*
I’m about ready to order/pick up 250sf of pine flooring for my DR, and would like any of youz guys to throw in yer 2 cents.
The room is a 12×20 dining room. The house is country/cabin style and I like the rustic look of a wide plank pine floor. Heart pine is nice, but not necessary. Either white or southern yellow pine could be stained to my liking, but SYP is more durable, so I’m going for SYP, in an 8″ or 10″ width-possibly both staggered.
My biggest question is: At what point does top-nailing become mandatory?
I have no problem groove-nailing or top nailing, but would prefer groove nailing to avoid nail pop and future refinishing difficulties(as soft as pine is, I figure it’ll get done every few years-unless it weathers nicely to an even more rustic look). I’m also going to drill and pin the ends for effect(dummy dowels, not passing through the floor).
I’d hate to get the floor all done, and have it cup, squeak, or worse.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Mike
Replies
*
syp is a wild grain... anything over nominal 6" i would topnail... and i wouldn't want to use the 10" because of the cupping tendency.....
have you thought of 4 - 6---8 random in syp?
if you want wider, you should use a more stable wood...
like a VG pine.... or VG fir.... and the releived back would help too...
face nailing presents a problem with finishing... if you use a traditional looking nail like Tremont, they sit proud...
an old-fashioned cut nail will sit flush so you can sand..
as always.. this is why god invented closets.. so you can bury your experiments....
*To do wide SYP, get it back kerfed or back kerf it yourownself. be sure to use it dry. Then use an adhesive with blindnailing.If top fastening instead, I would countersink screws and plug/bung the holes unless you are looking for the real antique look. Then use cut nails on white pine.
*Mike, I have one word for you...Constructionadhesive!!Mr T
*screw & plug
*Thanks guys!!!I kinda figured that if the flooring didn't come with the back reliefs, I'd cut 'em in myself, and liquid nails is definitely on the menu now!. I was kinda hoping I could groove nail 'em in(just for the speed and ease of install) and then maybe plug the ends for decorative purposes, but I'm starting to see a lot of drilling in my future....Although I like the look, I think the cut nails might be too much of a pain in the butt, and I'd still worry about nail pop and having a rough time refinishing. But then, whadda i know?Thanks again,MikePS: If anybody else has some advice to share, fire away!! I'm like a vacuum for knowledge-I suck.:)
*Mike, If screw and plug option is out for entire floor, you can use a 6-8d screw shank nail shot with a Hitachi framing gun for face-nailing. Works great with the flush -set adapter. I like to soak the heads in muriatic acid then peroxide (H2O2) to tarnish the heads. They will still shoot through the gun fine. The patina that developes looks great on natural wood.I do not use adhesive when I install wood flooring. Prefer the old method of rosin paper under the flooring. That should eliminate the squeak potential. Tried and true. Two nails /board at the joists or even stagger course nailing at 32" centers. I would either spline (prefered) or dry biscuit the ends.One nice feature if your boards are matched, is you can run your flooring using a floor nailer first then return and face nail, even after you have sanded and finished the floor if you are using a cut or square hand drive.Back relief can help minimize cupping, but also an inspection of end grain will allow you to cull the real serious cup potentials. Another good aid is to use a penetrating oil on the flooring before your finish if using a top sealer like urethane. It will help strengthen the wood and help minimize movement due to seasonal changes. Even with woods that have a high resin content like yellow pine, it is helpful.just some thoughtswalk gooddavid
*Mike T, I take it you have put down wide pine floors with construction adhesive. Have you been back to see any of the floors after a year or two? How wide of a board do you use glue on? Do you glue boards right down to the sub-floor? I wouldn't dream of glueing down a wide pine floor. It's just the way I was taught. I used 5/4 x10" eastern white pine. I put down 15lb. felt in an attempt to seal the boards against moisture from below. I have used cut nails with success but I prefer to screw down with #10 woodscrew and plug holes with a contrasting colored wood. Eastern white pine is fairly stable and I have had good luck with it though it is a little soft. Mike,Do you really plan on refinishing every couple of years? The eastern white pine floor in my own house is 14 years old now and is complete with dents and dings and places where the 4 coats of poly have worn thin. I love it. It has character.