# Hardwood staples never go in all the way -- need setting



## woodman58 (Aug 22, 2010)

Try turning the pressure up on the compressor. It should be between 90 and 100PSI for most nailers. If that does not work then there is something wrong with the nailer.


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

the air pressure was fine


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

If the shoe is right, then the pressure is too low. How do you know the pressure is "fine"?

Jaz


----------



## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

amakarevic said:


> the air pressure was fine


I've seen pressure gauges that were 20-30 PSI off.

I used a HF nailer.....I adjusted the air pressure until I got the depth I wanted.

For reference...that same air pressure was not enough for my brad nailer....


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

JazMan said:


> How do you know the pressure is "fine"?


The gauge on the compressor. Now, if something impedes the pressure inside the gun, that's within the gun. I tried blowing through the hose to see if there may be something that clogs it but that too was fine.


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

The same air compressor pressure has no problem nailing a 3" framing nail into a 2x4. I don't see why it would have problem driving a teeny staple into hardwood. Unless it is for the hardness of the lumber.


----------



## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

What kind of hardwood?


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

amakarevic said:


> The same air compressor pressure has no problem nailing a 3" framing nail into a 2x4. I don't see why it would have problem driving a teeny staple into hardwood. *Unless it is for the hardness* of the lumber.


Ya think?? :laughing::yes:

Doesn't the compressor have a regulator with a pressure gage, along with the tank's pressure gage? You been oiling the gun? 

Jaz


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

rusty baker said:


> What kind of hardwood?


Maple


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

JazMan said:


> Doesn't the compressor have a regulator with a pressure gage, along with the tank's pressure gage? You been oiling the gun?


the regulator don't really do much when i turn the knob but the compressor pumps up to about 115 psi max. The gun is brand new and I did lube the s*it out of it before plugging it in for the first time.


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

> the regulator don't really do much when i turn the knob but the compressor pumps up to about 115 psi max.


The tank's gage is always gonna go to near 120 psi. That gage tells you nothing in regards to how much pressure you're delivering to the gun. The last dial, the one regulated by the regulator is the only you adjust. If it just turns, it means you didn't pull the knob out so it'll do something. They're not all the same, my first one didn't need pulling out, the one I have now does. What does the last dial say? 

Jaz


----------



## HandiMandy (May 30, 2010)

You may also have a dial on the gun to adjust depth.


----------



## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

Hmmm....might be me. I'm off today with a cold and have a little Nyquil in my system so I could be missing something, but I normally nail the tongue and not the groove. Just me? I've been doing it wrong all this time?


----------



## woodman58 (Aug 22, 2010)

I did not catch that. If he is nailing into the grove instead of the tongue, that is a big problem. I have talk to people trying to install hardwood the wrong way. (Into the grove)


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

12penny said:


> Hmmm....might be me. I'm off today with a cold and have a little Nyquil in my system so I could be missing something, but I normally nail the tongue and not the groove. Just me? I've been doing it wrong all this time?


:thumbsup: Good eye there Penny. We missed that, never expected anyone try it that way. Usually people read and reread that 1st paragraph 16 times before starting. 

Ok amakarevic, get some spline and turn it around, no need to remove the few rows unless there some other issue.

Jaz


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

yes, i was stapling grooves. i was trying to follow these instructions:

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-install-a-hardwood-floor/index.html#step5

they don't specify tongue or groove so i thought it didn't matter and the groove looked like a more logical choice since i thought the force of the staple/cleat might break the tongue.

I have installed about half a dozen rows. Is there a way to switch the side (turn the next row's groove to to existing groove facing out) by using a furring strip acting as a standalone tongue to join the two rows? Or should I just nail the next row using a finish nailer from the top, like I did the first few rows that I couldn't reach with the hardwood nailer?


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

JazMan said:


> get some spline and turn it around, no need to remove the few rows unless there some other issue.


Thanks, Jaz. What is "spline"? is that something that acts as a standalone tongue?


----------



## JazMan (Feb 17, 2007)

Yes it is. You need to glue it in the groove first. 

http://www.chicagohardwoodflooring.com/store/images/products/CHF/hardwood-floor-spline-01-zoom.jpg

Jaz


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

JazMan said:


> You need to glue it in the groove first.


glue it on both ends (the last wrong row and its mirror correctly set new row) ? which glue should I use? liquid nails?


----------



## woodman58 (Aug 22, 2010)

You can glue the spline in, but you need to nail/staple the spline also. If you don't those two boards can buckle with expansion.


----------



## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

I use a goodly amount of carpenters glue and 16ga nails.


Jaz - Haha! I bet I read it more times than that. All you guys are pretty sharp and I couldn't figure out what I was missing.:laughing:


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

12penny said:


> I use a goodly amount of carpenters glue and 16ga nails.


when nailing, should i do it diagonally (like a hardwood staple or straight in from the side parallel with the floor?


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

also, what is the best size of spline for a regular 3/4" hardwood (Maple) ?


----------



## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

Diagonal so as to nail down that piece of 
hardwood. 

I rip splines out of a piece of flooring and take
a block plane to the corners to round them
over. Or you can buy them.


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

12penny said:


> Diagonal so as to nail down that piece of
> hardwood.


I already have the last wrong row stapled (and manually set all the way in) through the groove.


12penny said:


> I rip splines out of a piece of flooring and take
> a block plane to the corners to round them
> over. Or you can buy them.


I'd prefer to buy ready rather than ripping. Do you know which exact size?


----------



## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

Man. I'd still go on an angle and I think
they're sold as hardwood floor spline. I
would think any flooring distributor 
would have them.


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Couple more questions: 

Q1: When joining the two groove-sided rows, should I glue the spline only to the already installed row's groove or to both sides? IOW, should the new row's groove not have glue for some reason? 

Q2: And is it needed to nail the new row from the top (like rows near a wall) close to the joint, in addition to stapling it proper on the tongue side?


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

you may disregard the last post. i glued only the already installed side and then stapled the new tongue. it looks great.

thanks everyone for your help :thumbup:


----------



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)




----------

