HI I'm trying to install my first hardwood floor. It is 800 square feet and I'm trying to decide whether to go with a manual or Pnuematic gun.

I decided to start by understanding the difference between the tools used for installation. I noticed that there are manual and Pnuematic hardwood staplers.

My questions are as follows:

Can a Pnuematic stapler double as a manual stapler (in other words must you use a compressor for it to work)? If not, how do I pick a compressor?

Other than not needing as much muscle, what benefits does Pnuematic gun have over a manual one?

Thanks,

Tony

A pneumatic nailer/stapler will only work with a air compressor. Each brand will list their minimum air requirements. The main benefits of air over manual are less effort required= ability to install more flooring before tiring and equal fastening throughout the floor. Also, when one gets up to the wall, an air gun won't require as much space because less force is required to activate and set the fastener. Pros generally prefer pneumatics over manual due to less effort required and more production. There are times when a manual nailer makes sense.

I didn't think about the spacing required when you get closer to the wall and the advantages of the pneumatic stapler. Thanks for bringing that to light.

Any recommendations on which pneumatic stapler gun to buy? Also any idea how much it is to rent a compressor (ballpark)? I know nothing about compressors and would appreciate any input on the topic.

As far as the face nail on the first few strip, Would you recommend using a face nailer? If not what tools and materials should be used for fastening the first few strips?

Finally what tools and materials should be used for covering the face nail?

Thanks so much!

Read this:

http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... sc&start=0

Thanks Gary.
I went online and there are so many options. Different size staples, different size channels on the guns, one strike guns , multi strike guns. This probably is straight forward to most people on this message board but I almost feel like I need a beginners course on all the tools involved in installation. I want to be knowledgable before I take on this job.

Thanks for all your input.

Hi all.

I am going to buy some BR-111 Triangulo engineered Tiete Chestnut. BR-111 website suggests a Stanley-Bostitch stapler along with other brands. Has anyone here used the LHF97125-2 stapler? If so how do you like it? If not, what brand of stapler do you prefer?

1800 sf is alot of flooring, especially hard wood flooring. doing that much flooring might not make renting anything of real value, by the time you're done paying to rent a nailer and compressor, you could go out and buy them both.

i'm laying 1200 sf of floor and it's my first hard wood floor. i looked at many nailers and the prices. i ended up buying the pneumatic floor nailer at harbor freight for $169. (someone suggested that i try their floor nailer) i bought Bostich cleats for it and i soap them before loading. this gun had not failed me yet!! plus, they gave me a 3 year no-questions-asked FULL warranty. you can pick up a compressor for less than $150 that will more than power that gun. get yourself a pneumatic face nailer too...you'll need it.

lastly, above all else...buy knee pads!!!!! and buy good ones...you'll be thankful you did.

just my opinion. if you were going into the business of doing floors, then i'd say buy the top shelf nailers, but i can't say anything bad about the one i bought at harbor freight. the only thing is you have to adjust the air pressure to get the right "seat" of the cleats. i run mine about 80 to 90 psi. try it out on some scrap pieces first. also.....i used a flooring board to rest the front of the nailer on before i would strike it. i found out that i didn't split any tongues doing it that way.

ps: and the air compressor always has a use around the house eventually.

mga,

Thanks for all the information. I'm pretty handy and I'm looking forward to starting this project. I live in NYC and just got a quote from a contractor and he is charging about $6.00 per square foot. I think thats too much especially when I'm pretty handy.

Do you have any other suggestions for a handy rookie?

Thanks again.

Do you have any other suggestions for a handy rookie?

1. one room at a time.

2. read as much as you can about how to properly start the floor (measuring to be sure you are square) measure 3 times if you have to. the whole job could be ruined if the flooring ends up on an angle to the room. chances are the room won't be square, but your flooring should be.

3. do the job in your head first and try to encounter problems before you get to them. be sure that you are satisfied with your starter rows before nailing. once a board is down...it's down.

4. remember that your ends are tongue and groove and can only go one way. plan out your rows to use the least amount of scrap.

5. anticipate doorways, closets, etc and how to approach them and get a japanese pull saw to under-cut them....BEFORE you lay the flooring.

6. lay out at least 3 rows before nailing and watch your joints...be sure to never have them close to each other. i had my wife do the lay-out.

7. again: look at the room and look for problem areas. ie: heating vents or any pipes etc and plan how you will do them before you get there.

8. when i used the nailing gun, i found the staples went it without any problems if i kept it level by using a piece of flooring for the front of the gun to rest on...i just slid it along as i nailed.

9. always look at and clean the grooves or tongues before installing. i also bought several nice rubber mallets to tap the boards together. you can also buy them at harbor freight. they wont damage the floor.

10. read as much as you can before starting. i learned alot from this forum and searched the web on how to lay wood floors. i can't emphasize that enough.

other than that, and having patience, good luck. and, you'll soon find out why they charge so much to lay a floor...lol it's rough on the knees and it taxes your abilities to do wood working.

lastly, if the job seems to be too big, you can work with a contractor. for example, you could offer to prep the rooms first by undercutting door jambs, laying the felt paper, etc etc...he might give a break on the price. i think preping the rooms was as much work as laying the floor.

just my opinions from my own experience. we finished the master bed room and the hallway was just completed this past weekend. living room and dining room is planned for this weekend. my wife is doing it with me...and, we're still married.

GREAT Advice! I already started researching and will continue that task. I do have a question amount point # 2:

2. read as much as you can about how to properly start the floor (measuring to be sure you are square) measure 3 times if you have to. the whole job could be ruined if the flooring ends up on an angle to the room. chances are the room won't be square, but your flooring should be.

If all 4 walls are at angles slightly other than 90 degrees which wall do I start with?

Also how do you secure the 2nd and 3rd row of boards since the nail gun won't fit?

You've been very helpful.

If all 4 walls are at angles slightly other than 90 degrees which wall do I start with?

usually at the longest unobstructed wall...providing you lay the boards perpendicular to the floor joists.

if your room is not a perfect square, then you have to make a perfect square within it. that's the only way i can explain it. start off by leaving a 1/2" gap from your start wall to the edge of your first row. ie: if your wood is 3" wide, measure out 3.5 inches and make a mark. do this on both sides of the same wall. now measure from that mark to the opposite wall and see if they are the same. if there is say, a 1/4" difference, you can adjust your first mark accordingly. it takes time, but it has to be done.

Also how do you secure the 2nd and 3rd row of boards since the nail gun won't fit?

see....now if you spent the time researching and reading up on installing the floor, you would know the answer....lol....you will have to face nail your first row and blind nail the second.

hey...i'm by far no expert, but i spent two weeks on the internet reading as much as i could about laying solid wood floors. i have installed quite a few laminate floors, but, with laminate, it doesn't cost to make mistakes. with the amount i spent on brazilian cherry, it was going to be put down right the first time. there is no ripping it up once it's down.

again, i got alot of information in this forum. there are many questiones asked and answered here and the guys here are great for helping out. search thru some back posts if you have to, look at the pictures of other's flooring, there's a ton of info here.

MGA,

Thats great advice. I'm sure I'll have more questions once I research more but since you've been so helpful I would love to share my pics with you of before and after.

I will be writing soon.

Thanks,

T