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Recommended Size for Flooring Staples / Nails

by Jeff Hosking – Hosking Hardwood Flooring
© 2004 - 2012, Copyright protected. All Rights Reserved

 

Most manufacturers allow the use of either flooring nails or staples for installation of wood flooring, but you should always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for proper nail/staple size for a specific solid or engineered wood floor. We recommend nailing or stapling every 6-8 inches along the tongue of every board and staying in approximately 4 inches from each end of the floorboard. As a rule of thumb, the recommended sizes below apply.

cleat nails

Cleat Nails

LFN-50 HighPro Pneumatic Hardwood Flooring Cleat Nailer
SHF15 Senco Manual Hardwood Flooring Cleat Nailer

Use 1-1/2" long cleat nails when installing thinner 1/2" thick wood flooring.

Use 1-3/4" long cleat nails when installing 3/4" solid wood flooring, when 3/4" thick plywood is applied directly over a concrete slab—so the cleat nail does not go through the 3/4" thick plywood, hitting the concrete.

Use 2" long cleat nails when installing 3/4" solid wood flooring over a wood subfloor with floor joists. Or when installing 3/4" flooring over two layers of 1/2" plywood over a concrete slab.

 
flooring staples

Staples

High Pro FS-50 Pneumatic Flooring Stapler

Use 18 GA 1-1/2" long staples when installing thinner 1/2" thick solid wood floors (per manufacturer's recommendation).

Use 15 GA 1-3/4" long staples when installing 3/4" solid wood flooring, when 3/4" plywood is applied directly over a concrete slab—so that the staple does not go through the 3/4" plywood, hitting the concrete.

Use 15 GA 2" long staples when installing 3/4" solid wood flooring over a wood subfloor with floor joists, or when installing 3/4" flooring over two layers of 1/2" plywood over a concrete slab.

 
flooring staples

For Engineered Flooring and Thinner Solid Wood Flooring

AS 4590T HighPro Pneumatic Flooring Stapler

Use 1" to 1-1/4" long staples for thinner 1/4" to 5/16" thick floors.

Use 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" long staples for 3/8" to 1/2" thick floors.

Use 1-1/2" long staples for 5/8" thick floors.

 

 

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