reclaimed wood flooring

[WaveWacker]

I'm going to be installing some reclaimed oak 3/4" hardwood flooring. Board width's are 5" - 8". Question I have is if I can just blind nail them? Face nail as well (I realize that face nailing needs to be done where you start and end against walls)? Glue down as well?

If blind nailing, do any of you suggest actual nails or staples. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

WW

[K_Josh87]

is this a t&g product? I believe most guys use a cleat nailer for oak flooring... but not sure on the widths... I would try to blind nail if it where me... if needed glue with a subfloor adhesive as well... but I have not put anything this wide down before... good luck! post photos!

[mn_bowhunter]

I've installed lots of wide flooring and in any case we went over 6" width it got glued with subfloor adhesive and stapled. I prefer staples over cleats in almost all cases. The exceptions being extremely dense brazilian woods and bamboo I like cleat nailers better. If you don't glue it be ready for it to cup and crown, squeak, and gap out. You should expect to get gaps either way, but I think they will be less severe if glued.

[CAMAN]

I'm unsure of the installation procedures in your particular case, but when installing any type of wood flooring, always ensure the material gets acclimated to the building before installation by setting it in the room it will be installed in for atleast 24 hours and allowing the temperatures to equal.

[WaveWacker]

Yep, it's T&G and I was plannin on having it in for a week plus prior to installation. Any advantage to using nails vs. staple or vice versa?

[PurpleFloyd]

I have always used cleats because that is the type of flooring nailer that I bought. Staples might be better but I have not done it.

The floors that I have installed had a few layers of rosin paper installed over the subfloor and under the wood. This eliminates the friction and squeaks associated with wood floors rubbing on the subfloor as you walk over it.

If you do that then glue is not an option. Subfloor adhesive will probably work with solid wood as it has some flex but you have to remember that solid wood will expand and contract with changes in temp and humidity and if the glue prevents it from moving it will crack, split etc so you need to give it room to move. You can prevent cupping by adding a few coats of poly or whatever to the back side of the flooring. The cupping is caused by the unfinished side taking in moisture and expanding while the finished side doesn't.

[mn_bowhunter]

Should also be mentioned that you need to make sure your subfloor is adequate. 3/4" plywood or if OSB I like 1". I like staples because I have torn out lots of flooring as well and stapled floors are a pain to remove. Twist nailed and cleated floors are better than smooth nails, but do not hold as well as staples IMO. Also, although the staples won't penetrate the floor joists much I'd still try to hit them all.

[slammer]

Make sure you have plywood for subfloor. OSB or any other type of it will not perform like plywood as far as holding your fasteners over time. Rule of thumb, thickness of floor equals gap between walls and flooring.