Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Wood Floor Installation QUestion

Is the so-called "flooring nail" different than the 6d 8d finishing nails that I bought from Home Depot?

When installing the first 1-2 rows of T&G hardwood floor, I need to face nail and then blind nailing on the tongue. I imagine I should use the regular 6d finish nails for the face nailing, right? What do I use for nailing the tongue at 45 degree?

When people say "flooring nail", what do they mean?

Thanks!

The flooring nails are special nails that are used with a flooring nail tool which you can rent for around $30.00/day. The tool fits against the tounge and you hit the top of it with a rubber hammer which also comes with it. They have air supplied and non-air versions. Both work well but the air supplied takes less effort to use, especially on larger floors. However, you need to have an air compressor as well. They usually have the nails available at the rental shop.

If you have one, I would use a finish nail gun to face nail whatever pieces you can not nail with the floor nailer. The heads are much less noticable. Otherwise, use the regular finish nails and set them with a punch. You can by wood puddy in colors that match the flooring color to fill the holes. It doesn't match perfectly but it does match pretty well making the holes hard to see unless you look for them.

It sounds like this is your first time. A couple of other tips for you:

Be sure to bring the wood into the house, preferably in the same room it is to be installed. Let it sit for a couple of days to get aclimated to the room. This helps prevent any expansion and contraction due to different moisture content between the room and the wood.

Use rosin paper or felt paper between the existing floor and the new flooring. This helps eliminate squeeking.

Figure in at least 10% waste when figuring the stock, more if your installing on a 45 degree angle or creating patterns.

Be careful to try not to let any seams end next to each other. Stagger them as much as possible. It's easy to get carried away once you get on a roll and not notice when they start getting too close together.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Thanks for that reply. Yes, I am a first timer when it comes to hardwood floors. The two tips are useful.

I understand the floor nailer part ok, in fact, I have ordered one and some nails from Porta Nailer. They are on the way to me.

However, my question is more about the first 1-2 rows where you cannot use the floor nailer. When face nail the first row, without any power nailer, I plan to drill pilot holes and then use finish nails. I bought the 6d regular finish nail from Home Depot, it looked like the common nails but with a smaller head. The nail is very much smooth and does not have any special ring shank or anything. Is this what people use to fasten the first 1-2 rows using the face nailing method? Will these finish nails be strong enough to hold the first row? Also, since I cannot use the power floor nailer for the first row (due to space limitations), do I use these regular finish nails to blind nail the tongue manully at 45 degree or do i buy some kind of "floor nails" and intall using the manual method for the first row?

Yes, you use these finish nails to face nail the boards you cannot nail with the power nailer. If you face nail the boards, you do not need to nail the tongue (and vice versa), don't start nailing the tongue until you can use the power nailer. It is just a waste and one slip of the hammer can split the tongue off the board. Finish nails are used for jobs like flooring and moulding, they are plenty strong enough for the job, don't worry.

I don't think you should try and use a nail designed for a power nailer with a regular hammer. They are either too weak to be driven by a hammer or they maybe shaped in a way thay would split the wood. I haven't used anything but a Bostich pneumatic floor stapler for years, but P-C nailers used to use a wicked looking flat nail that had a "T" shape to it. If they are still like that, I would only use them in the power nailer.

As indicated, the first and last three or four rows are drilled & face-nailed with finishing nails. The nails can be set below surface with nail punch and holes filled. As indicated acclimation is important. Doors & windows must be closed and temperature and humidity under control before moving wood into rooms where it is going to be installed. Wood should acclimate to new environment for several days.

Go to www.nofma.org for the National Oak Flooring Institute's technical manual for hardwood flooring installation for additional helpful information.