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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, but you should always refer to the manufacturer's instructions for proper nail/staple size for a particular floor. We recommend nailing or stapling every 6-8 inches along the tongue of every board, staying in approx 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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