What Nailer To Use For Bamboo Flooring

ALCbuilding

Agreed... Gluedown is a real pain in the butt!!! When I do it I use blue tape to hold the pieces tight. Every four or five rows gets taped back to the previous four or five. Didn't get much movement after I started doin that.

LNG24

I don't want to plan on doing that again, but just in case, I will keep that suggestion under hat! Thanks!

gallerytungsten

I have the Porter Cable nailer. It's nice. Few jams, reliable.

However!

It comes with shims for 1/2 and 3/4 flooring. If you have any kind of metric measure flooring, you have to make your own shim to get the cleat exactly in the sweet spot.

I had some 23mm euro beech flooring; I had to make the shim, but then it worked great.

Now, as far as nailing over your existing floor? Is it flat? If not, tear it up and make it flat.

geesspots

I have a couple of comments on this thread

first as for not needing a special shoe for the flooring nailer. Most nailers come with a shoe for 1/2 5/8 flooring and a shoe for 3/4 7/8 flooring even the cheap ones come with these no need to use manila envelopes or such

second as for laying over vynl I did this with my kitchen floor ( alder) I sanded the vynl as well as glued/nailed the flooring down worked well.

and last but not least bostich nail guns are much lower quality than they use to be. they used to be made by Max but no longer are I am unaware of who makes them now but I often use both one that is 2-3 years old one that is 15-20 years and one that is 25+ the new one often miss fire doesn't always set the nail and has been rebuilt twice it is rusty from use in the rain and the cheap plastic attachments have all broken off the other two even thought they are not as pretty they work every time. I also run a hitachi nailer it is lighter less plastic and a selctor switch for the fire mode. I also own a older coil nailer and a newer roofing nailer and other that they fact that the roofing nailer is a little touchy on the firing it will just keep firing untill the coil is empty if you hold the trigger.

these are just my opinions but take what you want from my experience

muzzleloader

how come nobody ever remembers to sand the seams before laying down your moisture barrier, which isn't really a moisture barrier considering how many staple holes will be put into it while you nail the flooring. quess thats why bruce says its not required to use it. we just use it to protect the wood from being scratched when you dump out a box of wood as to not have wood on wood. also a moisture reading needs to be done, subfloor moisture content should not exceed 12% with most woods however most of your exotics including bamboo if i'm not mistaken should not exceed 10%. if you are gluing it down make sure use use the correct glue and the right size trowel. as for using a brad nailer through the toung to secure the floor. oh hell no, may work initially but i quarantee you will have problems with it coming apart giving that the wood will expand and contact during the changing of the seasons. also proper acclimation of the wood is always a good idea, at least 3 days prior to the install.