar if the board is so tightly nailed that you can't work a pry bar underneath. Place the claw between the back of the board and the wall, then tap it with the other hammer to work the claw underneath. The force of the tapping will probably loosen the head of the nail, but if not, pry it up when you have inserted enough of the claw.
5. Remove the remaining boards in succession in this way until all the paneling has been removed. As you remove each board, tap out any nails that are still in the wood so you can stack the boards for future use or resale.
Tags: then pull, board nails, claw hammer, each board, , groove paneling,