Hi, I’m a DIYer. I bought Bruce prefinished natural solid hickory (2-1/4") from a discount seller with expectation of 5% waste from imperfections as advised by the seller, as this is their top grade (plus another 5% usual expected waste). I actually ordered 35% extra. My wood has a aluminium oxide finish.

After acclimation, I realized that every plank has an imperfection. 20% of them have chips on the face of the plank and every plank has roughness on the micro bevels. Though I can discard the planks with chips or cut the part with chips, I have to deal with the roughness patches on the bevels.

So I’m sanding just the bevels of every plank with a 320 grit (just one or two draws of sander along the bevel). And after nailing down the hardwood, Im planning to apply a sealer and then apply one coat of either Bona traffic HD or Polywhey 3500 to the bevels only with a thin brush. Not going to touch the faces of the planks. Do you see any issues with this approach and any alternate advise? Will the polywhey 3500 peel? I live in central MA and the humidity variations are extreme with seasons, though I run my HVAC most of the time, there can be a bit more humid summer days, but winter days will be exceptionally dry.

Im picking polywhey 3500 as its of very low VOC and fast drying time. Are there any other suggestions with similar low VOC levels and low odor and minimum health consequences?

Polywhey ought to stick well with you dulling the surface to smooth the imperfections. It's a slow job to carefully coat only the bevels with a tiny brush. I think that Polywhey will not have the white line syndrome as the flooring might shrink and finish can stick to the edges of boards with the finish trying to stick to both boards leaving stretched finish looking like a white line.

Thanks Pete. If the polywhey may show up the white lines, as you said, due to to wood shrink and expand as polywhey being just on the bevels, I think I should avoid. I thought a sealer coat before the polywhey would have taken care of it. But not it seems.

Do you think a clear oil based poly would stay? I have seen at homedepot, a Varathane oil based poly with Aluminium oxide and Low Odor (they say no odor). Will that be of any help to cover up what I messed with, as it dries and cures slowly?

Or how about a thin line of clear Lacquer to the bevels after installing?

I would try Polywhey.

sure. great thanks a lot.

Any sealer before the polywhey? I believe polywhey application procedure says sealer needed.

One coat of finish will stick to the area that you polished with the fine paper. Two coats of satin will be a little more shiny and easier to clean because the surface will be smoother.
Bare wood needs a sealer.

ok thanks a lot Pete.

I ran into another issue. I used the 16 ga finish nailer to face nail and alternately blind nailed the first three rows of my 2-1/4" wide planks. My planks are 7' long. And the rest are nailed using a flooring nailer. Three days later, I can see slight gaps at two places next to the first row. The smooth finish nails dont have the grip to hold the narrow long planks without a support (expansion gap to the wall), may be.

Now I'm reaching the other wall and I dont want to use the finish nailer. Want to drill and punch nail instead. All I can find are smooth finish nails. I'm looking for either spiral shank or ring shank nails, but nothing available for hardwood floor. The ones available are for trims and aluminium transitions. do you have any suggestions for any nail types?

Sharp nails can hold better than blunt tipped nails. If you pre-drill the pilot hole so the nail is hard to drive and hit a floor joist the sharp tipped nails spread the grain so there is more friction to hold the nail in place. Smooth 8d finish nails ought to hold well enough. I have used hardened spiral shank 7d nails in the past for maple. I don't know if they are being made, now. These nails had a blunt tip so as not to split the tongue. If not pre-drilled sharp nails can split the tongue. Blunt nails punch through the grain so are recommended if not pre-drilling.
Pre-drilling for 2 inch power cleats will hold well because of the barbed edges on each cleat.
A fastener every 6-8 inches is the best that you could do.

Thanks Pete. Ya, I'm planning to drill and punch down 5D ring shank nails, but they have a wide flat head, hard to make them flush seated, counter sinking is far away dream.

Im thinking of power drilling and punching down the L cleats, after you mentioned. I completely forgot about those and running around for nails with some rings or spirals.

Btw, planning to add some glue between the tongue and grove for the first three and last three rows in the next room and the last three rows of this room. Which adhesive do you suggest? Liquid Nails Extreme Heavy duty or PL 510 Wood adhesive or simple Roberts Tongue and Groove adhesive? I heard of the TiteBond II and III. So crazy there are so many varieties of adhesives.

The ring shank nails I have used are not 2 inches long and used for underlayment, driven straight down. The thin heads could be ground to a smaller diameter if you like so they set better. For glueing between the T&G you could use Tightbond II. It may be hard to clamp the rows together. Use the liquid nails to help fasten the wood to the sub-floor. People have told me that the USA is known throughout the world for our adhesives.

oh good idea. My ring shanks are 1-3/4". I have a 3/4" OSB, 1/2" plywood and the now 3/4" hardwood.
And regarding the liquid nails between subfloor and the hardwood, how does it help, as I have Aquabar-B paper on the subfloor. So whatever the adhesive I put will be between the hardwood and the paper. May be a little bit that gets through the nail holes. Am I missing something here?

Cut the paper away where you use the adhesive.

got you. Thanks a lot.

Btw, On the Titebond website, they say the low pH (3) of Titebond II can cause corrosion of metals. But I believe that is the case with any glue. All glues have a pH below 4. And I have read many forums where people use Glue in addition to the nails for added strength through out, though my plan is just for the first 3 and last 3 rows. Have you guys heard of any corrosion issues with nails, where they came in contact with Glue?