Which Side Do You Nail Hardwood Flooring

Use 1 3 4 long cleat nails when installing 3 4 solid wood flooring when 3 4 thick plywood is applied directly over a concrete slab so the cleat nail does not go through the 3 4 thick plywood hitting the concrete.

Which side do you nail hardwood flooring.

Place spacers inside the expansion gap the space between the wall and floor that allows the wood to expand from heat and humidity. For your first row you ll want the straightest planks arranged with the tongue side facing the center of the room. However if the nail needs another half inch to seat in the proper location it should be removed. Use 1 1 2 long cleat nails when installing thinner 1 2 thick wood flooring.

You ll need a nail set when hand nailing flooring and you should use it when the head is about 1 2 inch out. Hi i just put down a 15 x 27 1 2 x3 7 8 strand woven bamboo down on 3 4 subfloor with 1 1 2 brads using a freeman 4 in 1 with angled flooring shoe placing brads every 6 inches. Some guys actually use the side of a big screwdriver to get it home. Shf15 senco manual hardwood flooring cleat nailer.

Even though it s generally made of vinyl. The humble nail has a long history of craftsmanship behind every bag or box. Flooring nails have special qualities that make them suitable for the job. In addition you must countersink every nail to avoid interfering with the tongue of the next plank.

If you re handling any installation specifically a prefinished floor check the plate on the underside of the fastener. Engineered flooring can be installed above grade at grade and below grade level do not install hardwood flooring in bathrooms. If you try to nail any deeper than that without a nail set you ll. A hardwood flooring nailer is a power tool that shoots nails through the tongue at the correct angle while driving the hardwood plank snugly against the previous plank.

Solid hardwood flooring only can be installed on or above ground level with a plywood subfloor. A flooring nailer has a shoulder that fits over the tongue for accurate nail insertion but a nailer doesn t fit on the groove edge. To nail the groove you must nail by hand but you have a very small space in which to work. For instance solid hardwood flooring is typically nailed down during installation while tongue and groove engineered flooring is usually clicked together or completely glued down.

The type of installation you choose will depend on your subfloor budget lifestyle and the type of wood flooring you select.