Thread: Secret nail gun

Originally Posted by Mick72

Hi guys, I tried the renovate forum on flooring but didn't get too many bites. I am laying about 65m2 of spotted gum flooring over yellow tongue and will be requiring a secret nail gun. I have been checking out eBay and there is a few to choose from. Are there any recommendations on brands for a one off job? What would be the recommended length of nail to go through the tongue and yellow tongue and into the joist. Also are there any trade techniques if the walls to the room are a bit out of parallel? Thanks

Hire one from Kennards, Coates, or your local company, BUT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>nailing strip flooring DIRECT to yellow tongue is a waste of time and you will regret it very quickly, There is not enough bite in the yellow tongue even if you nail directly above the existing floor joists, to hold the nails and it will start moving and squeaking very quickly. There are also several other factors associated with this as well.

Read what others will say then pm me and I will give you the time proven trouble free method of doing it.

+1 on hire I bought bostich secret nailer for about $600 from memory could have been $500 as I was going to put the floor down in my own time and it worked out hire was just over half and I would own a secret nailer.
my story - 90 sq mtrs (2 packs) of 80 x 19 solid blackbutt flooring laid over yellow tounge. Was lucky the house plan allowed me to shift lounge suite kitchen table and chairs into a bedroom. Was unlucky that the floor sander sealer man rang me when I was about 1/3 way through to tell me he could come in a couple of days instead of 2 weeks. (Hindsight hire would have been cheaper but I wouldn't own a power tool)
so the job starts with sanding yellow tounge with a belt sander this found all the nails and protrusions I hadn't countersunk, it also removed 6 months of "living"
each board was given a wiggly squirt of liquid nails ( nozzle cut halfway but closer to the tip 90 Sq M of floor equates to about 9-10 boxes of liquid nails) positioned in place by hand and adjusted with a 4 x 2 and a sledgehammer to make up any gaps in the joins or to assist a tounge and groove to mate.secret nailer( staples are used so name is bit of a misnomer) staples on every joist through the tounge edge and about 100-150mm from all ends and joins. *keep air compressor under maximum pressure of gun with regulator! too much pressure makes seals leak/fall out* again from memory, staple length was 55 or 60 mm. Told to use that length even though less than 40mm of timber
3 years on and floor is still as good as new. Doesn't creak groan move bend jump or do anything a floor shouldn't do.
cheers
P.s. Our guide(registered builder of 40 years) said he had been doing all his solid timber floors like this for bloody donkeys and hasn't been called back to one job.

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. Flooring should be here in about a week and then I will let it acclimatise.

Ultraset is the best locally made glue, some use Sika but I've never had a problem with Ultraset.
Don't buy it at Bunnings, they give it their own name so you can't price check and sell it for $5 a sausage more than flooring suppliers.
It will go down over yellow tongue fine but staple it every 300mm or so and apply the glue in long "esses", you use more glue but get a better fix, and get your floor sander to sand it first then vacuum it thoroughly before you start.
What width is the Spotted Gum, I don't like secret nailing anything over 120mm.

Ooooh - that sort of secret nail gun.

I thought you meant the "Oh, that's cheap knockoff 'PESLODE' gun from China I got years ago from a garage sale, darling. It was only like $5, you got that lamp and handbag, don't you remember?" sort of secret nail gun....