Installing wood Flooring

[Jacar]

While I am waiting for my last bit of flooring to dry in the kiln, I have been rethinking how I am going to nail it.  I had planned on using my brad nailer.  I can also rent  a flooring nailer.  Anybody have any experience on nailing 3/4"  t/g flooring.  What are the pros/cons of using the brad nailer vs a flooring nailer?

Have a great  spring day!

Jacar

[etat]

I contemplated the same thing before I put down my pine floor.  To do it right I kept getting pointed to the floor nailer.

The floor nailer pulls the joints tight as you drive the nails and puts them in at the right angle.  You'll be suprised how many gaps you can close up with it.

The kind I rented you had to hit with a big maul.  Some places may have electric or air operated. The one I had to hit was lots of work but now over a year later since I put in my floor I'm still glad I used it and paid attention to the joints.

[etat]

PS.  Even with a floor nailer the last two or three courses in a room close to the wall has to be face nailed.  The brad nailer will be excellent for that. You will have to use scrap wood and a prise bar to get them last couple of courses tight though, or at least I did.

[Norm]

I bit the bullet when we installed ours and bought the air driven one from porter cable (we had a big area and the rental company wanted a fortune to rent it). You still hit it with a big maul but that's to mostly pull the boards up tight. I would not recommend trying to do it with a brad nailer if you are laying very much.

[Jacar]

Thanks for the replies!    The local rental place has a pneumatic Porter Cable for about $30/day.  Another one has a mechanical one.  I did not realize that the nailers helped tighten the joints. 

I think I will go with the nailer!


Thanks

Jacar

[FeltzE]

concur on all points, put down a floor last yr... go pnumatic, or get popeye arms


Eric

[UNCLEBUCK]

I have done alot of 3/4 inch t&g pine flooring and always used a brad air nailer . I cut scrap blocking and a 2x every 4 feet and tap a wood wedge at every nailing location to get as tight a fit as possible .  I would not use a brad on 2x t&g . Its worth the extra time to use scrap t&g blocks and wood wedges and where you got butt joints if doing a wall it looks nice to make a 45 degree miter on the ends for looks but I sure you know . Good luck with it !

[TN_man]

I concur with the above. Floor nailer would get my vote, it really is the right tool for the job.