Hello, My wife and I have wanted hardwood flooring for a long time, but cost has hindered it. So we have decided to try purchasing pine 1x6's at the local lumber store. We want the old face nailed plank look. Has anyone done this? I will be nailing it to joists through 3/4 subfloor, what length and size hard cut nail would you recommend? Do I need a vapor barrier since it is over a basement? Pardon all the newbie questions. I'm sure more to come. Thanks in Advance

size is #8 or 2 1/2"
yes on the vapor barrier felt paper #15
you should put 2 nail in each joists because you have a 1x6
Helpful info: because of the wedge shape that minimizes splitting, cut nails must be turned so that their long dimension runs parallel to the grain of the wood for best results.
good luck
Jeff

That 1 by 6 pine you are looking at, is most likely not KD. So plan on a long acclimatizing period before installing, say 2 - 3 months if not longer.

What would the affects of not using kiln dried lumber be? Thanks

Well, if you install a 6 inch (5 1/4 actually) floor that is at a MC of lets say 18 percent, and it eventually dries to 8 percent after you install it, you would end up with approximately 1/4 to 5/16th gaps between the boards. Nice look if you are trying to acheive an old time-worn look to your floor but probably not very practical.

While I appreciate the need to be thrifty, I do not think much of your plan. One, the pine you get from the lumber yard will be very soft and as Dennis mentioned, maybe not KD. It will not be T&G and most likely, some boards will be cupped. The wood could be sanded after installation if you recess those nails enough. But think about it. How much are you really saving buying pine over, say # 1 common oak strip. Then, the cost of the finishing supplies and tool rental. Some flooring manufacturers have some low cost, pre-finished solid flooring available at a moderate cost. I recall doing a Robbins prefinished 3/4" oak strip floor years ago that we paid less than $2.00 per sq. ft. for. I think if you search hard enough, you could find decent hardwood flooring for about what you are going to spend buying pine planks.

I wanted to know what is really diffrence between the Pine floor and Dougls Fir some people think this is the same wood.
I have apicture here of a Douglas Fir but this is a T&G floor , so this will not give you a old face naild look but believe me this floor will dent very fast and look old if you have a dog or two even faster .
douglas fir floor

Douglas fir is a separate species of trees than any pine. I am not a botanist and don't feel like googling all the various sites that reference the difference between fir and pine. But here in CA, where Doug fir is plentiful, it is not less money than oak. It is soft as well. Pine and fir are coniferous trees and are considered "softwoods". Pine typically, has more knots, mineral streaks and generally more of a grain pattern. Fir is often milled and sold, especially flooring, as clear, straight grain. It is stronger and redder than most pine. It has been used as flooring here in CA for nearly two centuries.

Douglas Fir is the wood of choice, in an edge grain configuration for Karate studios, as well.

Why is that?

Dunno, just is, lol. I imagine it has to do with its impact resistance in an edge grain configuration, as well as its resiliency to bodies bouncing off it.

Underlay is not enough to resist the moisture and protect hardwood flooring at heavy damp area.