Hardwood install questions

[Tom-J]

Looking at different flooring manufacturers some recommend acclimating the wood for 24 hours, some don't mention it and one manufacture insists for Hickory or Maple not to acclimate it at all. What is recommended for 3/4 X 3 1/4 Hard Maple ?

Most also make reference to installing with cleats but most rental outlets around here only rent the staplers to use 2" staples. What is preferred and what exactly are these cleats ? An old floor I tore out a while back from a 1955 house had flat "L" shaped nails. Are they what are considered cleats ?

 

[JIMMIEM]

Looking at different flooring manufacturers some recommend acclimating the wood for 24 hours, some don't mention it and one manufacture insists for Hickory or Maple not to acclimate it at all. What is recommended for 3/4 X 3 1/4 Hard Maple ?

Most also make reference to installing with cleats but most rental outlets around here only rent the staplers to use 2" staples. What is preferred and what exactly are these cleats ? An old floor I tore out a while back from a 1955 house had flat "L" shaped nails. Are they what are considered cleats ?

Red Oak is the most common hardwood installed and considered the baseline for other species and it should be acclimated. Hard Maple is less dimensionally stable than Red Oak so obviously that should be acclimated too. Some manufacturers provide detailed instructions for their product and some do not. Based on the relative humidity of your house, where it's located, time of year, moisture content of your subfloor, etc and the moisture content of your flooring when it's delivered the period of acclimation time may vary. I would think that if you called the manufacturer of your flooring they would hopefully provide detailed instructions, if they were not provided with the flooring.
The L shaped nails you pulled are cleats. Also, the manufacturer of your flooring may specify what to use for installing......my manufacturer specified that cleats be used. You may void a warranty if you don't follow your manufactures directions. I've only used cleats and from what I've read staples are cheaper and cause more split flooring tongues. Also, renting a flooring gun may be more expensive than buying if you need it for a while. Some recommend buying a decent flooring gun and then selling it. The prices of flooring guns run the gamut from $100 to $700+.

 

[Ernesto]

Absolutely acclimate hickory, it's a wild wood.And you really need a professional grade meter to know when it's ready unless your willing to let it set for six months.

 

[davidh]

Difference in cleats for the 50 s vs POWER CLEATS nails of today , maple ? If rental company only has staplers , you can buy one , and since you are only doing the one install , lowes and I think Home Depot has the one called freeman , it's orange and black and cost around 170 to 200 and uses cleats , what ever you decide , you really need to go with nails and not staples


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[woodfloorplanet]

To help you discern the numerous choices accessible to buyers, here are guides to keep you on track while choosing the right hardwood floor for your interior.

• Compare Hardwood Flooring Types
• Know the Difference of Wood Species
• Decide the Best Grade, Texture, Stain and Finishing
• Wood Floor Patterns