installing flooring: nails Vs staples and air assist Vs manual

[Dan_Shade]

I'm going to be putting down some flooring, random width stuff, up to 6" wide, and need to figure out how to attach it to the floor.

I know staples are tighter, but I've heard that they can be "too tight".  also, somebody was telling me a manual nailer did a better job than the pnuematic ones.  I'd prefer to pick up a pnuematic one, then after i'm done with everything, sell the nailer to recoupe the the costs.

anyone have any insight?

[Jasperfield]

I've used a manual nailer with a flooring hammer several times laying red oak and cherry. It works well and you'll adapt to it quickly. That would be my choice.

Another time while laying aromatic cedar on my porch, I used cut-nails for a traditional appearance.

[jdtuttle]

Pnuematic is great but if the lumber isn't perfect the manual nailer gets em tighter.
jim

[Handy Andy]

  I've used both air and manual, and if you use bowed boards, they will open up a crack later even if you get em tight.

[scsmith42]

Dan, I've used the combination staplers that were pneumatic, but required a hammer hit to tighten up the boards before the staple would shoot.

The very tightest wood floor installation that I have ever seen was where the boards had a small amount of glue applied right below the tongue, and were then nailed.  The glue kept the boards tight to one another, and the small amount that seeped down kept them tight to the subfloor (no paper underneath them). 

Incredibly tight, no squeaks, and an utter pain to remove 15 years after installation 

[jrdwyer]

I installed a mixed width, random length oak floor using a pneumatic flooring nailer. It worked very well and even allowed me to push out the slight bows that some of planks had. The brand I purchased, Porta-Nails, also allowed me to face nail the cleats where the clearance would not allow hidden nailing. This product is very good quality and, at least when I bought it in 2005, was made in the USA.