# Old exterior joist hanger removal



## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

This seems like it'd be really straightforward, and historically it has been, but I just ran into some joist hangers on a deck that needs joists sistered that absolutely will not budge.

It was taking my guy forever to get even one off, and when he asked if there was a trick to it I basically responded, "Yeah, don't be a wimp and do it."
Boy was I wrong. We ended up grinding the heads off them then banging them in/over. All completely rusted. Probably didn't use galv nails. 
I don't know.

Anyway, I'm looking to see if anybody has run into this and what you all did other than a grinder/pry bar/hammer. We've gotta remove 24 of them and it took my guy, who is on top of things, a full hour to get 3 off. I can't have the rest of them take this long. I have the weekend to figure this out.

What you got?


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## Caleb1989 (May 26, 2018)

Got a picture? 

I would recommend the bent end of a superbar and a mini sledge. 

Or metal blade on a sawzall to cut the nails behind the hanger if you can loosen them up a little


-Caleb

John 3:16


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Nah, we tried all the usual straightforward stuff.

I'm here looking for some wisdom of the ancients. Far East medicine. That sort of thing. 
Angle grinder has been the closest to a cure we've found so far, but it's nasty work, and even with that you can't get the nails up at the top of the hangers because the wheel starts cutting into the deck from below. Uncool.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Could try a carbide blade on an OMT. If the nails are that rusty should go quicker.


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## Deckhead (Dec 9, 2010)

Cut a wedge out of some hard wood. Not regular hardwood but real hard wood, like Ipe or Massaranduba. Smash it in between the hanger and the rafter. As soon as it starts to pull a cats paw should take care of it.

The best thing is a log splitter wedge but it's heavy as hell and having to hit that thing while slinging a mini maul... It'll give you some forearms.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Oxy-acetylene torch. :thumbsup:

Never ran into one that nasty that we weren't just doing a full demo. How about a sharpened chisel tip on an SDS hammer to shear the nailheads off?


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## Deckhead (Dec 9, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> Oxy-acetylene torch. :thumbsup:
> 
> Never ran into one that nasty that we weren't just doing a full demo. How about a sharpened chisel tip on an SDS hammer to shear the nailheads off?


That can be a ***** though because some nails inevitably have enough shear left in them to bend and then they are a whore to get out.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> Oxy-acetylene torch. :thumbsup:
> 
> Never ran into one that nasty that we weren't just doing a full demo. How about a* sharpened chisel tip on an SDS hammer *to shear the nailheads off?


This was actually the front runner to try next.

Deck is nearing the end of its life, but the customers are nearing the end of their time in the house. They just want it a little less bouncy for walkthroughs. It'll need to go in the next few years, but I think we can limp to the finish line with a few new joists.


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## Deckhead (Dec 9, 2010)

Easy Gibson said:


> This was actually the front runner to try next.
> 
> Deck is nearing the end of its life, but the customers are nearing the end of their time in the house. They just want it a little less bouncy for walkthroughs. It'll need to go in the next few years, but I think we can limp to the finish line with a few new joists.


If it's going in a few years I wouldn't ****ing touch it unless I was replacing the whole damn thing.

Just remember whoever touches it last... Owns it.


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

Used my silde nail puller on some nasty old nails in some tough hard/er wood. If it shears the heads off ... bonus no sparks required to free the hanger up 


https://www.amazon.com/Crescent-56-Nail-Puller/dp/B00002N7SD


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Easy Gibson said:


> This was actually the front runner to try next.
> 
> Deck is nearing the end of its life, but the customers are nearing the end of their time in the house. They just want it a little less bouncy for walkthroughs. It'll need to go in the next few years, but I think we can limp to the finish line with a few new joists.


Why remove the hangers?


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## asevereid (Jan 30, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> Why remove the hangers?


In this line of thought... Would a hanger that would accommodate a double 2x8/2x10 work? Maybe remove one side of the existing hanger with a grinder and then sister the new joist and add the new hanger? 

Sent from my SM-G530W using Tapatalk


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

asevereid said:


> In this line of thought... Would a hanger that would accommodate a double 2x8/2x10 work? Maybe remove one side of the existing hanger with a grinder and then sister the new joist and add the new hanger?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G530W using Tapatalk


I think that's what he's doing, which sounds like a huge waste of time.


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## asevereid (Jan 30, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> I think that's what he's doing, which sounds like a huge waste of time.


Could be... I'm never one to question the way any of the folks here do things.
But, I've got to ask... Easy, why not just get price for the demo and rebuild?
Won't a new deck actually help the selling price of she's on the way out of there? 

Sent from my Gravity 5 LTE using Tapatalk


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Hang new joists half way between existing and be done.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

^^^^^^^^ This is what I would do. Especially if it is just a temp fix. Then you have no real liability by taking the existing structure apart.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

Easy Gibson said:


> This seems like it'd be really straightforward, and historically it has been, but I just ran into some joist hangers on a deck that needs joists sistered that absolutely will not budge.
> 
> It was taking my guy forever to get even one off, and when he asked if there was a trick to it I basically responded, "Yeah, don't be a wimp and do it."
> Boy was I wrong. We ended up grinding the heads off them then banging them in/over. All completely rusted. Probably didn't use galv nails.
> ...




Cats paw?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Estwing-12-in-Pro-Claw-Nail-Puller-PC300G/202033613


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

VinylHanger said:


> ^^^^^^^^ This is what I would do. Especially if it is just a temp fix. Then you have no real liability by taking the existing structure apart.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk



Sounds like they already hacked up all the hangers minus the very tops close to the deck boards.


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## Spectre (Feb 7, 2018)

I may be wrong, but I thought there was a Simpson joist hanger that was designed to go around an existing joist with hanger plus a sistered joist. I havent used it personally but I remember coming across it once.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

I feel for Easy on this one. Never try to take a hanger out if you aren't demoing the whole thing. If you have to take a hanger out in a tight spot, sometimes you have to peel an edge up, use snips on an edge, grab hold with vice grips and tear it out bit by bit. 

There are only bad ways and worse ways.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Californiadecks said:


> What about baby Burke? Means nothing to you?
> 
> 
> Mike.
> _______________


Until you mentioned it, I had never seen or heard of Burke or Baby Burke. 

I'll pick one up. Looks cool.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I was just giving you a hard time. 


Mike.
_______________


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## A&E Exteriors (Aug 14, 2009)

Easy Gibson said:


> Gentlemen, gentlemen. Please. We should have closed this thread either when Rob called me "well-respected" or when I got paid for the job.
> Incidentally, both of those occurrences occurred today. Lucky me!
> 
> For posterity, it turns out there is no better way to remove a stubborn joist hanger than with elbow grease and a flat bar of your choosing, OR an angle grinder to nip the heads off the rusted nails, but even still you gotta deal with the top one which the grinder cannot reach.
> Bid high.


Flat bar man.....flat bar


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

Robie said:


> I think everyone likes and respects Easy.
> 
> We've had our political disagreements but he's always a gentleman.


So Easy’s another commie? He should have done this deck for free then.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

What a bunch of Nancy's... .lol
Use a cat's paw to raise the heads and if it's to much of a fight from there use a crow bar for leverage


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## RichVT (Feb 28, 2009)

Never underestimate the holding power of a rusty nail.

One of the indisputable "rules" of carpentry.


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