1899 Farmhouse Beadboard Walls and Ceilings Throughout
Folk Victorian farmhouse built in 1899 has very old drywall over original beadboard walls (horizontal) and ceilings throughout the house. My plan is to open up the walls for wiring, plumbing and insulation (no sheathing, FineHomebuilding has been great for tips in insulating in this situation!). However, I’d love to have any tips to get the tongue and groove removal started on each wall. I could use the saw to trim one row of bead and then hopefully be able to push finishing nails through the boards to remove them. Other tips or tricks that experienced folks can offer? There are a couple of walls that may have drywall again so I’m not worried about some damage but most of the walls and ceilings are in great shape and I’d love to keep the original material. Thanks for any help you can offer. Photos of past work would be a bonus!
Rob with his old house and feral cats that conveyed.
Replies
Are the boards all face nailed? If so your idea of punching the nail through the board will probably work. But these boards are typically installed by blind nailing through the tongue.
I would pry off the bottom board and then try to slide a sawzall blade behind the board to cut off the nails.
Thanks! Yes, I wasn't clear. These are blind nailed.
Depending on how the boards were installed determines where you start, otherwise you're fighting the material. Finding the tongue side - the side that has the blind nail - is the side that needs to be unfastened before you begin prying it off.
A Wonder bar tool works well, but a Prybar is better as is a Moulding bar. Both come in different sizes and are inexpensive. Worth getting a set of each. If a set isn't available, get 2 sizes of each.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-12-in-Wonder-Bar-Pry-Bar-55-515K/100093815
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dasco-Pro-Pry-Bar-Set-3-Piece-91/202585548
https://www.homedepot.com/p/10-in-Molding-Bar-DWHT55529/203516029
Frankie
Thanks.