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Thread: Hardwood flooring nailer

  1. #1
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    Jun 2008
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    Hardwood flooring nailer

    I have some hardwood flooring to install. I want to buy a good nailer that I can turn around and sell when I’m done. I know nothing about these. I have a larger 60 gallon tank. Lots of hose. Thoughts?

  2. #2
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    Dec 2007
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    Minot, ND
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    I've been happy with the Bostich nailer I purchased. I believe it is the MIIIFN. Have used it on Hickory, Brazilian Cherry and Oak flooring with no issues. I've also got the Bostich flooring stapler, MIIIFS. If you need to install an engineered floor that is less than 3/4" thick, I'd recommend the stapler instead of the nailer.

    Clint

  3. #3
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    The HF one is one of the HF "gems"..

    They go on sale for $99 quite often.

    I've had mine for a number of years now & it's still going strong.
    Admittedly, I don't use it constantly, but, it's been working right out of the case every time I've needed it so far.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  4. #4
    I also have a HF flooring nailer. It will use nails or staples. I've used it to put down about 600 ft2 and I loaned it to a guy at work who did a similar amount. No issues. Good buy. I have several other HF pneumatic nailers and staplers. Some have needed oil or something but all work well and are good buys.

    Staples hold better than nails. I've had to take it up in some areas when we moved walls around and nails come out a lot easier. I used nails for what I installed but next job will be staples. They are easier to find around here.

    I have a stapler for the thin, 1/2 inch or less, flooring. I used it to install several hundred feet of thin oak in a former house. It is more challenging to use but works fine. It is just harder to get the staples in the right spot on the thin flooring. I don't remember the brand but will look it up if that is what you're doing.

    You probably know this but you need a finish nailer too for around the edges. 18 gauge is too small, I tried, 16 works and 15 would even be a bit better.

  5. #5
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    Yep, the HF unit works very well. You don't need a big compressor, we just used a little Husky compressor. About 800 sf of 7/16" stranded bamboo. So hard 18 ga brads just bounced off. For us staples worked better than nails.
    NOW you tell me...

  6. #6
    I bought a Numax nailer from Amazon that was highly rated on reviews. $105. Worked very well. Used on 500 sf of prefinished 3/4" oak flooring. Had just a few misfires. Mostly due to not hitting the trigger cap squarely.

    I don't know about your experience working with wood, but I used most of my woodworking tools to get a professional result. A particularly useful tool was a small Stanley shoulder plane, #92 rabbetting plane. Its new price is about $100, the same as the nailer. The problem is that wood is a natural product and it changes shape after being processed (as in cutting, finishing, storage). If you are installing an unfinished product, you can ignore the rest of this since you can fill and finish to hide small gaps. If you are installing a finished product, gaps can't be hidden by filling and finishing. That means that you have to install each piece carefully, possibly bending slightly curved pieces to conform with its neighbors. You have to be creative. In particular, I used the rabbetting plane to shave adjacent pieces so that next piece that is laid down against them has a straight edge to be positioned against. You'll understand when you start working. All those Youtube videos of workmen smacking together flooring with the mallet and then nailing them down doesn't happen with prefinished flooring, unless you don't care about the fine details. Just for the fun of it, here's a list of some of the other tools that I ended up needing: track saw, router, table saw with sliding table, radial arm saw, router table, slotting router bit, chisels, nail gun, nail set, hand planes, long straight edge, stapler. Good luck.

  7. #7
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    Oct 2013
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    beavercreek oh
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    I had good luck with the HF nailer also. Did about 3000 sf with it.

  8. #8
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    Just a couple thoughts, I have one of the Bostich nailers as well and they have a very well established reputation for being a quality tool. However, you can pretty easily just rent the nailer for when you need it. Buying and re-selling may be an option, but I would advise checking your local CL first as at least around here the market is flooded with used nailers....ie. if you buy one you may be keeping it for a while. I bought the version that does both cleats and staples, I've only used cleats as that's what I started with and still have a bunch left. They work well on oak and maple, but as someone mentioned already bamboo likes to split so maybe staples are better on it?

    As far as installing hardwood all you really need is a small portable compressor, a finish nailer, a chopsaw, jigsaw, and a bottle of Tylenol. I've done both finished and pre-finished and if you buy good quality stock it goes together pretty easily. But regardless of which type it's tough on the back and knees....hence the Tylenol, (or pain killer of choice).

    good luck,
    JeffD

  9. #9
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    I use a Primatech, best I have ever used, but kind of pricey. If you find one used buy it, they sell easy as most pro floor guys want them.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Primatech-P...25.m3641.l6368

    Very low recoil. Mine is older and has different shoes for different flooring, but the new ones are adjustable. Thousands upon thousands of feet and has never even broken a driver.

  10. #10
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    Great tool to rent. I thought the same as you, and now I have a $700 bostich nailer that sits on a shelf. If you are a pro, it makes sense to buy this one, but otherwise, I am not so sure.

    The cheap ones have improved a lot. Years ago some of those had a lot of problems, but now they seem to have sorted out the problems.

  11. #11
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  12. #12
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    SE PA, Central Bucks County
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    I bought a used Bostich on eBay (it was a package with mallet, set block, etc.) and did every new floor in our house; it gave me no trouble. You know you'll also need a brad nailer for the first few rows until the floor stapler clears the wall (unless you want to hand nail); I used 8d nails. I'd also recommend staples over cleats for the floor. And don't forget the vapor barrier. Good luck with your floors!

  13. #13
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    Nov 2015
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    Culpeper, VA, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Floyd Mah View Post
    I bought a Numax nailer from Amazon that was highly rated on reviews. $105. Worked very well. Used on 500 sf of prefinished 3/4" oak flooring.
    +1 on the Numax. I used their stapler for about 2,000 sq ft of 3/4 oak and it was a champ. Ive got their Brad and finish nailers too. Not the best, but very capable and very inexpensive.

  14. #14
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    Sep 2009
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    Putney, Vermont
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    I unknowingly bought the harbor freight floor nailer, new, and it has worked well for my floor installations

  15. #15
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    What is a cleat?

    The flooring will be prefinished micro-bevel. 3/4" oak. Doing rooms, both around 200 sqft, And a walk-in closet, 100 sqft.

    Edit: I will probably have a bit to learn, but I work with wood all the time (I build acoustic guitars, that's my hobby). I have a Paslode 16 Gauge finish nailer. That work ok on 3/4" oak (around edges). I am assuming I should use flooring nails (cleats) with 3/4"?
    Last edited by Mike OMelia; 01-20-2018 at 5:40 PM.

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