Bostich manual Floor nailer.

[C Scott McDonald]

Any used the none air powered floor nailer? I realize I can rent an air powered one but most of my projects move at glacier speed. I would be installing unfinished 3/4 Oak flooring into t/g exterior grade plywood subfloor. I watched some Youtube videos on it and it seemed to work ok.

This would be used just for three areas of flooring in my house. Maybe a total of 300 sqft.

This tool more trouble then it is worth?

Thanks,
Scott

[Van Huskey]

I hate the manual ones. I just bought the pneumatic one used it for ~1,500 square feet of flooring then sold it on eBay, cost me much less than renting it.

[George Bregar]

300 sf? For such a small amount the manual would be fine...more so if done over time.

[frank shic]

it also depends what kind of hardwood you're installing. i installed >1k bamboo and i'm glad i used the pneumatic because i still got occasional misfires where the staple didn't completely penetrate the wood. i'm sure it would have been worse with a manual nailer. i actually had a good time installing it and at times wondered why i didn't go into professional floor installations... and then the back would start hurting, or the knees lol

[Jamie Buxton]

I don't know the Bostich. But I've floored several homes with a muscle-powered Porta-Nailer, and it didn't kill me. Like you, I was doing one room this weekend, and the next room a couple weekends later, and so on.

[Jim Andrew]

I've used a Porta-nailer, and the plus for it is that if you don't get the nail in all the way with one hit, you can hit it again to finish the stroke. Does the Bostitch work that way? One other thing, I think the staples hold better than those flat nails the Porta-nailer uses.

[George Bregar]

One other thing, I think the staples hold better than those flat nails the Porta-nailer uses. +1 on staples

[jared herbert]

I used a manual nailer to install 3/4 in solid maple tongue and groove flooring and it worked great. Hitting it with the hammer just was not that big of a deal and you didnt have to drag the air hose around with you. Jared

[George Bregar]

I used a manual nailer to install 3/4 in solid maple tongue and groove flooring and it worked great. Hitting it with the hammer just was not that big of a deal and you didnt have to drag the air hose around with you. Jared And the nailer has two purposes, drive the nail AND snug up the board. Even with a pneumatic you need to give it a pretty good rap. I wold go with a pneumatic if I had a lot to put in, but the manual be fine for 300 sf.

[roman fedyk]

I have used both and found that if you hit it hard enough the nails will set properly. Having said that it takes some time to learn just how to hit it properly. With only 300 square feet you may not develop that. Another alternative is get the pneumatic one from Harbor Freight. It costs less than the manual one and I have used one along side my Bostich with no problems at all. If you get a coupon you can get it for around $125 or so......

[james glenn]

I've used a Porta-nailer, and the plus for it is that if you don't get the nail in all the way with one hit, you can hit it again to finish the stroke. Does the Bostitch work that way? One other thing, I think the staples hold better than those flat nails the Porta-nailer uses.

+1 for the Porta-nailer, but disagree abotu the staples. we've had issues with them in the past.
I have done over 500sf so far and doesn't bother me. (after the first day that is)
The ratchet feature is great.

[Granger Ridout]

My first post to the group after lurking for a while and soaking up the knowledge! I'll add my vote for the Harbor Freight pneumatic model (#99640, $149 right now). Use one of the 20% off coupons when on sale (as now), and get it for cheap, as noted above. I have used it on 400sf so far and it works great, as long as you remember to add a few drops of oil every other staple load. I use the staples, but it can take the cleats too, I believe. I don't use the Harbor Freight staples, however, preferring the Bostitch (don't want to discover the coating is not up to snuff). You can also pick up one of the HF floor jacks (#98787, $11.24 right now) for a little persuasion to those less than straight boards. I added a cut piece of flooring to the bottom front of the nailer with some tape to help keep it from wobbling when nailing.

[Sue Wise]

+1 with HF nailer and Bostitch staples
I used my HF to install an Acacia wood floor in one of my bedrooms. After reading a post a bit ago about the HF, the poster said that as long as the gun was well oiled he had no problem. My only issue was when the staples were low, it did misfire, but only a few times. This was my first nail down floor install and I am very pleased with the results.

[C Scott McDonald]

Thanks for the input. I think I will go the HF route. I looked around and all the reviews say them same thing. Keep it filled up with staples and well oiled and it will work OK.

[frank shic]

btw i highly recommend the cepco floor jack for super tight joints when you get up to the wall (you'll see what i mean soon lol):

http://www.amazon.com/Cepco-Tool-QuikJack-Flooring-Construction/dp/B0000224PZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294850656&sr=8-1

[Jason Roehl]

Frank, I have several ratchet straps with L-shaped plates that are made for flooring. Much cheaper than that Cepco...but that does look pretty cool...I better tell my wife to hide the credit and debit cards...

[Ron Natalie]

Sorry to be late on the thread, but ditch the manual nailer. I was putting down maple in the dining room with one (albeit harder than most oak) and it was just a royal pain. I told my wife after two days of that I was going to work and she could call the rental houses and find a pneumatic one for me. $40 and four hours later with the pneumatic nailer the floor was down. You still have to wallop away on the pneumatic one to seat the board, but it has the advantage that once the thing starts to fire the nail the pneumatic drives it all the way rather than sometimes taking a couple of whacks on the manual one.

[Ron Kurzius]

Why don't you just hand nail it? Get some spiral floor nails and a good 24oz hammer and do it the old fashion way. Grab a hand full of nails and drive the first nail, use the head of the next nail to set the first one and so on.

[Larry Rupert]

I did most of my house with a porta-nailer. Wasn't bad at all, used 3/4" oak. I wouldn't want to have to do it in a hurry, it does take a little swinging. I think that the manual nailers give a much "tighter fit" between boards than the pneumatic ones. FWIW, Larry



Any used the none air powered floor nailer? I realize I can rent an air powered one but most of my projects move at glacier speed. I would be installing unfinished 3/4 Oak flooring into t/g exterior grade plywood subfloor. I watched some Youtube videos on it and it seemed to work ok.

This would be used just for three areas of flooring in my house. Maybe a total of 300 sqft.

This tool more trouble then it is worth?

Thanks,
Scott

[Alex Horvath]

I saw a really drawn out debate on a pro hardwood floor message board regarding nails vs. staples and the consensus is that staples are better for dubious subfloors like OSB. The staples do hold better (this was proven at some university) but sometimes they hold too tight which can cause the floor to crack especially in very humid environments. The nails were designed at a time when subfloors were mostly solid wood.

[frank shic]

jason, i found another use for the floor jack - helping to level my exaktor sliding table attachment on an unlevel garage floor lol.

[BOB OLINGER]

I've only used the manual Porta nailer. IMO, it works great; I've nailed down a couple thousand feet of 3/4" oak. With the manual, you have the option of increasing the hit to tighten up the flooring. Would appear a lot easier to handle than dragging hoses around. Lowes loaned the last one withe purchase of flooring - bought Bruce. I can't imagine any woodworker, pro or hobbiest not being successful with this tool.