Hi...I'm new to this board and a newbie wrapping up my first DIY job. I'm down to the last 3 rows of my BR111 5/16'' solid pre-finished Braz Cherry install. I blind-stapled using a Senco sls20hf stapler with 1 inch staples, but the tool is too close to the wall now, so I have switched to a finish nailer/stapler and plan to face-fasten the final rows, then putty over. My question is: What type of fasteners should I use? Right now I have some 18 gauge 1'' X 1/4'' crown galvanized staples. Are these ok to use? If not, what do the pros on the board recommend? The 4d or 6d flooring nails recommended by BR111 have been impossible to find. I hand-nailed the first row using 2' 8d ring-shank nails, which seemed the slosest to the spect I could find. Would rather not had nail the last rows, though.

Thanks!

Buy a pneumatic brad or finish nailer

Thanks floorguy. I have rented a Senco FinishPro 2N1, which drives 5/8" up to 1-1/4" brad nails and 1/2" up to 1" staples. So I was wondering which of these fasteners to use...the brads or the staples. Sounds like the brads are preferred, eh?

Or you could just buy a couple of sausage bags and be done with it. Do you want a brad nailer or do you just want to finish the end of the floor?

What's a sausage bag? Anyway, I just want to properly fasten my last three rows of flooring and cannot blind staple due to the size of the gun and proximity to the wall. Really just need to know what type of fastener is best for face nailing/stapling these rows.

Sausage bags I think refer to construction adhesive cartriges but I'm just guessing. Chuck can use some colorful speech . So you can either glue the last few rows or nail. I'd prefer finish/brad nails over staples through the face of the wood. Easier to putty/fill and the staples stand a chance of not setting below the surface of the wood, making setting them and filling them a major hassle.

Cool...thanks, Gary. Do you think the 1 & 1/4 in. brad nails should do the trick?

Yes.

Gary,
Sausage bag means sausage bag. Bostiks best can be bought in sausage bags and so can Stauf. Ever see a bag of sausage in the grocery store? Same thing except it is full of adhesive instead of sausage. It is a very handy thing for a wood flooring professional to be familiar with. If you run into sompm' you want to glue, you simply poke a hole in a sausage bag and, viola, bostiks best without the bucket. I just squeeze it out like toothpaste.

Wow, I have not seen that! I need to get my local distributors up to speed and get these great products you mention stocked. I'd certainly buy those sausage bags of adhesive. A great idea!