What is this screw on my garden fence?

amsbam1

My garden fence is attached to my Cavity block shed with these screws (see picture). I want to unattach the fench panel from my shed.

Any idea what type of screw is being used here to attach the fence panel to the wall?

How can I unattach this fence panel from the wall?

The Royal Scam

It is called an Express nail. Only brute force will remove it or I just drill it out and fill back hole

amsbam1

The Royal Scam wrote: »

It is called an Express nail. Only brute force will remove it or I just drill it out and fill back hole

Thanks for that. What type of drill bit should I use for drilling it out? HSS?

J.R.

Push a nail bar behind the post...between the post and the block wall....just above or below where the express nail is and then lever the post...it should come out over the head of the express nail and off the wall.

Calahonda52

The nails bar approach may snap the timber.
Get a cordless angle grinder and cut off the flared head

GolfNut33

Hacksaw it off close to the wall. You could do serious damage to the wall trying to get it out fully.

the_pen_turner

GolfNut33 wrote: »

Hacksaw it off close to the wall. You could do serious damage to the wall trying to get it out fully.

not nesiserally. sometime they come out easy with no damage.

GreeBo

the_pen_turner wrote: »

not nesiserally. sometime they come out easy with no damage.

True, but its too late when you find out that this wasnt one of those easy times!


@OP, what is the plan once you get it off? Is it going back on, is something else going back on?
The plan will help advise of the best way of getting it off.

mfceiling

Yeah try prising the timber off first. Don't go mad with it. Try prying from above the nail and then below it. If you feel there's no give, then as others have said it might be easier to cut the post just below the nail and pry off the top part.

amsbam1

GreeBo wrote: »

@OP, what is the plan once you get it off? Is it going back on, is something else going back on?
The plan will help advise of the best way of getting it off.

I am hoping to reuse the fence panel somewhere else. So, ideally I wouldn't destroy the fence panel in the process of taking it down. Not to concerned by leaving a hole.

Regarding the options suggested:

* Drilling in the hole sounds like the gentlest. Not sure what drill/drill bit to use though.
* Crowbar - doesn't look like it will come out with a crowbar - it's tight stuck in against the wall.
* Angle grinder - messy/dangerous to use when you have to cut through wood first.
* Hacksaw - I could cut away the surrounding wood and then hacksaw the nail.

iamtony

Angle grind/hacksaw off the flared head you can see on the outside then the wood should pull over it then deal the the bit left in the wall.

listermint

Have you pulled this down yet. It's been days.....

GreeBo

amsbam1 wrote: »

I am hoping to reuse the fence panel somewhere else. So, ideally I wouldn't destroy the fence panel in the process of taking it down. Not to concerned by leaving a hole.

Regarding the options suggested:

* Drilling in the hole sounds like the gentlest. Not sure what drill/drill bit to use though.
* Crowbar - doesn't look like it will come out with a crowbar - it's tight stuck in against the wall.
* Angle grinder - messy/dangerous to use when you have to cut through wood first.
* Hacksaw - I could cut away the surrounding wood and then hacksaw the nail.

You could use a small hole saw and just cut around the nail, (or failing that, drill 5-6 holes around the nail) and then just pull the panel off, worry about the nail later.

CJhaughey

A vice grips clamped lightly around the nail can sometimes compress the nail enough to allow removal.

the_pen_turner

GreeBo wrote: »

You could use a small hole saw and just cut around the nail, (or failing that, drill 5-6 holes around the nail) and then just pull the panel off, worry about the nail later.

I have done that a few times. it works but you have to take out the drill bit or it can break, use a bit of timber with a hole in it to align the bit over the anchor

Bonzo Delaney

Near impossible to drill out
Ideally a sabre saw or a multi tool with a demolition or metal buster blade will cut it neatly between wall and timber.
Generally it'll prise out using a crow bar over and under the Express nail a little bit at a time it'llpull through the timber.
Then a few whacks of a hammer up and down till it breaks off

Idbatterim

What about Angie grinding the head off and then just trying to slide wooden post out or pry it out then ? I hate fixing like that , for this reading. I Use concrete screws, they are so good !

Bonzo Delaney

If you'd two hammers you'd nearly beat the claws of one under the flanges of the Express nail and pull it out. Put a bit of timber behind the hammer to give a bit of leverage to pull it out the rest of the way.
Wear goggles when hitting one hammer of another.
Failing that hire a mini digger and pull the whole lot out of it. Then burn it, mini digger and all just to be sure.:D

danoriordan1402

Following this tread for an update from the OP on where he hired the mini digger during Lockdown

ShamNNspace

Prise the wood from the wall with a timber wedge or similar just enough to see the nail enter the wall. Now get a wide wood chisel that's fairly sharp and you don't mind damaging. Use a hammer and chisel and cut through the nail

the_pen_turner

ShamNNspace wrote: »

Prise the wood from the wall with a timber wedge or similar just enough to see the nail enter the wall. Now get a wide wood chisel that's fairly sharp and you don't mind damaging. Use a hammer and chisel and cut through the nail

I couldn't see a wood chisel going through an Express nail. I could be wrong though.

amsbam1

Thanks for all the great advice/options!

Took it down this evening using a hole saw as recommended. Worked great!

For some reason RentADigger.ie weren't answering my phone calls - awful service!!

GreeBo

Woo Hoo, I won!

chooseusername

Idbatterim wrote: »

What about Angie grinding the head off and then just trying to slide wooden post out or pry it out then ? I hate fixing like that , for this reading. I Use concrete screws, they are so good !

Freudian slips?