How to remove oak hardwood floor?

[poison_1024]

I have a kitchen where the previous owner put tiles down over a hardwood floor. Needless to say it did not hold up very well over the years. I want to remove the old tiles and then remove the hardwood flooring so that I can put down cement board and then re-tile. I can't put cement board over the hardwood because it would raise the level of the floor too high. Are there any special tools for prying up hardwood pieces? (I have no interest in saving the wood.) Is there such a thing a zero-clearance saw where I can cut around cabinets etc?

[Phisherman]

A crowbar, pry bars, cats paw, or whatever else works with the particular fastener.

A floating floor is easy. :)

A flush-cut hand saw which has a very flexible blade will give you the control you need with much less dust than a power tool.

[ransley]

You want to leave the cabinets in, and cut the oak to the cabinets and attach cement board to the joists, that does not sound easy if cabinets have an overhang and what if joist is parallel with the cabinet and underneath the cabinet, you have nothing to screw the cement board to, have fun.

[J. Clarke]

Fein Multimaster or Bosch Finecut.

[evodawg]

He said he only wants to take out the hardwood leaving a sub floor under it.

[poison_1024]

The cabinets do have an overhang. So what if the joist is parallel to the cabinet, the cement boards go perpendicular to the joists. You do realize the subfloor stays in place or was that simple fact lost on you?

[poison_1024]

That Bosch Finecut looks perfect, thanks!