@steelskies--I'm assuming that the boards are running parallel to the ground. If this is the case, try gently pounding the flatter side of a large crowbar between the post and the back side of the board. You want to try to get a nail shaft into the "V" of the end of the bar. Rock the bar back and forth until you loosen the whole piece (nail and board). Continue doing this until all the nails securing the board are free. An alternative to this if: 1) you also have to move the posts and 2) the current posts are 8' apart is to simply saw off the ends of the boards as close to the nails as possible (use a circular saw set to the depth of the boards and make a plunge or straight cut depending on the width of the board). You will lose a little board length, but you can reset the posts a little closer together to save as much wood as possible. If the posts are closer than 8', I would not recommend this. Best Wishes--Carl

"which is by code larger than I'd like, around 30x30"" Without an actual load calculation he better put in a larger footing. If you go looking at beam tables you will not find any for large span steel or even wood beams that do not require a load value to be computed. The actual sizing of beams ONCE THE LOAD IS KNOWN is pretty simple. Computing the load is always the issue. This is a perfect example of GOGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out). Make a mistake in the load calculation and the beam will be sized incorrectly, and regretfully the most common error is to UNDERSIZE by missing loads. Just as an example, to size a door header in a two story house requires accounting for the second floor loads above the header, and the roof loads since they are transfered to the wall also. The load values are done at the design values of 30 PSF live + 10 PSF dead for the second floor, while the roof load includes the roof itself AND the snow loads and sometimes even wind loads, pitch corrections may also be required.

I've never had a problem with Murphy's. I've used it on a variety of wood, old dressers, unfinished wood, wood floor from the 60's, kitchen cabinets that were stained & shellacked, computer desks. When my parents bought their house, they had wood floors put in, I don't think they were real wood, but we were told it was ok to use Murphy's on them. The Murphy's I use is the bottle that you dilute, not the spray. I still need to figure out what to do about the wood floor which was under carpet. I hate to have to sand it but I suppose that will be my last resort. Sounds like the carpet is out. Do you have an idea of what kind of wood floor it is? As Sharon said, you have to clean everything, top to bottom. Also check the heater. If you have baseboard, you might have to wash that down, it's also possible you might need to change the baseboard. It's an extreme, but not hard to do. If there is ductwork, you want to clean as much of that too. Also make sure you replace filters in the returns. I would also take the screens / storm windows out, soak them in a tub. I've never used BIN, and wonder if the scent it has is what you are smelling?

I was just wondering where Tamara is. Haven't seen a post from her in a very long while. Course, I'm often gone for a week at a time. Maybe a newbie on duty? There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why threads disappear. It's very odd to have read a post then go back to it and it's disappeared into thin air. Maybe it'll keep happening enough that I won't start scratching my head before I figure it out! :)