New Guy with Question re Pine Flooring Install

[ALFisher]

Thanks for letting me join the forum and for the great information. I looked around on the site to see if I could answer my question, but didn't come up with a clear answer. Here is my situation:

I need to install a floor at a hunting cabin. Doesn't need to be fine woodwork, but shouldn't be shoddy either. We added a nice a room (22x14) onto the existing structure. Has new knotty pine paneling and ceiling, so I would like to go in with pine flooring too. Plus, it is readily available around here (southern yellow pine). I can get a really good break on square edge pine flooring 6 inches wide.. It will go in over a 3/4 inch plywood subfloor. Subfloor is new, but a few high edges here and they will have to be sanded.

I'm new to flooring (not other stuff), and I've been told square edge is easy to install and can just be face nailed with an airgun, which I have. Will simple face nailing hold down a square edge floor, or do I need screws or cut nails?

Another alternative would be to switch to tongue and groove flooring and pay more and then buy a floor nailer?

My last question (sorry so many) is whether nailing a square edge in with a nail gun will look terrible. I know you will be able to see the nail holes, but those airgun nails aren't terribly big, and I am not sure they would bother me.

Thanks so much.

 

[happyhours]

I've installed square edge boards before and we drilled,screwed and plugged the screw heads.
you'll need bits like these http://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet.com/dewalt-10-countersink-w-3-16-drill-bit and then this to make the plug http://woodworker.com/4-piece-wood-plug-cutter-set-mssu-137-760.asp

 

[ALFisher]

If you do it that way what type screws do you use and what is the spacing of the screws along the board?

 

[happyhours]

Just a good 1 1/2 long wood screw should do [ 5/16 head ? ] . Spacing? I would go 3/4 or 1" from the side and ends and continue on 16" center. Try to find the floor joist pattern and screw to it

 

[Ernesto]

Anything over 5" is supposed to have glue along with fasteners. Order one of these babys and do it in a pattern. Putty the holes and finish. Whos gonna see it besides some random bear or raccoon?

http://www.nailgundepot.com/Powernail-101R-Manual-Hardwood-Face-Nailer-112-to-2-Details.html

 

[FloorMaven]

Try to find the floor joist pattern and screw to it

Attaching the finished flooring to the structure would be contrary to industry standards.

 

[happyhours]

Is it? Never heard that before.

 

[Floorist]

Is it? Never heard that before.

Yep, the only thing that should be attached to the joists is the subfloor.

 

[ALFisher]

How can that be when nofma tells you to attach to joists?

http://www.oakcrestlumber.com/nofma_installinghardwoodfloors.pdf

 

[FloorMaven]

How can that be when nofma tells you to attach to joists?

If you're talking about this on page 5-

Mark location of joists so flooring can be nailed into them.
Good nailing is important. It keeps the boards rigid, preventing creeping sometimes caused by shrinkage in subfloor lumber. Without adequate nailing it is impossible to obtain solid, non-squeaking floors.

I honestly believe they are talking about the subfloor here.

 

[Nick]

Same here . key line "preventing creeping sometimes caused by shrinkage in subfloor lumber" .

 

[ALFisher]

So you are saying this guy has it all wrong?

http://www.familyhandyman.com/video...install-pine-floors.htm?m_n=true#.UeiP0Il5mc0

 

[Floorist]

I couldn't get most of it to open, but I have seen that mag and he gets a lot of stuff wrong.

 

[Floorist]

FloorMaven and Nick are two of the most knowledgeable people about flooring that you will ever find. I've been in the business myself for 40 years and one rule of thumb has always been, that nothing gets fastened to the joists but the subfloor.

 

[Nick]

FloorMaven and Nick are two of the most knowledgeable people about flooring that you will ever find. I've been in the business myself for 40 years and one rule of thumb has always been, that nothing gets fastened to the joists but the subfloor.

You have to include Ernesto in there .

 

[Floorist]

You have to include Ernesto in there .

True, but he had not commented on fastening to the subfloor.

 

[ALFisher]

Thanks so much for the help.

 

[ALFisher]

I don't know any of those folks bit Ernesto actually did and said to fasten to joists. See the post above

 

[FloorMaven]

It's easy to be skeptical with so much conflicting info being tossed around. It's important to ask questions, I question everything. This thread has got me questioning why some folks are advocating fastening the finished floor to the joists.

Blind nailed floors are fastened at a 45 degree angle, through the tongue into the subfloor. The fasteners are recommended to not penetrate the subfloor as to maximize their holding power. This method allows the independent movement between the structure and the finished floor.

So why fasten an unmilled square edge plank to the joists? It's not going to stop any building material from moving. Often the finished flooring is subjected to and living in a much different environment than the structural joists. The joists could be in an unconditioned crawl space while the finished floor is in a conditioned interior space. It may not be conditioned all the time in this instance but it would still be indoors.

Besides independent movement you have to think about nailing/screwing pattern. By attaching to the joists you're basically using the same fastening pattern as was used on the subfloor. At some point you're going to have two fasteners that want to occupy the same space. This will happen much less often by planing your nailing schedule off the joists.

In the end you want to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

 

[Nick]

What floor said .