I’m getting ready to install some 3/4″ x 5″ solid pre-finished Brazilian teak flooring in an upstairs bedroom over 3/4 plywood sub-floor. Obviously, I’ll be face nailing close to the walls where the nailer won’t fit. I don’t have a nail gun for this application, and don’t anticipate needing one in the future, or I’d buy one, so I’ll be hand nailing the first several courses (or screwing them?).
Question is: what type of nails and where to get them? Anyone ever use finish screws for this? If so, what type and where?
Thanks in advance.
Bob
Replies
At the start side, I use the same power nails for the gun, just separate them from the clip, predrill and hand nail; them in the tongue, no face nailing required. same as I get close to finish wall on opposite side
Only need face nails on the last two strips. Use finish nails and predrill. Can sometimes hide them by choosing where in the grain to place them.
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I will often use trim screws on the first row where I know they will get burried by base and shoe. At the end I just use finish nails. Predrill with one of the nails chucked into a drill.
Steve
Rebob,
This is one of those situations where my face crinkles while I read and I think "wait, you are telling me you can afford $7.00/sqft brazillian teak flooring but you can't afford a $120 nail gun?" I'm not chastising you, just thinking out loud. Myself, I have the nail gun but can't afford the teak :)
At any rate, you got some options.
#1) rent a nail gun. I think a trim gun costs about $25 a day. If you don't have an air compressor...this may not be so good of an option. Then again, for about $40 a day you could rent an air compressor and another $40 rent an flooring air nailer.
#2) drill and nail. Before the days of pneumatics, there was drills and nails. simple 4d (1-1/2") finish nails are all thats needed. Use a nailset to drive the head under the surface and fill with some nail putty.
#3) Buy, beg, borrow a nail gun. Are you telling me you don't have a handy friend or neighbor who might have a nail gun you could use for a few hours? I often loan out my nail guns as they are the type of tool that is difficult to break.
good luck.....don't forget to post some pictures for us.
GK
5" brazilian teak is bound to be wet... have you checked the moisture with a meter?
I'd be face screwing all of it. This stuff imported from South America is renown for bending, bowing, twisting and cracking due to moisture. I'd treat it like wide plank pine and screw it down, fill the 3/8" with tapered plugs cut from the same material or ipe for contrast if you want.
Be forewarned... this hard wood flooring from South America is not to be trusted. It should be dried down to 6% to be stable. If it is 6%, you can treat it like regular hardwood.
L
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