Flooring brads

[opps]

Hi all.

One of my customers had their exposed floorboards lifted by their builders. They now have a number that squeak when you walk on them. On closer inspection the squeaks seem to come from the original holes where the brads are. The brads seem to be tight in the flooring joists, but loose in the boards. Would punching the brads lower help?

If not, and I lift each of the boards (slightly), to remove the existing brads, is is possible to purchase ones which are the same length but slightly "fatter", possibly with a bigger head?

I won't be back on that site until next week but from memory, they were approximately an inch and a half long (possibly a tad longer).

Oh, and if punching them deeper will help, what king of punch can you use? I only have round punches (various sizes).

Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

Bigger screws.

 

[opps]

I cant use screws. When I said the boards are exposed, I meant they are stained/varnished and not covered with carpet.

 

[JohnD]

Bigger screws with pellets to hide the heads?

 

[opps]

I had thought about that but that would require me to every plank in a 3 story house. At the moment only 20? boards are squeaking.

Perhaps I need pellets with the brad head inserted to maintain a uniform finish...

In all seriousness though, that would require me to sand the area where the plugs/pellets are which will cut through the wood stain.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

15 gauge and opposite skew nail

 

[opps]

15 gauge and opposite skew nail

What are opposite skew nails

 

[lostinthelight]

What are opposite skew nails

Driving a nail at in at different angle , not a type if nail

 

[Deleted member 174758]

One skewed to the left, the other to the right. Only needs to be 5 to 10° off vertical tobe effective. Sometimes called "dovetail nailing"

Can't get hold of a 15 ga nailer? Buy a rampin (probably need to go secondhand as these are old technology) and use that to drive in panel pins. Finish with a hammer and appropriate size nail set

 

[opps]

One skewed to the left, the other to the right. Only needs to be 5 to 10° off vertical tobe effective. Sometimes called "dovetail nailing"

Can't get hold of a 15 ga nailer? Buy a rampin (probably need to go secondhand as these are old technology) and use that to drive in panel pins. Finish with a hammer and appropriate size nail set

I only have 18ga nailers. Can't I just drill a pilot hole to offset the nails? I don't have a massive amount to do.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Yes, that works - it's just tedious if you have many. The rampin suggestion was if you had loads to do.

 

[^woody^]

Soak the board around the nails to expand the timber

 

[conny]

Soak the board around the nails to expand the timber

And when they dry out they become loose and squeaky again. Not very good for your reputation.

 

[^woody^]

And when they dry out they become loose and squeaky again. Not very good for your reputation.

No, it stays the same.

Alternatively, do you think some glue would be acceptable?