Removal of gripper rods

[parkgate]

I have removed the carpet and underlay from my stairs with a view to fitting a runner stair carpet and the painting the edges of the stairs, not covered by the carpet, white.

Removing the old gripper rods I am using a screwdriver and hammer to lever out the tacks holding the gripper rids in.This leaves a small gouge mark in the staircase which isn’t ideal!

Is there a way to remove the rods without damage?

Thank You.

[Rorschach]

Several methods, putty knife and pry bar usually works well. You can also dig at the tacks on top of the gripper rod so any damage is limited to the rod itself.

[Bob225]

A old 1" chisel does the job for me with minimal marks

[wine~o]

Slide a stripping knife under the gripper rods before prising off with a screwdriver/chisel whatever. Sometimes the gripper rod breaks and you'll need a pair of pliers to remove the tacks.

[London mike 61]

I bought a couple of cheap chisels for rough work and they do the job without a lot of effort

https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+T ... sel/p40558

Mike

[OchAye]

Removing the old gripper rods I am using a screwdriver and hammer to lever out the tacks holding the gripper rids in.This leaves a small gouge mark in the staircase which isn’t ideal!

Not with a screwdriver ... follow the suggestions above and pick the thinnest tools, e.g. scraper. Then you can use a bar like so http://www.olympia-tools.co.uk/products ... ility-bar/ there are some which are pretty thin on the ends. It is the width and (thinness) of the bar that will stop damage to the wood.

PS. I am not saying that the bar above is the thinnest there is (I have two different makes but not that one).

EDIT. Here is another example that I got somewhere https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Est ... y-Bar-15In probably too late anyway.

[parkgate]

I used a wallpaper scraper with excellent results.

The problem I have now is to repair the gouge marks made when I used the screwdriver!

Thank you for your suggestions!

[OchAye]

As you will be painting the wood white, a 2 part wood or car body filler would do.

If you decide you might want to keep the original look of the wood it is a bit more complicated. There are fillers in colour but you must judge the colour after you varnish a test area as the wood will darken with the varnish/oil or whatever you use. There are also fillers that will take stain and others that will not.