how do you fasten down used 1"' x7-10" wide hickory plank flooring with plain edges?

Question

Thhis old barn floor is going on a particle board subfloor on 16" spaced joists.

Answer 1

The biggest issue for you to consider is that wood will move (change size) depending upon moisture content. Good floors of real wood either have to be firmly fastened down to a subfloor or have to be able to "float" in order to avoid buckling. Tongue and groove hardwood floors still move some, but generally the individual pieces of wood don't move apart from each other. If you try to nail your floor down, it is likely it will pop loose in the future.

Answer 2

I recently saw an example on This Old House. You may find it on PBS.ORG and search their segments or contact them.

They showed what I'll call a "Bracket". It kinda looked like a door hinge open to a 90 degree angle, and had "barbs" on it.

The demonstration showed them being put on one side of a plank to be set. The initial plank was nailed I believe (to be covered by molding after). Each successive plank was attached to the former by way of these "grippers", then that edge tapped down. and toenailed into the substrate. Not only were the nails hidden, but so too were the grippers

I think for the final course they modified the grippers by cutting off a piece and at the wall nailed at the edge, the final plank.

Once molding was installed the floor showed no evidence of how it had been installed.

Certainly you might use construction adhesive, but that could haunt you in voids or any heavy instance of applying.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

what ever you do except screw it down will be replaced by screws in 20 years or so. I suggest you go ahead and screw it down now. First bore a smaller hole than the screw you will use, make sure you go thru to the floor joist. I would put 4 screws in each floor joist.

if you want to make it look pretty, counter sink the screws, buy flat plugs and glue them to the top of the screws. Since you are using a full inch board you would have enough depth.

Answer 4

You'll have to top nail it. You can either have the nail heads show (you can use nails with decorative nail heads) or you can countersink the nails and fill with dowell plugs and sand them down. If you want to countersink, you can also use screws). Otherwise, you'll need to send the planks to get milled with tongue and groove so you can nail though the tongue and not see the nails when you're done. By the way, make sure you screw down the subfloor, not nail. That way you eliminate subfloor squeek.

Answer 5

Oh geez, all of these complicated answers. There is a low-tech solution here. Buy or rent a router and put the tongues and grooves on the boards yourself. This is a very simple thing to do, but will take a little bit of time. You can hide all of your nails on the tongues (which is one bonus of its design). If you have a router table, it will cause you less fatigue.

Answer 6

im assuming you are only replacing 1 board.use liquid nail sub-floor adhesive along all sides of existing flooring,using a medium bead. at corners of hole apply heavy bead of same as well as 2 in. from either side. odds are it wont accept nails, so set something on it that will distribute the weight evenly and let sit for 4 to 5 days. if this doesnt work, e_mail me.

Answer 7

Well, you could glue it, or, use finishing nails, set them with a nail set, and fill with dark putty.
If it's weathered looking wood, it'll look fairly natural if you stagger the nails.

Answer 8

DA's right about making a T&G profile, but I would suggest that you find a mill wright to do it so that it fits correctly.