i have Prefinished stranded bamboo and though its very durable unlike a previous suggestion its doesn’t hold up to water as I have heard other reviews suggest. Definitely don’t install in kitchen where it can be subjected to water.
also its very very dense you need to rent a heavy duty nailer and install staples. I had tried 3 different floor nailers before I found one with enough force to work.
Agree 100% with the post. If need a floor nailer to install your flooring then your material was probably a hefty price. Make sure the job lasts a long time and don’t cheap out with the tools.
This nailer looks like it would be good as a supplemental tool for getting close to walls and stairs where you can’t get in a good mallet strike.
Wishful thinking, you still can’t get in close enough. I use a face nailer plus I smear some mastic under the boards, then nail them with the face nailer. There’s not too much traffic near the wall, so it’s not likely to make you sorry later.
This nailer is for engineered flooring. It is typically thinner and straighter than unfinished flooring.
Do not use this for unfinished Flooring. Use a proper mallet driven flooring nailer.
Two reasons for this: 1) the mallet action drives the boards together before the nail is driven. This in needed for unfinished hardwoods which will have some natural bow to them. 2) the mallet driver uses staples which hold better. See statement 1 above.
This nailer is great for its intended use. Don’t buy it to put down 3/4 oak flooring. You will be frustrated and blame woot.
About 98% of homeowners who buy a flooring nailer only intend to use it for FINISHED flooring. Regarding available hardwood finished flooring, most of the colors and styles are available in less than 3/4" stock. I’ve always bought 5/8" stock. Even finished bamboo flooring is available in 5/8" stock. So the problems you point out with unfinished flooring is real but is a non-issue with the homeowner.
When anyone goes out to buy flooring, NEVER buy veneered and finished high density fiberboard. If you do, then don’t drop any liquid on it and try never to walk on it…levitate instead.
Problem is that you keep recommending this unit without clearly stating what you should be using it for; engineered prefinished flooring.
Probably given the product page on the mfg’s site:
nails + staples = 2
straight + angled/adapter = 2
2 x 2 = 4
No. It’s intended to be exactly that.
That said, if you are looking at just a brad nailer, there are much cheaper and good options out there. Despite the reputation of the stores or what it sells, the Harbor Freight one comes to mind as a bargain and reliable.
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Completely separately, for everyone else talking about the larger mallet driven pneumatic being a better option for thicker and solid wood floors, this woot offering is sometimes sold with the PFL618C in a combo pack. The manufacturer doesn’t see this smaller version as some end all, be all flooring tool.
If you can’t afford a proper flooring nailer, then rent one. It’s cheaper in the long run(unless you plan on running an installation business, in which case, you’d want to get a real one anyway). If you’re going to spend $3-5/sqft for hardwood, then don’t skimp on the installation or you’ll be sorry when you have to redo it, or worse yet, replace it.
Do it right the first time or don’t bother. It might cost 10% more, but it will save you 100% of the cost of redoing it.