Could someone please tell me the best way to remove carpet tack stips from concrete? They are rusty and smell of cat.

 

A hammer. A screwdriver, chisel, or nail bar helps too. Just smack it at the nails or break it between the nails.

 

I didn't have to remove mine from concrete, but I'm sure the principal is the same? I used a flat screwdriver (4" handle so I didn't snap the shaft from the handle) and a hammer. I laid the screwdriver at as close to a 90 degree angle to the tack strip near each of the nails and drove the screwdriver under the strip. This way I could pull the strip up in larger pieces instead of just breaking it up. Then I used the hammer to pull the nails out.

Wrights is right about just going after it. I don't think there is an easy way to do it. I just had to be careful since I was removing tack strip from hardwood flooring and didn't want to damage the hardwood any further.

Kay

 

I don't know how to do this but thought you would like a warning. I just used a hammer (in some places a pry bar) to pull up the tack strip. However, because I also had "the smell of cat" and some previous water damage, the concrete broke around the nails.

 

Pet urine and water damage isn't going to cause the concrete to pop out when removing the nails.

They will cause the concrete to popout arond the nails on new concrete. Also when installing the tackstrip, it isn't uncommon to blow the concrete out when a nail bends.