How do I remove hardwood flooring that’s been glued down?

Q: How do I remove hardwood flooring that’s been glued down?

A: If the floor was installed correctly with a high-quality adhesive, then you’re in for a tough job. It might be time to call a contractor who specializes in this type of work. A DIY approach would be to set a circ saw’s blade depth so it cuts through the hardwoods but not subfloor. Make a cut parallel to the wall 15 to 18 inches away and along a seam between boards. Then make another parallel cut about 12 inches away. Next, make perpendicular cuts every 12 inches or so. Use pry bars and sledgehammers to work from the edge of the cuts, pulling up large sections rather than chunks if possible. Expect to invest a lot of time and labor. After the wood is up, use a floor scraper to remove the adhesive. With some strong adhesives, hand scrapers may not be effective and it might be necessary to rent a floor-scraping machine.