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Pincers for floorboards

Updated: 23 October 2026

You are lifting a board, pulling a carpet gripper, or clearing staples before a sander, and the first tool you reach for can split the timber. Pincers for floorboards are the second move, once a shank stands proud, not the bar you use to start a fragile board. The general roll is on [how to use carpenter's pincers](/hub/hand-tools/pincers/sub/pincers-how-to-pull-nails). Which pair to buy stays on the [carpenter's pincers comparison](/hub/hand-tools/pincers). Peter F. followed the SPAB note on patching old floorboards, a floor-sanding guide, and UK review mentions of gripper and staples. Those reviews are not a test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. If the board is decayed or historic, stop and get a joiner before you lever anything.

You are lifting a board, pulling a carpet gripper, or clearing staples before a sander, and the first tool you reach for can split the timber.

Our top picks

WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm end cutting nail puller

Best overall

WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm end cutting nail puller
8.4/10about £13.99
View offer
Rolson Rolson 20529 200 mm carpenter pincers

Rank 2

Rolson Rolson 20529 200 mm carpenter pincers
8.7/10about £3.97
View offer
Draper Draper 32732 175 mm carpenter's pincers

Best value

Draper Draper 32732 175 mm carpenter's pincers
8.6/10about £9.38
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Lift first
  2. 2.Pull the nails that are already up
  3. 3.Gripper rods and staples
  4. 4.Before you sand, and when to stop

Lift first

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings says careless lifting splits boards, and the first board is the one that gets damaged. Lift with a bolster and blocks, protect the next board, and start away from a weak end. Pincers come in once the board is free. They are not the opener. Work over a joist. Slip a block or a plate under the bolster so the next board is not crushed, and raise a little at a time so one nail does not hinge and crack the timber. If it sticks, cut the nail rather than reefing. A flush head in a board you are keeping is a punch job, not a bite.

Pull the nails that are already up

Grip the shank close to the board and roll the rounded head, with a scrap of thin plywood under the steel if the face matters. A Period Property UK thread describes using pincers on the shanks left behind, with ply under the head. Without that pad, the tool prints a crescent beside every nail. Slide the ply as the nail rises. Rolson reviews talk about gripper rods. Draper reviews talk about carpet nails and pins in joists, and the bite often needs about 5 mm of shank. Pull through from the back only when the head is small. A large head dragged through the board will split it.
WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm end cutting nail puller

Testsieger

WORKPRO WORKPRO 200 mm end cutting nail puller
8.4/10about £13.99
View offer

Gripper rods and staples

UK reviews of the Rolson pair mention gripper rods once a fixing stands proud. Lever the rod up on a pad, then pull the nails it leaves. Do not close the jaws on the angled pins while the rod is still nailed tight. Those points are sharp, and a slip is an eye hazard. One Draper review says the edges snapped a staple. A leg left proud will catch a sanding belt, so stop when the wire nicks. WORKPRO's listing names staples in floors, and UK reviews include snipped thin nails. That is a reason to check the jaws meet, not a reason to call it the floor tool. Pincers will not back out a screw.

Before you sand, and when to stop

Newell's wood-floor sanding guide says punch nails down at least 3 mm, or remove them, before you sand. A nail left proud will tear the abrasive. Clout nails should come out rather than be punched, because the wide head stays too close to the surface. Pincers do not bite a screw slot. Punch a lost-head nail when the face must stay intact. Pull when the nail is loose or you would rather fill a hole than sand over a disc of steel. Stop if the boards are decayed or historic, or if you suspect asbestos, a pipe, or a cable. Overhead lath adds falling debris to a nail that can fly.

Common questions

Can I pull floorboard nails with pincers?
Yes, once the shank stands proud and the board is supported. Roll the head on a scrap of plywood so you do not bruise the face. Do not use pincers as the first tool on a board that is still fixed, especially the first board in a run. SPAB's order is a bolster and blocks to lift, then pincers, a hammer, or a crowbar on the nails. A flush head in a board you are keeping should be punched, not gouged.
What about carpet gripper rods?
Lift the rod with a bolster or a small pry on a pad, then pull the nails left in the floor. UK reviews of the Rolson pair mention gripper rods as work the jaws will do when a fixing stands proud. Do not close the jaws on the angled pins while the rod is still nailed tight. Those pins are sharp, and a slip is an eye hazard. Glasses are worth wearing before the first rod comes up.
Will pincers pull staples left after a carpet?
They will grip a crown that stands up, and they may snap it. A Draper review describes edges that snapped a staple. Pull gently, and if the wire nicks, stop and punch or pull the legs separately. A broken leg left proud will catch a sanding belt. WORKPRO's listing mentions staples in floors, and UK reviews of sharp jaws still describe cut thin metal, so the staple is not a guaranteed clean pull on any pair in this set.
Should nails be punched instead of pulled before sanding?
Punch ordinary nails at least 3 mm below the surface if you are leaving them in, which is Newell's figure for sanding. Pull clout nails rather than punching them, because the wide head stays too close to the surface. Pull any nail that is already loose or standing proud. Leave screws to a screwdriver or a drill. Pincers are for shanks you can grip, not for metal you are about to sand over.
When should I stop and get a joiner?
Stop if the boards are decayed, historic, or a species and width you cannot replace, which is the SPAB case. Stop for overhead lath if debris will fall, and stop if you suspect asbestos, a pipe, or a cable. An ordinary square-edged softwood board, lifted over a joist with a pad and a bolster, is household work. The first board in a decorative floor is not the place to find out that the tongue was the only thing holding the edge together.

Related pages

Best carpenter's pincers

Carpenter's pincers buying guide

Pincers

Pull nails with carpenter's pincers: roll, don't yank

Carpenter's pincers vs end cutters for your next job

Sources

Standards are ISO 9243:1988 for carpenter's pincers and ISO 5748:2004 for end-cutting nippers, with the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 and HSE eye-protection guidance. Prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listing lines dated 19 October 2026. They are not a lab test. A Best Sellers page was shelf context only and is not a price source.

  1. ISO 9243:1988, carpenter's pincers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. ISO 5748:2004, end cutting nippers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. KNIPEX UK, carpenter's pincers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Wonkee Donkee Tools, what carpenter's pincers and end cutters are (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. HSE, using the right type of PPE (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. SPAB, patching old floorboards (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Cromwell, carpenter's pincers and end-cutting pincers (retrieved 22 October 2026)