Solid aok floor - hiring secret nailer alternative?

[benjiman]

Hello,

Im putting down solid oak floor in my passage, as theres a lot of wear there.

Anyways its 18mm thick solid oak or various lenghts.

Existing floor is 18mm plywood sheets. So basically ply all over.

What I want to know is, is there an alternative to hiring out a nailing machine?

Would it be possible to pilot hole through the tounge and groove and then hammer a suitable nail through it. Then knock it in with a hole punch?

Or can i buy a fairly cheep nailer myself from a shop and use that to nail the boards in?

Also what size nails are used for 18mm oak flooring on 18mm ply subfloor?


Can I use this nail gun from argos?

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/s...atalogId=3801&productId=147456&clickfrom=name

 

[WoodYouLike]

I wouldnt use that gun for secretly nailing, the nails you need woudn't fit (6omm).

How wide are your boards and how wide is the room? Your alternative could be installing the floor lfoating (glueing T&G) since your 'sub-floor' is level.

 

[benjiman]

hi m8, thanks for your reply.

THe widest part of the room is 1.64m. The other bit widest is 1.10m.

The wood is 18mm think oak, 130mm wide of various lenghts.

Btw how long do the nails have to be? is 60mm the recommended lenght?

I see that the argos nailer only does only upto 50mm. Wont that be enough? Cos the ply is 18mm and the floor is 18mm as well. So that 36mm if straight. THe max for the nailer is 50. So another 14mm extra for going in sideways.

Also should I put any underlay in? Ive checked the floor using a long peice of metal and unfortunately the floor is not completly level. In certain areas it is, in others when using the metal there is some play. max is about 3mm only in certain areas though.

What if i float it overall but help it along the way with nails. I saw tommy walsh once installing a wooden floor. he piloted through the tounge and then banged a nail through it. Saying you have to pilot to stop it splitting. Then he got a nail punch and drove it in.

You reckon i can do that? Id rather buy a nailer which i could use on future projects around the house, that pay to hire one out.

 

[WoodYouLike]

What if i float it overall but help it along the way with nails. I saw tommy walsh once installing a wooden floor. he piloted through the tounge and then banged a nail through it. Saying you have to pilot to stop it splitting. Then he got a nail punch and drove it in.
.

Tommy should stick to decking! Putting a nail in just here and there can have disatrious effects if the floor expands: part of the floor can 'float' with the expansion, part can't because of the nail: extra pressure = possible rapture of boards!

It's either or: either completely nailing or not at all.

50mm T-nails should be o.k. If you decide to nail than you don't need undrlayment, only if you install floating.

 

[benjiman]

hmmm im not sure it that argos nail gun does T nails. I guess the normal one are no good? THe ones with the pin head.

If I dont go for the T nails, can I buy 5- or 60mm T nails. Pilot hole in the tounge and then hammer in and nail punch?

I can push the board in tight and then bang them in at 30 cm intervals (I think thats the recommeded distance)

I know it;ll take longer doing it like this, question is is it acceptable?

Ideally I want the floor to be nailed down rather than floating. Especially as there is some unlevellness in certain areas. THe nails should be able to hold it down.

Would putting in the underlay help further level any imperfections in the floor. Or is it a a waste of money?

 

[WoodYouLike]

You could hire a socalled Portanialer, saves you the trouble of 'manualy' piloting a hole in it and they can handle the 50 T-nails.

 

[benjiman]

Thing is the area is pretty small. Just less than 6 sq metres. So i dont actually mind doing it manually.

I guess the end result should be pretty much the same as hiring a portaniler.

Thanks m8.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Would putting in the underlay help further level any imperfections in the floor. Or is it a a waste of money?

When you nail the boards, the nails will press the boards as tight as they can to the subfloor: any 'extra' resistance by underlayment where the underfloor is even might result in uneven boards

 

[Thermo]

sorry im at a loss with this one. A porta nailer will cost you 20 for the day or weekend and the nails another 15. If youre laying a decent floor, why not use a tool thats designed for the job, it cramps the wood up and nails it home securely and secretly. Its quick and easy, most of the other methods are labourios. Still its your party

 

[benjiman]

yeh I know. But seeing as it such a small area I probably wont make full use of it. Driving the nails in manually will of course take longer, but im doing it myself, and Im sure I can do it in a days time.

Shouldnt take alot extra. I dont mind doing the extra work.

30 cm is the correct spacing right?

 

[WoodYouLike]

30 cm is the correct spacing right?

Right and good luck with the project

 

[benjiman]

thanks m8. Will post a pic when its done

 

[chappers]

remember the first stroke of the nailer cramps the board and the second drives the nail "perfectly" as has been said its the tool for the job. Why not use it.

 

[benjiman]

ok I am considering using it now.

However ive got another question. I done a practice run with scrap bit of wood using normal pin head 50mm nails through 18mm ply (my subfloor depth)

Anyways using the 50mm nails at 45 degrees the nails come through the sub floor by 13mm!

Thing is ive got radiator pipes on one section of the floor which are running towards the top part of the floor. So if the nail comes out by 13mm then its gonna hit the pipe.

Is it ok then to use shorter nails then? I guess 40mm would just clear the pipes.

Also how is the last pieces put on? Cos im sure the portanailer cant get into tight angles like the last pieces will be at.

 

[benjiman]

Anyways, im now thinking of making it into a floating floor. Then i dont have to worry about the pipes i guess. Anything to look out for? Will the few millis different along the floor in levelness make any difference?

I dont really want sqeaky boards. Should I float it then? And does a special glue need to be used or just normal pva