Hardwood Flooring Nailer:
Floor Nailers that make Installation a charm!

A hardwood flooring nailer really does make the installation of a wood floor do-able for the average home renovator. With the right power nailer, floor installation is faster, tighter and more secure.

The flooring nailer provides the following benefits:

• installs the flooring cleat in the floor nailer and thus the floor, at the right angle so that it seats itself correctly in the tongue of the hardwood flooring. Most hardwood flooring, on the tongue side is designed with a small notch just above the tongue. Look at it closely and you'll see what I mean. It is designed so that the head of the flooring nails seat themselves in this notch... that allows abutting planks of hardwood flooring to seat tightly against each other, without the nail interfering.
• The impact of the floor nail guns, either the manual nailer or the pneumatic floor nailer, is designed in such a way to not only drive the cleat into the wood and the subfloor below, but also to drive one plank of hardwood flooring tightly against its neighbour. With a well made hardwood floor, ie. straight boards, and accurate tongue and groove, this side impact of your floor nailer will eliminate the need to use a crow bar to flush fit individual boards in most cases.
• A wood flooring nailer also drives the cleats, into the floor at a speed and direction that "most of the time" prevents tongue damage. I have had customers that have attempted to pre-drill and hand nail an entire room of hardwood flooring. Not only did it take them a long time, but quite often they have come back with horror stories on how many boards that had to removed because the hammer, either split the tongue or hit the good face of the floor. Nail guns do eliminate most of this damage.
• Nail guns also allow you to use a special type of cleat or staple. floor nails, are typically dipped in a type of resin that strengthens the holding power of the nail to stay tight into the sub floor. This helps to prevent squeaking, caused by ineffective nailing between the hardwood floor and the subfloor.

There are two different types of floor nailers:

• Manual Nailers... the nail is entirely driven into the wood with bruit force. Some old timers believe this is necessary to make sure every board connects tightly with its partner. For the novice they require some practice.
• Pneumatic Floor Nailer.. the nailer is attached to a compressor and the air pressure plus you hitting the driver head, inserts the nail. They do require less experience but are a little more cumbersome as you must address dragging around a hose line.

Well I hope I have managed to convince you of all the advantages of using a proper hardwood flooring nailer. I know that around my area the costs to rent is approximately $30-40 /day. It is well worth the money. It provides you with peace of mind that your floor will be nailed securely and gets you up off your knees much faster!

Happy woodworking... K

Further Information:
Installing Hardwood Flooring