Brad nails are thinner and delicate nails than usual. Their construction makes them perfect for areas where you don’t want a large, noticeable hole left by a wide nail. These nails have a narrow head that protrudes on one side and therefore, can be easily embedded into the wood using a brad nailer. You can also find some varieties of brad nails that are only 0.5ʺ – 2ʺ in length. Sometimes, there are instances when you have to pull the brad nails out. It can be very challenging as brad nails are very small and hard to have a nice grip on.
Things get even more difficult when you are working on a delicate surface. The narrow head of the brad nail tends to bend or break when you apply a little more pressure. A query of how to remove brad nailer always arises in such scenarios. Here’s how you can remove brad nails without any damage done to where they are placed…
How to Remove Brad Nails? Some Steps
Step 1
Open a pair of needle-nosed pliers or forceps. Place the tips of the pliers around the small head of the brad nail in such a way that the tips are positioned parallel to the brad nail. Dig into the surrounding wood with the fine tips of the tool to slightly enlarge the gap between the nail and its surrounding surface. Press the tips slowly into the surface and dig in only as far as required to grip around the nail’s head.
Step 2
Close the tips around the head of brad nails by pressing the handles together. While gripping the head, pull directly upward and outward with a slight wiggling motion. The grip of the tool can slip so you need to try again until it’s done. Carry on the pulling motion until the 1/16 inch of the nail’s head pokes above the surrounding surface.
Step 3
Get a pair of diagonal-cutting pliers, place the open mouth of these pliers around the brad nail. Position the rounded side of the pliers facing down against the wood’s surface.
Step 4
Close the pliers around the brad nail exerting only enough force to grip the nail. Be careful in this process as a little more force can cut the nail. While gripping, rock the pliers back and forth by lightly pressing one side against the wood’s surface while gripping and pulling the brad nail with the other. Use this leverage to wriggle the brad nail out of place.
Step 5
Loosen the grip and reposition the pliers when they are no longer close enough to the wood’s surface to create leverage. Open the plier’s mouth and place it around the base of the nail and start gripping. Repeat the rocking and pulling procedure until the brad nail comes out of the surface. Pluck the nail using your hand when it is loose enough to pull.
How to Remove a Brad Nail that is Stuck?
There are several methods to remove a stuck brad nail. Here these methods are explained…..
1. Sideways Leverage using Hammer
A hammer is a good way to start plucking the stuck brad nail, although it isn’t the most powerful way to do it. Use the claw end of the hammer to grab the nail head and start rocking the hammer sideways. Let the hammer claw pivot sideways to maximize the pulling power without breaking the nail. Work carefully with the hammer as it can easily leave a scuff, dent, and ding behind. A good trick is to place a wooden piece down as a buffer before you start the twisting and pulling procedure.
2. Prying the Nail out
A pry bar can get the toughest nail out with ease. This tool offers strength and leverage without requiring much brute force. You still need to work carefully with the pry bar. Protect the surface by putting a thin wooden piece down before you start yanking.
3. Cutting the Nail
If it is getting impossible to pull the nail out, the next best thing is to cut the nail instead. You can use a reciprocating saw for this purpose, use it gently to avoid the wood marking. Hold the saw firmly as you will be reaching tight spots which tend to pinch the blade. If you use a blade with 10 teeth per inch, you can even cut the toughest screws with ease.
4. Pin Punch the Nail
If you can leave the nail in, try pushing it further out of sight. Use the pin punch to drive the nail below the surface and make it less noticeable. If you are working on a thin wooden piece, you can even push the nail all the way through and pull it out the other side.
Closing Remarks
Brad nails are challenging to pull out when they are planted or stuck. They have small heads making it a bit tricky to pull them out. The other important thing is to not damage the surface while you do the pulling. The above-mentioned method will help you in removing the brad nails with relative ease. If the nail is stuck, you can try different methods like prying, cutting the nail, and using a hammer as explained above.
