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New hardwood flooring install
toolmaniam
Member Posts: 3,213
Tore the old hardwood flooring in the living room up yesterday and getting ready to lay the new hardwood down today. What a job tearing the old up, it couldn't be saved, too bad of shape. I'm sore from head to toe. I'm using half inch bamboo and using a pneumatic nailer/stapler. Going with staples cause they hold tenaciously. Will post pics with finished product.
Comments
PS. Take the Advil now and get ahead of the pain.[:D][;)]
I used to use staples on bamboo but got tired of pulling every third one because it bent. Went with an 18 gauge L head nailer and haven't had any trouble since. Good luck!
PS. Take the Advil now and get ahead of the pain.[:D][;)]
Bamboo is pretty hard, didn't think of that. I've used staples on oak before and had no problems. I'll see how it goes, might have to run to the store and get L heads if I run into the same problem. [B)]
quote:Originally posted by NeoBlackdog
I used to use staples on bamboo but got tired of pulling every third one because it bent. Went with an 18 gauge L head nailer and haven't had any trouble since. Good luck!
PS. Take the Advil now and get ahead of the pain.[:D][;)]
Bamboo is pretty hard, didn't think of that. I've used staples on oak before and had no problems. I'll see how it goes, might have to run to the store and get L heads if I run into the same problem. [B)]
What size staples are you shooting? The larger ones like a Bostitch pneumatic gun shoots will usually penetrate OK but can tear up the tongues and the smaller ones, as mentioned, often won't go through the bamboo. I bought the 18 ga. L head pneumatic gun last summer for a 1000 sq. ft. bamboo install and it was money well spent. Have used it three times since and I think I've only had to pull four cleats due to bending etc.
Be sure to set the shoe on the nailer/stapler correctly so the fastener is hitting the wood at the correct spot, right where the tongue meets the body of the board.
I wish that I had spent more, & gotten something like bamboo that would hold up.
Neal
"The hardness of traditional bamboo flooring ranges from 1180 (carbonized horizontal) to around 1380 (natural), while newer manufacturing techniques including strand woven bamboo flooring range from 3000 to over 5000 using the Janka hardness test. Other flooring materials have comparable Janka ratings, with a higher number indicating a harder material: red oak (1290); white oak (1360); rock maple (1450); hickory (1820); and Brazilian Cherry / Jatoba (2350)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_floor
Why are you using staples and L head nails on Bamboo?
18 Ga Pin nails are much better.
I saw a bamboo floor for the first time a few months ago in a house I was working it. I didn't really care for it, but it looked nice in their home. I guess I am just not use to seeing one, that being the reason for the dislike. I like the old fashion hardwood floors with the boarder running around them. I also was told that those bamboo floors are really expensive. I ripped out our hardwood floors when we first bought our home, and broke all the shell plates in my forearms. I couldn't use my arms for three weeks without tremendous pain. Hell, I didn't even know what a shell plate was until the doctor at the hospital told me. Post a picture, I am curious as to how it comes out. My parents want a bamboo floor also. Oakie
Bamboo comes in a number of different variations. Some use small slices all glued together and do look odd compared to regular hardwood. Some use much larger slices and other than the grain can look very similar to traditional. I'm also not a fan of it for flooring, but I have a few cutting boards made from it that really have held up well.