I am in the process of finishing a shop/art studio. I will be installing oak strip flooring in the art studio soon. I have read a half dozen articles on the topic in fine homebuilding, but would like some advice on nailing. I will be using a pneumatic floor nailer for most of the work, but where it is too tight to use that, the suggestion from one article was to use a finish nailer that shoots 8d nails. Can someone tell me whether that would be a 16ga nailer? If you have other advice on laying the floor, I would appreciate anything you can offer. thanks, j
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That's what I've always used - shooting at an angle through the tongue. The last two strips you have to face nail and putty the holes.
JT
15 or 16 gauge work well, like Julian said. Also, the Primatec pneumatic cleat nailer fits closer to the wall than others, and is a very nice tool, made in Canada.
Bill
I would personally stay away from a finish nailer as I don't believe the nails....even heavier gauge....are a good choice for flooring.
It's time consuming, and not the "easiest way" (best way rarely is), but I prefer to predrill and hand nail (using flooring nails) those boards too close to the wall for the flooring gun.
And, as mentioned, the last couple of boards will have to be face nailed.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
How are people filling those face-nailed holes on prefinished flooring, though? I've got bamboo happening now, and the finish kind of puckers when you nail the face, filling is going to be a challenge if I need ot make it disappear.Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
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"It's time consuming, and not the "easiest way" (best way rarely is), but I prefer to predrill and hand nail (using flooring nails) those boards too close to the wall for the flooring gun." I agree. I have used a 15 Ga angled finish nailer to get one board closer to the wall and still avoid face nails; however, I double up on the number of nails.
Re: prefinished flooring, "YEP" it does tend to flower up, but if you predrill you get less of that and if you use a shape knife to remove any slivers it makes for easier and nicer looking putty job.
I don't do many prefinished floors myself. When I do though, I don't use the face nailing flooring gun on them for fear of damaging the finish. I also predrill and handnail these pieces. I have not noticed the issue you are describing.
J. D. ReynoldsHome Improvements
And when predrilling and facenailing prefinished boards you are still using putty to fill the holes?
I'm thinking I may have to start using plugs cut from scraps so that the gloss of the finish matches. Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
...What are you on?"
- Lance Armstrong
I've never had an issue wit the face-nailed sections showing the puttied holes. Unless you have your face 2 feet from the floor - it just blends in.Ever try to pry up a flooring board that's been shot into a subfloor with 7-10 angled 2 1/2" 16ga gun nails?Them suckers hold plenty tight, and it's so damn easy, I use more than I need - no worries about the holding power I think.I've only ever installed pre-finished floors. With my Dewalt gun at least, had no problems with the finish once I tweak my countersink initially.Using the little colored putty cups at HD, have always been able to get a very close match to the flooring in question. Pre-drilling and hand nailing sounds like taking a long time to get a simple part of the job done.Has anyone ever seen a floor that's been 16 ga. perimeter-nailed fail due to the 16ga fasteners?JT
To be honest Justin, I can only recall one instance where the sheen (or lack thereof) of the puttied holes was an issue. I used an artists paint brush with a poly of similar gloss to the floors finish and ran around the room and hit the putty.
Don't recall if it was a "perfect" match, but it satisfied me, and the homeowner never made mention.
But like i said.....I haven't done a ton of the prefinished floors. Unless a homeowner specifically requests a certain product, I always go the route of finishing in place.
Either way though....I have always found....whether prefinished or otherwise....those "glaring" imperfections that scream at you when you're on your hands and knees doing the install, are usually unoticable after the base and shoe mouldings, heating elements, furniture, etc. are in place.
J. D. ReynoldsHome Improvements
ok, thanks for the thoughts JDJustin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
...What are you on?"
- Lance Armstrong
The best way is to use a plug cutter, but I have also used sawdust from the same material mixed with glue in areas that are not critical.
Here's the technique I have used on the last couple prefinished floors I have done.
I install the last two rows together and allow the second-to-the-wall row to float without nails. I use a homemade floor puller tool or the old screwdriver in the floor trick as a lever to close up the T&G.
The final row gets face nailed close to the wall where the nails are hidden by the base molding. (I use a finish nailer and nail every 3" or so) There are no holes to fill as the base hides all the final nails.
If installing 4" or greater planks, they also get adhesive.
I've got a large floor that was done this way several years ago and have had no lift or other issues from the unglued row. Most people rarely walk on the 6" closest to any wall, so creaks or pops are also not a concern.