Newbie here and have a couple of questions for your guys.

Around April/May I will be installing an oak floor in my sister's house and later in the year one in my house. She has offered to buy me a nailer (manuel or pneumatic). I have been looking at several brands senco, primatech, powernailer and porta-nail.

Does anybody have experience with these nailers or any opinions as to which one I should get?

Also which works better cleats or staples?

Thanks for all your input.

Mike

Mike:

Try this link..

http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... .php?t=417

...and there are several other discussions using our search function

Thanks for the reply KD.

I'm no expert, however I am very particular. I installed one floor myself and helped my friend with a couple of others and don't know of any problems having occured using cleats. Maybe I'm being too particular and as long as it is installed correctly it may not matter what you use.

As far as nailers, I was leaning towards the Primatech because it would shorten the amount of face nailing I would need to do. I was hoping someone had some experience with Primatech.

KD, do you know it I could face nail with a finishing nailer. I have the porter cable FN 250A.

Thanks

Mike

I think everyone who has been in the trade awhile probably cut their teeth on a Powernailer. But some of the other makes have a multi hit function that may be helpful. You can face nail with that gun if it shoots the 15-16 gauge nails, but not if its a brad nailer. You are referring to a manual nailer, no?

Primatech has been around for quite a while. They use the same fasteners as the powernail 45. I can't really speak to how well they work.

I know for a fact that they came out with the fiirst pneumatic cleat nailer. Porta-nail is crap. I would stay away from them.

SK, although I don't have the FN 250A in front of me I beleive it does shoot a 16 gauge finish nail.

I was referring to a pneumatic nailer the Primatech P210 or P240 the newer version which should get me closer to the wall.

Chuck, I was looking at the porta-nail origially because the cleat nailer can convert to a surface nailer. I think i'll stay away from them.

Thanks for the input.

Mike

The fn250 shoots those 16ga wire doodads. The da250 shoots 15 ga nails.

If you are considering buying a stapler,you should buy a Bostich.