I'm working on an old house with 2×8 T&G subfloor planks. All of the structure is sound and has been reinforced but there are areas where the edges of subfloor planks are not level.
This has previously been under carpet, which hides the edges better… but I intend to put an underlayment over it and put down hardwood. To do this, I either need an elaborate setup of ramps or I need to sand/grind the extra material away.
In some places there is as much as 1/4" of a lip.
How effective are the wood-grinding discs for angle grinders? Would that be an effective way to handle this task?
Best Answer
An angle grinder can use several "disks" that are very efficient for removing wood. You can buy what is essentially a chainsaw wrapped around a disk. Great for carving and able to throw chips around like mad, but I would NEVER bring it anywhere near a possible hit with a nail.
There are also textured carbide wheels you can put in a grinder. Also able to grind wood rapidly, and perhaps safer if it hits a nail head. Finally, you can buy a disk that is essentially layers of overlapping very coarse sandpaper. This will be less aggressive yet and the paper will wear down with use.
The other problem with using an angle grinder is it won't leave you with a flat surface easily. A grinder is a very local tool. And you want a reasonably flat surface. So if you did choose to use an angle grinder, you might still want to come back to it with a belt or disk sander to get it flat.
Of course, it is also true that other tools may not like nails either. A router for example is a BAD idea here, as that rapidly spinning carbide bit may well meet an untimely end as soon as it hits a nail. And there WILL be nails in a subfloor. If this is a sufficiently old house, they may even be great big, clunky square headed nails.
A problem with anything you use that will remove a lot of wood is the dust it creates. So make sure you use dust protection for the well being of your lungs.
Overall, my choice would be a belt or disk or drum sander designed for floor use. They are fast and efficient, and will give you a flat floor. And they will grind off any nails they hit, although nails may wear down the belts a bit more than just wood.