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Why Wrecking Claw Is The Perfect Deck Wrecker Tool For Easy Deck Removal

Why Wrecking Claw Is The Perfect Deck Wrecker Tool For Easy Deck Removal

Mar 26th 2023

Boards, planks, and wood strapping are everywhere in home wood reclamation and demolition projects. Nails or screws might do a great job holding these boards together, but they can make it a pain when pulling them apart.

In the past, dismantling wood was labor-intensive, slow, and dangerous. Stripping boards could result in the following:

Homeowners and DIY superstars have been asking for a pallet buster tool to speed up the deck board removal process while making it easier and safer. Well, that tool is finally here.

The Wrecking Claw is a versatile game-changer for popping off and replacing old wood planks. It packs efficiency, power, and safety into a durable all-steel wrecking bar.

Keep reading to learn how The Wrecking Claw has changed the demolition game and how to take advantage of it.


Same Old Job, Great New Tricks

Once upon a time, homeowners had to rely on crowbars that could do the job of deck board removal. However, crowbars aren't the best tool with this purpose in mind. Without the right deck wrecker tool, desperate workers might resort to:

  • Small Prying Tools (like screwdrivers, chisels, and 12-inch pry bars) didn't give you any leverage and were difficult to pry. Tiny tools could be uncomfortable or awkward to use. Worse, you often had to get down on your hands and knees to finish the job.
  • The Crowbar and Hammer Method required multiple tools for each person (making it twice as hard to team up with family and friends) and left more room for errors and injuries due to muscle fatigue.
  • Sledgehammers and Wedged Mauls could knock out pickets and boards but were also heavy, dangerous, and often damaged the materials you stuck with them. They also had limited usefulness—they'd only work if you had sufficient space to swing or pull upwards.

The Wrecking Claw Way

Today, we have the Wrecking Claw. A pry bar designed by a contractor to remove boards using the leverage of the floor joist, the convenience of a long-handled tool, and the effectiveness of an all-star deck removal tool.

The Wrecking Claw slides on top of the floor joist and positions the "Y" styled head on each side and under the deck board to pry it up evenly. It is an excellent pallet breakdown tool for commercial applications like retail inventory.

This tool uses:

  • Forged steel claws for maximum strength and durability.
  • A rolled steel handle to withstand the abuse of demolition.
  • A patented dual claw head designed to fit over single and double joists
  • 2 beveled catspaw nail slots for removing nails and screws
  • A 45-inch-long handle increases work speed to work from a standing position.
  • An oblong, solid steel rocker, which creates maximum leverage when prying up boards
  • Superior corrosion resistance due to its powder-coated finish
  • All-weather, non-slip grip, which keeps the tool in your hands

Power Up with the Wrecking Claw

The Wrecking Claw brings unmatched durability and efficiency to deck board removal. When you see it in action, it becomes clearer how much power it puts in your hands.

Become an Army of One

Wrecking Claw underneath

Deck demolition projects can be a big deal. Hundreds of boards, thousands of fasteners, and the list go on. Many homeowners would kick off a huge deck project by asking as many friends as possible to pitch in and help while buying a deck removal tool for them to use. Fortunately, a single Wrecking Claw replaces an army of helpers. Blast through demolition with this game-changing deck board removal tool which gets the work done as fast as half a dozen friends. Your family will be amazed at how quickly and easily you finish the demolition and move on to installation. As a one-person wrecking crew, you'll be able to:

  • Work smarter, not harder
  • Step from board to board, popping them up with ease
  • Take out fasteners with the same tool—no switching necessary
  • Use the leverage of the long handle on the joist for easy power
  • Do it all without getting up and down over and over again
  • Save time, move efficiently, and save your energy for installation

No Pain, All Gain

Save your back, hands, and fingers from the aches and pains of removing decking the old-fashioned way. The Wrecking Claw slides smoothly along the floor joist and prices up boards without breaking them into small pieces. Since you can pry boards and pull nails from a standing position, the Wrecking Claw eliminates the need to get down on all fours with inefficient, frustrating prying tools. No stooping, no bending down, no small tools. If you remember a project where you had to power through with a crowbar and a claw hammer painstakingly, you'll be happy to say goodbye to back pain and sore knees.

Dodge Deck Damage

With the patented rocker design, your existing joists will avoid damage. The smooth metal rocker lies flat on the joist and rolls evenly back and forth without pinching or gouging. Nobody wants to replace a whole joist due to damage from a deck removal tool—get the job done quicker and save time and money by avoiding further repairs. The Wrecking Claw also minimizes damage to your existing decking or flooring material so that you can reuse or reclaim the removed boards for whatever woodworking project you've got cooking next. The tool design positions the catspaws on each side of the joist so the prying pressure distributes evenly. This feature greatly increases the chance of removing the board in one piece.

