Finish Nails For Face Nailing Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floor stock is normally dried and won t expand when nailed like green wood.

Finish nails for face nailing hardwood flooring.

If you want to lay inch plywood as a subfloor or another inch flooring over a subfloor you should use an appropriate size of nail to ensure the flooring stays in place. The higher the gauge number the thinner the nail. For what you want to do finish nails are the best option and then use a nail set to recess the nail head. Finish by using wood putty to cover the nail head so it doesn t show.

The two gauges of nails typically used for hardwood floors are 16 and 18 gauge. The proper way to face nail is to countersink the nails with a nail punch and fill the remaining hole with coordinating wood putty. Always check with the manufacturer s instructions to determine if your hardwood floor can be installed over an in floor radiant heat system. Engineered flooring can be installed above grade at grade and below grade level do not install hardwood flooring in bathrooms.

Concrete floors can be laid in basements or at ground level while upper level subfloors generally consist of wood. Previous mryoucandoityouself video https youtu be z gg56guzwm th. Nail down close to a wall. Face nailing is the common practice used to nail the first few rows of boards in place because it is difficult to maneuver hardwood floor nail guns close to the wall.

Normally dried wood splits when you try to drive a nail through it. Solid hardwood flooring only can be installed on or above ground level with a plywood subfloor.