What brand flooring nailer

[LeeB]

I'm going to put down wood flooring in my old house I'm getting ready to sell and also in our new home so thought I would by a pneumatic flooring nailer. Don't want to spend the retirement fund on one but do want a decent nailer and maybe resell it when I'm done. Any recommendations? What size nails or are staples preferred?

[bluthum]

Given that description were it me I would strive to find a used pro grade model. Buy it right and you can break even on the resale.  I'm assuming you will be putting down 5/8 or 3/4 flooring? 1/2" engineered flooring uses a different tool.

Bostitch is good and Porter cable is my favorite. I've used a lot of the $100 range chinese models and some work decent some not so much. Some cheap imports are quirky and need lots of oil to cycle or some other such peculiararity. You can waste a lot of time addressing that. Being bent over and swinging a mallet is hard enough with a well functioning tool, you get a lemon nailer and your day is ruined.

As for cleats vs. staples my unscientific testing has favored the cleats [nails] over staples. Staples are a lot cheaper and my reasoning was they would split less and hold better but I don't believe that now. Also on the low end models staples don't feed as well as cleats.

[barbender]

I used an el cheapo Harbor Freight I got for around $100, and installed about 700 sq. ft. of hardwood. It worked just fine for me, I couldn't see paying the $500 a Bostitch or other pro grade tool cost. Typically I only buy pro grade tools but this was too much for how much I was going to use it. I remember seeing since that time, either Bostich or Dewalt came out with a model that was considerably cheaper, around $250 I think. That would probably be a good choice, I know the quality of the Harbor Freight stuff can be hit or miss.

[newoodguy78]

I agree with bluthum about maybe getting a used one. I've got a bostitch that I'm happy with, I typically don't care for bostitch brand pneumatics. With that said it's held up well.

I personally don't think you could go wrong with either a staple or nail type. My personal opinion is each has its strong points and the holding power of each has more to do with what you're nailing into. Just my opinion.

[ESFted]

The Harbor Freight nailer worked just fine for me when I installed two rooms of Brazilian koa.

[47sawdust]

Tool rental places around here rent pneumatic nailers and nails.Don't know if the same is true in your area.

[pineywoods]

I made a couple of batches of oak flooring and use a harbor freight stapler to install it. Was concerned about posible splitting, but wasn't a problem.Use the mallet with vigor  ;D

[ScottAR]

CPO outlet has some recon bostitch flooring nailers  for $180.   

[hopm]

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Flooring-Nailer/H7826

Lasted and worked well

[Larry]

About 10 years ago I bought 20 Harbor Freight nailers at auction to resell.  I sold two to friends and three to a rental place.  No complaints and the rental guy called a year later wanting to know if I had any more.  The Harbor Freight fasteners were junk as were the ones that came with the gun.

I had a Bostich for my own use and put it on craiglist a couple of years ago for what I thought was a fair price.  Took me forever to get rid of it.  Too many cheap imports around.

Lee, I forgot.  If you do buy one at Harbor Freight in Springdale they are good about returns if it doesn't work right.  They just opened a new store up in Rogers.

[Bruno of NH]

I have a bostich stapler
Have used it for year and like it

[scgargoyle]

I put down about 1200 square feet of flooring with a Harbor Freight gun. Not a single misfire. Wanna buy it? :D

[Don P]

I've had the bostitch stapler for about 20-25 years. I try not to use it but it has been loaned out all over the neighborhood for years, not even sure if it is in the barn at the moment or out. I grew up with the manual porta-nailers and do prefer cleats but with the stapler I just drive many more fasteners. Back in the day our flooring supplier loaned us the nailer and sold us the flooring and nails. I can remember laying out for Dad when I was in my young teens, hot summer and the sweat was rolling. I was thinking, "That old man is going to have a heart attack at this pace". He was probably around 40  :D. About 40 years later that old man finally gave me most of his tools this year, he kept some to drive the maintenance folks in the retirement community crazy.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I'm putting down 3/4 2-1/4" oak t&G strip flooring.  Bought a Bostitch nailer, using 2" 16 ga cleats.  It is great.

Got to the edge and after trying to blind nail close to the wall with hammer gave up and got this little guy, which is awesome:  http://www.powernail.com/products/power-palm/   I am using it to blind nail near the wall with 16 ga 2" cleats then will face nail last 2 rows with 18 ga cleats.

I don't mind buying such tools new, I can sell them when I want,  on Craigslist.   My net cost is less than what I would have paid to rent them.  Renting such tools doesn't work for me I take a long time to do some jobs.

[LeeB]

I'm leaning real hard toward the Bostitch BTFP12569. Does staples and cleats both. About $200 from Amazon. I have some HF brad nailers and have had them for 10 years or more. No real problems aside from an occasional jam which is a PITA to clear but not super bad. Haven't looked to see what HF has to offer.

[LeeB]

How about opinions on the T-cleats vs the L-cleats?

[LeeB]

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up buying the Bostitch. It uses L-cleats or staples.

[Don P]

Maybe neat
I was deep into searching for my benchtop today. I must have hit a pile from back before the turn of the century. I remember these flooring nails from an old restoration job. They are truly wrought, they are hand forged and taper to a point in all directions. I would call this a plancher but am not certain.

[Kellyj]

Can't go wrong with a Bostich. They can be serviced at almost any good lumber store.

I have a porter cable, had for probably 10 years, many friends have borrowed it, still works great.

I've never heard anything good about the staples, people use them, then say they wished they had used cleates.

I use the L cleates, Bostich brand, never had a problem.

I'm not a builder,