Fixing & finishing new T&G boards

[BotchItYourself]

I am about to start laying new floorboards in two rooms (one of them a bathroom) and intend to varnish them so that the floors become an attractive feature of the house. I want to get it right and so need to make some decisions about fixing and finishing.

The boards are T&G redwood with a finished size of 21mm thick and 135mm wide. Regarding fixing, can I secret nail these through the tongues only or should I fix the nails through the top of the boards. I am using 60mm lost head nails.

I intend to finish the boards with a varnish of some kind and I have heard that it is worth using products such as Bonakemi. Does this have any advantages over the more readily available stuff (e.g. Ronseal) that I could but at my local B&Q ?

Any other advice would be appreciated.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Tongues only for neat finish if you are installing them directly onto joists. If there is already a under- or sub floor, then there is normally no need to secretly nail them; you can install them floating (glue T&G only, which in the bathroom gives an extra 'seal' against moist getting under the boards).
See here. for well known and good productSuitable for moist areas.