Nails Or Staples

coupe33

Around here almost all homes built in the last ten years have been built using 7/8 exterior grade osb,as the decking and subfloor in one. Ya know the stuff with the waxy coating and 50 year warranty, unless its exposed to the elements for 90 days and then all bets are off. Any way I was reading some other posts that said DO Not nail hard woods to osb, it will not last. So i think to myself. $%#! I have put alot of it over osb, I sure hope I don't wake up some morning with several #!%#ed customers wanting to know why their floor is getting loose. Any way osb is here to stay and it is used on cookie cutter and high ends alike. I read somewear that staples is the way to go if your using 5 and under t/g flooring. Another post said to glue and nail every row to rattify any possible problems. Which is the better of the two. don't quote me but i believe that exterior osb won't allow glue to bond to it. And no throwing a subfloor over it is not an option. with the economy in the sh$%er contractors are cutting things to the point of working for free just to get the work. any insight as to what best fastens hardwoods to osb.

Cdat

I use nails and no glue due to it ain't gonna; adhere to anything but the felt I laid down. I prefer nails but others here will argue that. I do a lot of exotics that are pretty hard and have not had any issues yet.

Mike Costello

I found that staples bite into osb better than cleats.

They do have a tendancy to split tounges if your air pressure and shoe angle on your gun isnt just right

Floordude

Staples in OSB.

Cleats tend to reveal a squeak here and there, after a season of shrink & swell.

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PrecisionFloors

My thoughts as well. I prefer staples over cleats as they are cheaper and easier to find.

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Rivers Edge

I as well have only used staples and never had a floor loosen up on me yet !