OK, so far I've received some awesome advice from people on this forum about HW floors. My questions have all been answered for the most part. However, Floorguy recommended the "floor runner" stapler (among others) for installing 3/8" Brazillian Cherry. I like Bostitch's products, but was leary of the product descriptions listing the floor runner as a "laminate flooring stapler". Even the body of the product description states how it works for "laminate" flooring. No where does it mention that it's ok to use with HW floors, whereas some other staplers list HW's as acceptable. Now, I'm installing a 3/8" exotic hard wood and fear this stapler won't work. I've asked about this in other posts, but all I get is, "the Bostitch works". However, the Bostitch stapler referenced in these followup posts is a different model with 18ga staples. The stapler I'm talking about (that I think Floorguy first recommended is the Bostitch LHF97125-2 Floor Runner, which only has 20-21 ga staples.



http://www.toolbarn.com/product/bostitch/LHF97125-2/

OK, so I wouldn't normally bother with this, as Floorguy recommended some other fine staplers. I would go and order them, however, my install is scheduled for much sooner than I can get the staplers delivered (without $50 overnight shipping). So, the only stapler I can buy locally is the Bostitch floor runner (which is actually much cheaper than the other options).

1- Will the floor runner work?

2- Will it work as well as the others (I'm hoping to avoid splitting too many tongues)?

3- Am I being completely obnoxious? (sorry)

Yes, that is what it is made for!!! Thin engineered wood flooring. Might work on a solid??


OK, a little history lesson...
Before laminate floating flooring, (the fake stuff with cardboard core and a picture of wood) hit the shores of the US, engineered cross-ply wood flooring was called laminated wood flooring. The confusion is only among DIY'ers.

Well, I made the leap and bought it from the local box store. I tried it out with the Bostitch 1" staples that go with the unit. I had some scrap wood runs from the retailer so I could lay it out and plan colors, etc.. Well, if it didn't split the tongue (which it did a lot) it barely broke the surface of the tongue. It would bunch the staple up and it would spark fiercely. I spent more time using a large pliers to free the buggers. It wasn't consistant at all. I tried going up in psi in small increments, but it didn't seem to make much difference, except that every other staple fractured the tongue.

I can't imagine going through an entire flooring job like that... not to mention the waste...

I'm a tad frustrated and am considering glue-down (like the manufacturers tech-help rcommended). I have never glued down a wood floor. I've tiled lots, which also involves a trowel, but I can't imagine its the same.

Well, I just checked your install tips and it strongly advises against glueing down HW's unless you are a very experienced installer. Well, I'm not, so I guess that's out.. I suppose I'm out of luck. I haven't actually purchased the wood yet, so I could upgrade it to 3/4" BC.... Oh, I just don't know... Arg!!!!

You might be in over your head with this being your first floor. Why don't you try a different wood species. If you don't want boring red oak try white oak, or American cherry, or even red birch. These woods are softer (and easier to nail) than exotics but are also beautiful.

Thoughts on Brazillian Cherry Lite? It's supposed to be much softer than regular BC...?

I think the "Lite" just means that it's paler in color, not any less dense or hard. Is that stuff Bellawood? You'd be gambling if you used LL material.

I think the lite actually is less hard.

I'm contemplating returning the 3/8 and going with a 3/4 product. Would the Cherry Lite require a cleat nailer or stapler? I can find the stapler here locally (faster) but the nailer would be a mail order thing (who knows what shipping times would be).

The Bostitch Floor Runner was designed AT FIRST to specifically install Bruce Natural Reflections (a solid, T&G 5/16" oak floor) and other 3/8" Bruce engineered floors. It works fine for the purpose in which it was designed. While 1" staples should be ok for your 3/8" flooring, I think the 21 gauge is too skinny and would prefer to see an 18 gauge, like the other staplers listed. Also, if the moisture content of the flooring is too low, you will be getting excessive tongue breakage as well. It should be no lower than 7% IMO. As you are finding out, there are many considerations to installing hardwood flooring, and not all the right answers are readily available.