Part 2: Is Nail-down Installation The Best?

Last week we examined the many uses of the floating floor installation in Part 1 of this series. But today let us see the benefits of another install type.

Why is nail-down and staple-down installation the best way to go?

Nailing or stapling down the wood floor is the most common and preferred installation method for wood floor professionals if a wood subfloor in the form of plywood or OSB exists in the house. While installing 3/4” solid hardwood flooring, 2″ long nails or staples should be used. Shorter 1-3/4″ or 1-1/2″ nails might be used for thinner wood flooring like engineered wood floors. Each plank or strip has to be nailed every 8″ and 3″ from both ends of the plank.

The next few paragraphs will explain the benefits of nailing down:

First of all, it is a cost-effective method that does not involve more than nails or staples and an inexpensive moisture barrier underlayment, such as Aquabar “B” or Silicone Vapor Shield. On the other hand, a floating install requires a padded underlayment on which the engineered flooring rests for sound deadening. Furthermore, the glue-down method requires a high-performance adhesive and correct-size trowels and is often associated with increased labor costs.

More importantly, professional installers consider this type of installation as a permanent method. With the correct installation, environment, and maintenance, the chances of product failure are consistently low. One other good feature of this method is that a particular damaged board can be replaced by a professional seamlessly to preserve the overall beauty of your floor. In case your subfloor is not perfectly flat, the installers have to seriously deal with it regardless of the method of installation. However, if a perfect subfloor is not achievable nailing or stapling down has the most tolerance to subfloor unevenness because the floorboards are forced into place on the subfloor by nails or staples.

The last advantage which is valued highly by professionals but often overlooked is the improved look and feel of having a flush mount transition. Flush-in transitional moldings and vents can be used instead of overlap moldings and drop-in vents. The finished wood floor job can be more appealing to your home compared to the floating install.

Even though nail-down and staple-down installation has many advantages over other types of installation methods, nail-down installs require additional tools such as a specialty flooring nail gun, jamb saw, and router. Using a proper nail gun or hardwood flooring stapler is essentially important to completing the project successfully. Nail-down installation may not be suitable for your home if the particle board subfloor or the wood floor needs to be installed over a concrete slab such as in basements or condos. Nail-down installation should be seriously considered by homeowners and discussed with your potential installation contractors since it has been an approved method in the wood floor trade for centuries.

To learn more about floating installation or glue down installation see our other post Part 1 & Part 3.