Mornin all,

I have 3/4" x 5" plank Brazilian Walnut (Ipe) unfinished flooring that I will be installing upstairs over 3/8" plywood screwed to 3/4" OSB. I bought a Bostich MIII FS stapler but I'm being told that I won't be able to staple due to the hardness of the Ipe.

Can I glue (Bostiks Best) the floors down instead? Some have told me that you can't glue 3/4" x 5" plank flooring.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Jared

It is not recommended, but it has been done at their own risk.

Most installers will shy away from gluing down a solid. But Bostik's Best is the only urethane adhesive I would advise using. I think the hardness of a wood gets blown out of proportion at times when it comes to the fastening. I'd be more concerned about tongue splitting and then having to do something to correct that before you continue. Cleats, staples, shimming, adjusting air pressure, ect., whatever works to fix the problem.

Thanks for the info guys. I've decided to just screw them down with stainless steel square drive screws. I'll pre-drill and countersink into the tungues at the same angle a flooring nailer would take. It'll take longer but I only have 300 square ft to lay.

Is this the way to go here? Anyone ever done it?

I've never put down IPE, so don't listen to my advice But since you already bought the stapler I would at least try it and see what happens. I think Gary and Chuck have experience with IPE, maybe they will see this and answer.

I have stapled IPE 3/4" x 5" with the same stapler. Just make sure you use a low enough pressure to not split the tongue. I would at least give it a try on a scrap plywood subfloor and a few planks. Also, you really do need a air pressure regulator to do this. I would think drilling and screwing would take forever. The stuff is quite hard to drill. In my experience the wood can gum up the drill bit very quickly

Well I got my Ipe floor down. The stainless steel screws worked great. If you're not a professional, screw down for 3/4" thick wood floors is the way to go. Especially if your running the floor continously through multiple spaces. In my case two closets a bathroom and our bedroom. If you mess up all you do is remove the screws fix the problem and screw the board back down. It takes a while but well worth the time in saved mistakes. Just be careful that you not torque the screws down too tight as you'll split the tongues. You'll get the hang of it really quickly though. The stainless steel sqaure drive screws are surprisingly soft and the heads will strip very easily and the shank will snap if torqued to tightly. Keep a dremel and a prybar handy for this. The Ipe floor is beautiful and durable. The only thing I've found that can stand up to my two black labs UFC bouts before bed. They don't scratch the wood but leave shiny streaks that don't sink into or tear the wood fibers. This is the perfect wood for large dogs. If I could I would leave the wood completely unsanded and unfinished because it is most scratch resistant in this state. However since it's in the bathroom we do need to finish it.

I'm going to finish it with Waterlox Original Sealer followed by Waterlox Satin finish. Should I rub the floor down with Acetone prior to applying the finish to remove any oils and resins that would cause adhesion problems. Not going to sand the floor.

Yes, an acetone wash down couldn't hurt at all. It will evaporate quickly. Make sure you apply your first coat of Waterlox as soon as the acetone has fully evaporated. Don't let the wood sit overnight after your washdown and before your first coat.

That's what I'll do then.

Thanks Gary.