Finish Nailer For Hardwood Floor Installation

I own a pancake compressor and a finish nailer and opted for the rental floor nailer.

Finish nailer for hardwood floor installation.

I can get a heck of a deal on a bostitch 16 gauge nailer. I ve read the debate about 15 vs 16 vs 18 gauge. 200 sq ft over the weekend with sports beer breaks and that was my first hardwood install looks freakin great good luck in whatever way you opt to go oh yeah forgot to mention the chop saw as others have you will need one. But when working with hardwood there is a unique and important consideration.

Anyone using a floor nailer ends up using a finish nailer for the first and last few rows. The brad nails will not penetrate easily through the tough hardwood. To use this nailer position the nail shoe on the wood tongue at about a 15 degree angle downward and inward toward the plank. The humble nail has a long history of craftsmanship behind every bag or box.

A finishing nailer will also do a decent job on the hardwood floor by shooting almost headless nails and it will leave no traces behind as you move. I place the end of the finish nailer on the subfloor or rest it on the tongue tip it 30 45 degrees and aim the nailing end towards the angle between tongue and top of board. For correct use make sure the tool s nail shoe is well positioned on the tongue angled at about 15 degrees inward and downward as if moving to the plank. A finish nail gun designed for trim work shoots a near headless nail that does not mar the surface look of the wood which makes a finish nailer effective for installing hardwood floors as well.

I am putting 2 1 2 x 3 4 hardwood flooring in a hall that is about 36 wide. Types of nails for laying hardwood floor. A 16 gauge finish nailer is more than adequate to hold down 5 16 inch hardwood which is the usual thickness of retrofit panels. In my experience a 15 gauge finish nailer can work well for hardwood floor installation.

I am also laying it parallel to the joists on 3 4 plywood subfloor that is in good conditon. I plan to use a bostitch miii cleat nailer for my 0 75 x 3 25 brazilian cherry floor. I used nothing but the finish nailer for a small bathroom. There is really vey little room to swing a nailer hammer since i ll probably lay the first row in the middle of the hall and work towards both walls.

A 15 gauge may initially appear to have the advantage in that a sturdier nail should logically afford a stronger fastener. Flooring nails have special qualities that make them suitable for the job.