Thin Hardwood Floor

Rehabbing, Fix and Flip, Rental Properties
1

I just picked up some oak flooring from Lumber Liquidators-- solid oak, pre-finished, looks really good, for $1.49 a square foot.

It’s quite thin, and isn’t anything I’ve ever dealt with. Normally, oak floor would go down with a pnuematic flooring nailer. This stuff is tongue and groove, and the clerk said to staple it down.

I am worried about breaking the joints if I use a regular flooring nailer.

Could anyone here offer advice about how to fasten this thin wood flooring down?

I bought quite a bit extra because I expected to get damaged pieces for that price, so so far every box I’ve opened has been really good looking. I may get an extra room done.

As an aside, my son drove me over to pick up my oak and he was admiring some Bellawood solid maple flooring, and when it looked like he was really seriously thinking about buying, the clerk offered him $.30 a foot off the posted price, which was already a very good price.

It wouldn’t have occured to me to ask for a discount, since their prices are already so low. I guess everyone’s business is down, so it’s worth it to ask for a discount.

2

I put down 3/8 inch thick oak hardwood that I got a few years back from Lowes. Go to your local rental center and rent a staple gun made for laminate or hardwood floors. The air gun is angled so all you need to do is line up the gun on the tongue and pull the trigger. The floor has held up quite well.

3

DO NOT use a regular flooring nailer for this stuff. It will destroy it.

The staples should work fine. Bring a piece of the flooring with you to the tool rental store (I’m assuming you’ll be renting the stapler). Each stapler has a SPECIFIC base plate on it to fit the dimensions of your flooring. It is VITAL that the base plate MATCHES your flooring otherwise every staple will be in the wrong location. The rental shop should be able to set you right up. Make sure they show you how to adjust the gun for depth. If the gun has NO adjustment then you will have to adjust the AIR pressure at your compressor. Less pressure equals shallower staple drives. Play with it until you get the staple to about even with the tongue. You’ll be fine.