Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 29, 1998 08:00pm | #1

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   I've purchased about 350 sq. ft of white oak from Lumber Liquidators and I've been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the boards. At $2.79 / sq. ft for 3" sel.& btr., the price was unbeatable locally. If your buying from the NJ location, mention the Devils to the manager and he's your friend for life. As to the nailer, I've used the Powernailer with indifferent results. It save your shoulders but you really can't straighten a slightly warped board as easily. Maybe a pro can tell me what I'm doing wrong.

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   Floor_Master | Jan 01, 1999 01:15am | #2

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   Lumber Liquidators is all right but, if you want to step up to the big leagues try Mirage. There web site is: http://www.boa-franc.com/. You'll save big money if your able to rent a truck and buy your wood in Canada. No taxes and the exchange rate is 1 to 1.5.

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   Geoff_ | Jan 04, 1999 09:51am | #3

   *Ken and Patti, most of the nailers that you rent(I assume you will rent not buy) today will be for staples, if you can find one for nails,I would rent that one.Porta-nailer is a common brand that is rented by many rental shops.Your other option is to use the manual type, which will drive only nails,they 'set' the flooring better,but they are more work physically.Be sure you order enough material, even some extra,you should measure your floors and add 5-10% for waste)You say you are removing rug from the floors now,What kind of sub-floor and/or underlayment do you have?If your floor plan will allow,you should lay the new floor perpendicular to the floor joist,so you are nailing into the joist every 16".If you lay the floor the other way, parallel to the joist, then you may need to add an underlayment to ensure proper holding. In any case be sure to install rosin paper(sometimes called builders paper, it's a reddish brown color and readily available at any building supply house) over the area before you lay the floor.Also I would HIGHLY recommend that you buy the flooring and bring it into the house,unbundle it,and let it acclimate to your house for at least a few days, or longer if possible.This will minimize any shrinking you might get later on down the road.If you have anyquestions e-mail back, Geoff

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   jack_keating | Jan 04, 1999 10:48pm | #4

   *Ken and Patti. I've done a number of floors using unfinished and finished (Mirage?) flooring. The unfinished wood seemed to be a lot more work (straightening boards etc.) and then on top of that you have to sand (use a buffer with a screen) and then poly. I also used a manual nailer for those. I just finished doing a prefinished floor with a pneumatic nailer. I'm nerver going back to the old one. I also have a compressor and portacable finish nailer. Rent the pneumatic flooring nailer. The prefinished flooring was beutiful. Barely one was warped and when it was stapled it was sucked in tight to the previous board. Also with a pneumatic nailer when you get close to the wall in front of you, you hardly have to hit the gun to shot the nail which brings you about two rows closer to the wall than the manual one. I also found that on the first three rows starting out I could just use my port-a-cale finish nailer with 2 1/2 inch nails and shoot them into the tongue and when you get to the opposite side you use that gun to top nail. lay down the building paper and go perpendicular to the joists but as with all t and g flooring a lot of pieces are not sixteen inches long so your not going to hit the joists every time. Don't scimp if you test nail into your existing floor and the nail doesn't seem to hold go with a plywood, why go thru all that work only to have the floor separate in the future. I'm not an expert just a weekend warrior but the floors I've done are still holing up.

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   jack_keating | Jan 04, 1999 10:48pm | #5

   *Ken and Patti. I've done a number of floors using unfinished and finished (Mirage?) flooring. The unfinished wood seemed to be a lot more work (straightening boards etc.) and then on top of that you have to sand (use a buffer with a screen) and then poly. I also used a manual nailer for those. I just finished doing a prefinished floor with a pneumatic nailer. I'm nerver going back to the old one. I also have a compressor and portacable finish nailer. Rent the pneumatic flooring nailer. The prefinished flooring was beutiful. Barely one was warped and when it was stapled it was sucked in tight to the previous board. Also with a pneumatic nailer when you get close to the wall in front of you, you hardly have to hit the gun to shot the nail which brings you about two rows closer to the wall than the manual one. I also found that on the first three rows starting out I could just use my port-a-cale finish nailer with 2 1/2 inch nails and shoot them into the tongue and when you get to the opposite side you use that gun to top nail. lay down the building paper and go perpendicular to the joists but as with all t and g flooring a lot of pieces are not sixteen inches long so your not going to hit the joists every time. Don't scimp if you test nail into your existing floor and the nail doesn't seem to hold go with a plywood, why go thru all that work only to have the floor separate in the future. I'm not an expert just a weekend warrior but the floors I've done are still holing up.

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   Ken_&_Patti | Jan 05, 1999 06:01pm | #6

   *Patti and I appreciate all of your advice. I pulled up the carpeting and was dismayed to find out that there is particleboard underneath. This is no good and I will have to remove it and place plywood down as an underlayment. My neighbor who has the same vintage house by the same builder had his oak floor placed over the existing particle board. The nails didn't hold real well and he is is not happy. The big question now is what is the best way to cut the particle board's perimeter next to the walls, if it can't be removed easily. Is there a flush cutting saw that will do this. The particle board seems to fit tightly under the bottom of the drywall which leads me to believe the particle board was placed against the base of the wall studs and the drywall attached later. I will remove a piece of particle board this weekend to see how easily it comes out from under the drywall. By the way do you prefer staples or nails for fastening 3/4 prefinished oak floor.Can you folks recommend a specific make and model of nailer and stapler. I am familar with the manual porta nailer but not so with the pneumatics. I would also appreciate a recommendation as to a dealer.Thanks againKen & Patti

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   Ken_&_Patti | Jan 05, 1999 06:01pm | #7

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   My wife and I are planning to rip out the original carpeting in our 18 year old house and replace it with hardwood floors. We are considering buying the floors at a LUMBER LIQUIDATORS store near by. We will be covering about 2000 sq ft. What we would like to know is what make and model nail gun do you recommend and why. We have a compressor. Also have any of you folks done any business with Lumber liguidators. If so were you satisfied?

   Thanks for your assistance

   Ken & Patti