I just bought my first house, took up the carpet and tile throughout the main level (except bathroom), and I'm preparing to put down hickory hardwood. The hardwood has been acclimating in the house for several weeks now with the boxes open and the A/C on. I'm hoping to get started installing pretty soon, so I could use help with a few questions:

1. I am replacing a sliding glass door on the same level and a bit of the plywood subfloor around it. After I finish that, do I need to wait for the replacement subfloor to acclimate before I start installing hardwoods?

2. I am suffering from underlayment option paralysis! I looked at LL and they were pitching Bellawood's premium underlayment, but I balked at the $1/sq ft price tag. Is that a good underlayment? Is it a normal amount to pay for good underlayment? What are good alternatives? I'm assuming I want something semi-permeable. I'd love to hear others' go-to underlayments, both when price isn't an issue and when it is. Also, where do you normally buy it for a good price?

3. Fasteners. I know this topic has been discussed to death, and I am just overwhelmed. I'm planning to start with 15-gauge 1.5" staples. Does anyone feel strongly that that's a bad choice?

Thanks in advance!

1.) Not if you bring it in now and start the acclimation process. a good wood moisture meter will let you know if it is acclimated to your regions moisture content.

2.) Sounds like your fastening it down, not floating it.
What you need is asphalt impregnated felt paper(roofing felt) or the Aqua-bar stuff, that many swear by. They both serve the same purpose.

3.) Your fastener choice is perfect. With ¾" thick wood and blind nailing, 1½" long fasteners are perfect. You don't want the fasteners to blowout the bottom of the subfloor, or they lose 50% of their holding power. 2" fasteners are for old 33/32 flooring of days long gone, when the flooring was laid over the floor joist directly, or if you have at least an inch of subfloor thickness. Your fastening schedule is important.

Perry:

You seem to come up with controversial stuff.

Can you elaborate on the fasteners? I've never heard this before.

Our friend Jon Namba did a very informational discussion about it at the Hardwood Summit I attended in Atlanta, a few years back.

Looking for the notes I took... I think it is called, Fastener retention, or Fastener withdrawl retention??? Need my notes.

It was in with a discussion on OSB v. plywood and fastener holding strength.

Fastener retention is less on osb than plywood, especially weathered osb. But it has nothing to do with the length of the fastener unless like Perry says, it blows out the bottom.

Also the way the fasteners penetrate the ply vs osb fibers of wood very different. This also effects the holding power besides the loss of density of weathered osb. I got a picture here somewhere.