Prevent DIY Disasters

Unspotted loose nails and screws can turn a worksite into a minefield.

nail sticking out of a wooden board

(Sources: Livescience)

An all-in-one, long-handled tool is a godsend for preventing injuries in these situations. Your higher vantage point makes it easier to survey for overlooked fasteners, but it also means:

  • No kneeling on top of damaged boards with protruding nails or screws
  • Lower risk of being struck by demolition debris (boards, splinters, fasteners, slipped tools)
  • No need for a hammer (which prevents impact injuries from human error)
  • More leverage to reduce the danger of muscle or joint injuries

8 Projects to Conquer

The Wrecking Claw is not only for deck board removal—it's a versatile deck removal tool that removes boards in the best possible condition on all kinds of wood projects, such as:

  • Wood reclamation projects (for salvaging old materials to reuse elsewhere)
  • Dismantling and disassembly (for moving, alterations, replacing, or maintenance)
  • Demolition (breaking down unusable, broken, or unsightly structures safely and easily)
  • Fastener removal (if the old nails are rusty or the screws are stuck)

Here are 8 ideas for making the most of your Wrecking Claw across the gamut of home projects:

1. Remove Decking Boards

wood strapping removal

All that rain from the back porch roof finally rotted out some spots on the old deck. After shoring up your drainage with a new gutter, you can replace the damaged areas with fresh boards. Pry the rotted planks off single and double joists easily, then remove the fasteners that pulled right through the old, softened wood. Your deck will be good as new in no time and ready for a cookout to celebrate.

2. Breaking Down Old Pallets and Skids

You may have picked up a ton of pallets for free from a garden store or landscape shop with designs of building an Adirondack-style lawn chair from recycled wood. You get them home, only to discover pallet wood is dry and brittle, and they nailed these things together pretty thoroughly. The Wrecking Claw is the perfect pallet demolition tool. It can rapidly disassemble pallets or skids to reclaim piles of perfectly good wood. That way, you can give your chair the raw and rustic feel you need. You'll also make quick work of all those nails so that your salvaged wood is safe and smooth.

3. Dock Disassembly

Converting over to a new, all-metal dock? Stay dry and steady on your feet over the water as you pry apart the old wooden dock boards in a standing position. Slide your Wrecking Claw along the dock's joists easily from end to end to make quick work of the deconstruction.

Docks also contain quality pressure-treated boards—why waste them? You'll easily remove 5/4 decking as well as 2x boards and the fasteners. Pop those uniformly-sized boards off without damage so you can save them in the shed or garage for a future deck demolition project.

4. Wood Strapping Removal

You've much old-fashioned wood strapping in the walls during that renovation project in the upstairs bedrooms and attic. It's good wood, though, and might make a nice vintage furniture project when you finish blowing out or moving these walls. Strip all that wood strapping from exposed walls, joists, or ceiling trusses in a snap, but you want to save for later without snapping the thin and delicate wood. The Wrecking Claw can be your best deck demo tool for a reclamation project—and will still take less time than it would with hammers or utility bars.

5. Roof Replacement Projects

Only after you strip old shingles did you finally discover the serious wear and tear on the roof deck—it needs replacing. Strip the tongue and groove boards quickly and easily with your Wrecking Claw as you walk it up to the joists on the roof.

roof repair

The long handle helps you to remain steady on an awkward inclined surface and minimize the risk of slipping or falling. The soles of your high-traction footwear will give a much more reliable grip on a slope than the butt of your jeans.

6. Lifting Floor or Subfloor Planks

The Wrecking Claw works just as well on an interior project—like renovating your classic, early wide-plank hardwood floor (or an underlying plank subfloor)—as on deck board removal projects outside. Hardwood is heavy, too. Fortunately, you can get the job done from a standing position with the best deck demo tool.

Make quick work of a large surface area with the rocking action as you move down the board on each floor joist. Lift the planks one at a time with a tool that will keep valuable hardwood or historical material in excellent shape. A sharp pallet breakdown tool with poor leverage won't be nearly as kind.

7. Stripping Pickets Off a Fence

Stripping Pickets Off a Fence

Whether you don't need the fence anymore (did the kids move out with the dog?) or replace a weathered section, the Wrecking Claw is a lifesaver on your fence stripping project. Lose the hammer and the crowbar. You also won't need to swing a sledgehammer, which makes a dangerous impact while knocking off pickets, and could:

  • Break the pickets
  • Dislodge fence posts
  • Cause accidental injuries

Instead, go down the line, popping pickets right off the rails with a few flexes of the perfect board removal tool. And it's far less heavy than a wedge or sledgehammer.

8. Prying Rusty Nails from the Old Treehouse

That treehouse has given the family years of fun on summer campouts, but an outdoor wooden structure needs regular maintenance as time wears it down. Many precipitation seasons can loosen or rust old nails until they become a danger to the kids (or grandkids).

wooden treehouse

(Source: Popular Mechanics)

With the Wrecking Claw, you can get up there, pluck all the failing nails from weathered boards, and replace them. Take care of the floor in one go, without bending over, so little feet are safe from rusted or sharp fasteners.

Get a Head-Start On Your Deck Disassembly

Look no further if you hope to streamline your demolition, wood reclamation, or pallet buster tool project. The best deck removal tool is also the fastest and safest way. With the revolutionary Wrecking Claw deck demo tool in your hands, you'll be an army of one. Order your own from a trusted supplier today.

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