Tack Strip removal from concrete floor?

[Al Weber]

I just bought a new home with a walk out basement part of which will become a shop. Part of it is currently carpeted and I'm not quite sure of the best way to remove the tack strips and metal thresholds that are nailed into the concrete. Can they be pried out or should they be cut below the head? I'm not planning to cover the concrete in the shop.

[Dennis Henning]

My only experience with this is our family room which is on a slab and we had carpet in it. Wanted to do a tile floor, so up came the carpet. I did pry the tack strips off, and the nails into the concrete popped out with a bit of concrete attached, leaving pock marks on the floor. This was not a problem for me since I was grinding the surface to remove gunk, and then putting down mortar for the tile. But these things will leave pock marks in the concrete, so you may have to consider some kind of floor finish - e.g. epoxy - to get it flat and smooth again otherwise they (the pocks) will be a haven for saw dust and crud.

[roger wiegand]

If you pull them up they will pull up the concrete around many of the nails. If you cut them they will rust and probably never be completely flat. No great choice I know of.

I pull them up and then patch the pockmarks with an epoxy floor patching compound.

[Jim Becker]

Most of the concrete nails will dislodge when you are prying up the tack strip and a good pry bar will help you get the rest out. Once you clean up, you should be able to patch things level.

[Jerome Stanek]

When we were working in drug stores that we pulled nails and quick bolts we used dependable crack filler to fill and level the floors.

[Ben Rivel]

Yep, yank them out and fill the holes.

[Justin Ludwig]

I pull them up and then patch the pockmarks with an epoxy floor patching compound.

Nailed it. Er. Pulled it!

My first house I pulled the carpet and painted the concrete. I patched the holes with thin-set. They get no traffic or wear, just needed to be smooth.

[Dan Jansen]

I had to do this in my basement after taking out a bar and installing new carpet. My carpet guy said to use an old wood chisel and cut through the nails (they were aluminum). I still had some blow out but nothing like the one or two I pried out.