engineered wood over OSB

[highup]

I have a customer that's installing 6" wide random length engineered flooring over OSB. Planks are as long as 6 feet I think. Manufacturer says it needs 15g staples every 4" or so. It's 7 ply material and 1/2" thick. Do these staples have enough holding power in OSB or should he add some wood flooring adhesive to the mix?
OSB can be a bit uneven or "puffy" and I'm wondering if a bead of wood flooring adhesive under each plank would help.
There's over 1000 sq feet of material and it's a new home. Areas are all connected........... entry, halls, office, kitchen and dining room.

 

[Nick]

I have a 16 ga gun that uses 1 1/2 " staples HI.. Used it a lot on OSB.. Had to remove a sheet one time .. What a hump..

I wouldn't worry about the staples holding ..

 

[highup]

I'm guessing the staple length is the same but his requires a smaller gauge staple and lots of them.
I went over to the job last weekend and we used my edging sander to hit all the seams, then went over the entire floor with my 13 inch Clark buffer with 36 grit paper on it. The buffer is really good at cleaning the surface of the floor and exposing high spots that need further attention.

 

[Nick]

There is the floor runner that shoots a thinner staple .. and then there is the flooring nailer that uses a 2" staple.. I believe they are 15 ga ..

 

[Ernesto]

A 15ga seems a little large for 1/2 inch engineered. I use a Bostitch 18ga SX. The 15 might blow through tongues. The flkoor runner I believe is 20 ga. Too light.
Anything 5 and over needs glue.

 

[highup]

I might be wrong on the size. It's whatever the manufacturer recommended.
5 and over needs glue even if it's engineered? It's a 7 ply. I think the manufacture would have specified glue.

 

[Ernesto]

Amount of plies mean nothing.
Some manufacturers require it. If you have a 5mm lamella on top it acts and moves like a solid.

I just pulled this one outa my hat .
https://www.gaylordhardwoodflooring...ooring-installation-nail-and-bead-glue-method

 

[highup]

You got a really cool hat, Ern.
Vapor retarder like Aquabar?

"Have moisture vapor retarder running perpendicular to flooring leaving 1” between to allow for glue line. On 5” & 6” widths use full width (36”) approved vapor retarder. "

Does this mean just a bead every 3 feet? Doesn't even seem worth the effort. I'd think twice that amount.

Here's a verry verry rough layout. I'd think maybe starting at the N/S red line and using a spline to change directions.

 

[highup]

The wear layer of this 1/2 inch thick, 5 inch wide, 7 ply flooring is about the same (a little thicker) thickness as the other layers. The manufacturer does not mention gluing as you mentioned Ern, but I like the idea myself.