I know this question has been asked many times but my story is...
I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor. We were thinking to use
just hammers to do that, but it took us 2 days to install 50 sf in the
kitchen, with nail head yet to be sunk. So we decide to get a nail gun
for the rest of the job. Now the wood strip is 2" wide and 5/16" thick
oak, should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
Thanks in advance,
From my very limited experience with this,
I would not count on a 1 inch brad nail (regardless
of 16/18) holding a non t/g floor. I think that
I would use at least a 6 or 8 penny finish nail
and take another 6+ days to do it or get a 2+ inch
power nailer.
My limited 2ç.
Lou
In article <[email protected]>, Edwin
Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Larry Guan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
> > tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor.
>
> > should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
> > for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
> > Thanks in advance,
>
> I don't know if the 16 ga is best, but I do know the 18 ga brad is wrong.
> Brads are for tacking things in place, not for long term securing of things
> like floors.
> Ed
> [email protected]
> http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
>
>
On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 02:59:00 GMT, Rolling Thunder <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On 2 Aug 2004 15:49:41 -0700, [email protected] (Larry Guan) wrote:
>
>>I know this question has been asked many times but my story is...
>>I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
>>tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor. We were thinking to use
>>just hammers to do that, but it took us 2 days to install 50 sf in the
>>kitchen, with nail head yet to be sunk. So we decide to get a nail gun
>>for the rest of the job. Now the wood strip is 2" wide and 5/16" thick
>>oak, should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
>>for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
>>Thanks in advance,
>
>There is a specialized nailer for wood floors. You hit it with a
>hammer and the nail is driven into the edge of the hardwood flooring.
>You can likely rent one.
>
>Thunder
that's for tongue and groove. he's face nailing neat-edged flooring.
You need a face flooring nailer:
http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/pora/404.htm?L+coastest+rthw9498ff71b671+1091553277
I think you can get a face-nail shoe for one of their angled nailers.
FWIW, if you have to use finish nails I would use 15g (not 16 or 18). You
want something that will hold, that's for sure. Your best bet is a face
nailer that shoots those barbed flooring cleats, though.
"Larry Guan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I know this question has been asked many times but my story is...
> I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
> tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor. We were thinking to use
> just hammers to do that, but it took us 2 days to install 50 sf in the
> kitchen, with nail head yet to be sunk. So we decide to get a nail gun
> for the rest of the job. Now the wood strip is 2" wide and 5/16" thick
> oak, should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
> for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
> Thanks in advance,
"Larry Guan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
> tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor.
> should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
> for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
> Thanks in advance,
I don't know if the 16 ga is best, but I do know the 18 ga brad is wrong.
Brads are for tacking things in place, not for long term securing of things
like floors.
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
On 2 Aug 2004 15:49:41 -0700, [email protected] (Larry Guan) wrote:
>I know this question has been asked many times but my story is...
>I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
>tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor. We were thinking to use
>just hammers to do that, but it took us 2 days to install 50 sf in the
>kitchen, with nail head yet to be sunk. So we decide to get a nail gun
>for the rest of the job. Now the wood strip is 2" wide and 5/16" thick
>oak, should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
>for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
>Thanks in advance,
There is a specialized nailer for wood floors. You hit it with a
hammer and the nail is driven into the edge of the hardwood flooring.
You can likely rent one.
Thunder
Rolling Thunder responds:
>>I know this question has been asked many times but my story is...
>>I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
>>tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor. We were thinking to use
>>just hammers to do that, but it took us 2 days to install 50 sf in the
>>kitchen, with nail head yet to be sunk. So we decide to get a nail gun
>>for the rest of the job. Now the wood strip is 2" wide and 5/16" thick
>>oak, should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
>>for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
>>Thanks in advance,
>
>There is a specialized nailer for wood floors. You hit it with a
>hammer and the nail is driven into the edge of the hardwood flooring.
>You can likely rent one.
AFAIK, those floor nailers work ONLY with t&g, which the OP said he did not
have.
Personally, I'd go for the thicker nail at least 1-1/2" long.
Charlie Self
"Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the
clubs and the fresh air." Jack Benny
No brad nail or finish nails for flooring...
Use the correct tool and nails...
http://www.porta-nails.com/nailer/index.shtml
These can be rented at most rental centers and
you need the "face nailer" model.
Larry Guan wrote:
> I know this question has been asked many times but my story is...
> I need to install about 200 sf of the top-nailed (older style, not the
> tong & groove type) red oak hardwood floor. We were thinking to use
> just hammers to do that, but it took us 2 days to install 50 sf in the
> kitchen, with nail head yet to be sunk. So we decide to get a nail gun
> for the rest of the job. Now the wood strip is 2" wide and 5/16" thick
> oak, should I use 18 gauge brad nailer with 1" nail? Or should I go
> for a 16 gauge finish nailer with 1" nail?
> Thanks in advance,