How can I remove the wood boards used to divide a cement patio after the cement has dried?

I just finished laying a cement patio that is 20' by 10' divided into 8 slabs each about 5' by 5'. We wanted to have a space, about an inch, between the the 8 slabs in order to plant grass and give it a nicer look. I left the wood boars inplace in ordre to achive this, but now that the cement has dried I am can't get the wood out.

How can I remove the wood boards used to divide a cement patio after the cement has dried?
Are they 1x6 or 2x6?You could take a circular saw and cut a relief slot down the center of each board.Spray the with a mixture of soap and water and pry them out with a 36" pry bar with a 2x4 piece of wood for leverage.
Reply:Give them a few days to dry out good and they will shrink making them easier to remove.
Reply:You will probably crack the concrete getting the forms out, since there is so much surface contact. Driveway forms are are placed for one slab (half the driveway) and poured. When the concrete is mostly or fully set, they pry off the boards, insert an expander (flexible strip so it can expand/ contract) then the second half is poured up against the expander. They don't try to yank a board out of the center.



Also, a one-inch space in between won't be enough to grow real grass in, you'll get uneven grass, lots of weeds and junk -- since the shallow-rooted grass won't be able to reach much soil. Weeds, with longer, stronger roots, will love it. You could try the low spreading plants that are seen in garden paths, but grass won't stand up to foot traffic.



Sounds like you either are stuck with wood in the middle, or digging up the entire thing and starting fresh.
Reply:The wood is more than likely buried to be even or a little bit about ground level. You can dig around the outside perimeters (the dirt can't be too compacted) and you'll probably find reinforcement bars that held the forms in place that need to be taken out. Gently, go around the outside of the forms and tap them with a hammer to help break the bond.
Reply:Use a small pry bar and don't use a lot of force to get it out or you can call the Company that did it and ask them what they would use.
Reply:you could try to take a skill saw and cut the center of the 2x4 I would make several cuts each a little deeper untill I maxed out the depth of the skill saw. this would create a liitle room to work with. then use a pry bry or large screwdrive to start to break out the pieces. but be careful not to use the cement as leverage. new cement could chip if you use the pry bar against it.