How to Drive Nails and Remove Them

There's something awfully satisfying about banging in a nail straight and true. And nothing about building is simpler, right?

In fact, it takes practice to develop a comfortable swing that generates enough power to drive large nails without marring a board. And if you've seen a carpenter drive the full length of a 16-penny nail with two or three blows, you've seen a master at work. Even virtuosos goof now and then, however, and just as there's a right way to hammer, there are proper ways to remove nails, too.

Hammering Nails

It's the hammer's handle that makes the tool so much better for driving nails than a rock in your palm. Acting as a lever, the handle multiplies the force of your swing, delivering a sharp blow concentrated at the point of impact. Unfortunately, the handle also complicates the aiming process a bit until you get the hang of it, that is.

Pros say that a good nailing rhythm uses more wrist than elbow, more elbow than shoulder. The animation shows how. Finally, before you nail anything important, be sure to practice on scrap wood or in an out-of-the-way location where a few dents and bent nails won't matter.

Pulling Nails

You might think that this is too basic to talk about. You might also be surprised. Check out the next three animations.

Method 1: Get maximum leverage. You can just insert the claw of your hammer under the nail head and pry. But when the nail head is high, as shown here, add a block of scrap wood under the hammer to increase your leverage. The scrap also protects the board from marring.

Method 2: Defeat stubborn nails. If a nail is really stuck, turn your hammer sideways for better leverage, then pry away. The side of the hammer head becomes the fulcrum, so you're less likely to break the handle. You may have to pull the nail in a series of bends, but your hammer will last longer and so will your arm.

Method 3: Try a cat's paw. When all else fails, count on the cat. This aggressive tool nearly always gets the nail even if it's deeply embedded. It also tears into the wood surface, so it's best reserved for framing and other noncosmetic work. Drive the cat's paw under the head of the nail with a series of hammer blows. Once the tool is deep enough under the head, pry. This will pull the nail out about an inch. Keep going. Once the head is above the board, you can pull the rest of the way by using a hammer or a block, as shown above.