Nail gun?

[Manny]

Things are going well in the old place now. We’ve made a cracking start on the staircases and landings and after a couple of weeks of painting things are starting to take shape.

The problem is the first floor landing, it’s in a bit of a mess. I think there’s a couple of original floorboards in there somewhere but it’s mostly a mix of more modern thinner boards and some up-to-date pine boards. It’s a total bodge in other words.

There is some evidence of woodworm in some of the older, original boards I’m not sure what the state of the underlying joists is but the floor is pretty solid. I’d like to take up most of the floor and replace it with decent reclaimed stuff that’s much closer to the original (do I need to consult my local CO about this?). The thing is I’m worried about taking a hammer to the old joists and whacking away causing more movement than I’d like.

Would a nail gun perhaps be a better method? A short sharp shock rather than prolonged banging? Will I be able to use nails close to the original ‘masonry looking’ nails? Am I just being over cautious, will the hammering be just fine?

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

I think you are quite right to be concerned about the detrimantal effects of hammering. Old surfaces such as lath & lime plaster ceilings or lime plastered walls do not benefit from disturbance - for this reason I always use screws where possible. However, for a floor you do need to nail unless you want to pellet over all the screw heads which would not look good or 'authentic'. When I laid a (new) t & g oak floor in an upstairs room I used a 15 gauge air nailer, firing through the tongues. As you suggest the rapid and percussion caused a lot less disturbance than blamming away with a hammer. Also more accurate, less likely to split the wood and much, much faster.
In places where I had to face nail the boards the nail heads were so inconspicuous as to be practically invisible.
To summarise - go get yourself a nail gun!

 

[Manny]

Heh, thanks a lot Andrew. I forgot to mention that I've never used one before, hence the questions. I wasn't sure if it would end up doing more harm than good.

I haven't lifed any boards on that floor yet but I do know that the ceiling on that level is original lath and plaster. I suspect that the ceiling underneath the boards I want to replace is the same.

 

[middi]

A nail gun is not cheap and the chances are you hardly ever use it.

If I was in your shoes, and the CO agreed that it is in order to replace the floorboards, I would buy new floorboards with a " secret nailing" tongue and grove rebates, I would not nail them but screw them at 20 deg. angle recessing the screw head into the tongue.

I have done it on numerous occasions, no nailing, no visible screws or nails and if you need to remove them just reverse the process with no risk of damage.

The difference between tongue & grove as opposed to " secret nailing" tongue & grove is the "z" style profile on the latter that makes things easier.

 

[tony]

You could also drill pilot holes say 9mm in diameter. screw into the hole and then plug the hole with a wooden plug , if plug is the dame wood as the floorboard after sanding, should be almost invisible and cheaper than nailgun.
regards

tony

 

[Gervase]

Nail guns are expensive - you're looking at around £3-400 for a good Plaslode or de Walt, but they can be hired.
To get the best of both worlds, see if you can hire an angled framing nailer with pre-set depth controls. The better ones can fire lost-head nails with great accuracy and speed, which will allow you to fix the boards invisibly as middi suggests

 

[thiambal]

If you do get one be bloody careful with it.

There was a chappy on the TV who had shot himself accidently in the chest with one. When his wife found him he was trying to pull it out with a pair of pliers. Fortunately his wife stopped him as the nail was the only thing blocking up the hole the nail made in his heart.

Perhaps screws are the way forward. You would have a job accidently piercing your heart with one either pozi or flat head no matter how much torque you managed to put on it.

 

[Craig]

And screws can be removed without damage. They also can create a more secure fix where the boards are required to help brace spindly joists.

 

[Penners]

I would buy new floorboards with a " secret nailing" tongue and grove rebates, I would not nail them but screw them at 20 deg. angle recessing the screw head into the tongue.

As Middi suggests, secret nailing or screwing is a way to achieve a very beautiful, blemish-free floor.

But just one word of warning: if you're going to use this technique, be very sure that you've carried out any and all underfloor work (pipework, electrics, insulation, etc.) before you lay the floor. Because once it's laid, you're pretty well stuffed for taking it up again without causing extensive damage.

 

[Lime]

I went to see Casino Royale last Wednesday night so I wouldn't use a nail gun particularly if in Venice!!

I don't normally like many films but I thought this the best Bond film ever.
Worth going to see.

 

[Penners]

I wouldn't use a nail gun particularly if in Venice!!

I'll be sure and remember that if I'm ever in Venice and have an overwhelming urge to do some nailing.

I enjoyed the film, too, but I don't think it can claim to be the best ever, 'cos it didn't have Ursula Andress in it. :shock:

 

[Manny]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Much appriciated. I have some time to think about this, maybe I'll go with a different solution. You've scared me off the nail gun idea! There must be a better way.

Eva Green is a babe!