Nail Pullers & Cat’s Paws
Pulling nails seems simple, but it causes many injuries: nails spring out and strike the face, bars slip and bash knuckles, boards pop up with nails still in them, and protruding nails puncture feet and hands. A little technique and the right tool keep demolition work from turning into a trip to the clinic.
- Carpentry
- Demolition
- Remodeling
Types of nail pullers
| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Claw hammer | Pulls nails by prying the claw under the head. Good for driven nails, but pulling long nails bends the handle and puts stress on the claw |
| Cat’s paw (nail puller) | A curved bar with a sharp, notched claw that is driven under a nail head. Used to dig out nails that are flush or sunk below the surface |
| Flat bar (wonder bar) and pry bar | Flat, thin bars used to pry boards and pull nails with leverage. See Pry Bars |
| Nail puller pliers and nippers | Grip nail heads or cut them off to remove nails without damaging the wood |
| Nail slicks and deck wrecking bars | Long bars with a claw end, used for demolition and framing |
| Reciprocating saw with a metal blade | Cuts through nails when pulling isn’t practical. See Reciprocating Saws |
Hazards
- Flying nails and splinters: a nail under tension can shoot out, and pulled boards can snap. Eye injuries are common.
- Slipping tools: a bar that slips can hit your hand, face or body, or send you off balance.
- Pinched and crushed fingers between the bar and the board or between the hammer handle and the work.
- Protruding nails: nails left sticking out of boards puncture feet through boots and cut hands. See Puncture Wounds & Nail Gun Injuries.
- Falling and shifting material: boards, trim and framing can fall when nails are released.
- Lead paint, asbestos and dust in old buildings when you pry apart painted or old materials. See Lead and Asbestos.
- Strain and overexertion from hard prying and awkward positions. See Musculoskeletal Disorders.
Using nail pullers safely
- Wear safety glasses or a face shield, and sturdy gloves. A nail can fly into your face. See Eye & Face Protection and Hand Protection.
- Wear work boots with puncture-resistant soles where nails and boards are on the ground. See Foot Protection.
- Check your footing and your position. Stand balanced, with your body out of the line of the tool’s swing, and don’t put your face over the nail.
- Choose the right tool for the nail. Use a cat’s paw for sunken nails, a flat bar for boards and a claw hammer for easy nails. Don’t use a tool too small for the job.
- Seat the claw properly. Tap the cat’s paw under the nail head with a hammer, and make sure it is firmly gripped before you pull. Don’t strike a hardened tool at an angle. See Hammers and Chisels & Punches.
- Pull smoothly rather than jerking. Use a block of wood under the hammer head or bar to gain leverage and protect the surface.
- Pull the nail straight and watch for a sudden release when the nail lets go.
- Pull from the back when possible. For boards, pull nails through the back so the board doesn’t split, or pull through the side that has the nail points.
- Use two hands and a stable stance when prying, and keep fingers away from the pinch points between the bar and the board.
- Bend over or cut off nails that can’t be pulled, as appropriate, using nippers or a saw.
- Don’t use a claw hammer as a pry bar for heavy loads or as a hammer on hardened steel. Handles can snap and chips can fly.
- Don’t hit one hardened tool with another, such as a cat’s paw with a steel hammer, without eye protection. Hardened steel can chip and send shards flying. Use a proper striking tool or dead blow hammer. See Mallets & Dead Blow Hammers.
- Don’t pull nails with your face over the work or when you can’t see.
- Don’t pry toward your body, or with a bar braced against your leg or foot.
- Don’t leave boards with protruding nails lying around.
Demolition tips
- Test first for lead paint and asbestos in older buildings. See Interior Demolition & Strip-Out and Lead-Safe Renovators.
- Check for hidden wiring, pipes and gas lines before prying into walls and ceilings. See Hidden Wiring.
- Support what you take apart. Make sure boards and framing can’t fall on you, and work from a stable platform or ladder. See Step Ladders.
- Control dust with wet methods, and use a respirator if needed. See Respiratory Protection.
- De-nail as you go. Pull, bend or cut off nails in boards you remove, or put the boards in a bin with nails pointed down or inward, so nobody steps on them. OSHA requires form and scrap lumber with protruding nails to be kept clear of work areas, passageways and stairs (1926.25). See Housekeeping.
- Pick up scrap promptly and stack lumber neatly. See Slips, Trips & Falls.
- Wear hearing protection when prying with power tools or in a loud environment.
Reduce strain
- Keep your wrists straight and use your legs and body weight to pry, not just your arms and back.
- Use longer bars for leverage and a cat’s paw for tough nails, so you aren’t forcing a short hammer. Switch hands, and take breaks.
- Consider a nail puller with a larger leverage ratio, or a powered tool, for large jobs. See Ergonomic Hand Tools.
Tool care and inspection
- Check claws for chips, cracks and dull edges, handles for splits and loosening, and bars for bending. Replace damaged tools. See Tagging Out Damaged Tools.
- Remove burrs and mushroomed heads from the striking end. See Sharpening & Maintaining Hand Tools.
- Keep tools clean and dry, store them in a rack or box, and keep sharp claws covered.
Before you pull nails
- Safety glasses, gloves and puncture-resistant boots on
- Right tool chosen; claw seated; stance balanced; face out of the line of pull
- Old paint and materials tested for lead and asbestos; hidden utilities checked
- Work supported so boards and framing can’t fall
- Nails pulled, bent or cut off; scrap with nails removed or stacked safely
- Tools inspected and in good condition
Standards & references
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