How to Install a Wood Floor With a Manual Nailer

A hardwood floor adds warmth and charm to any home. If you want to undertake the task of installing a hardwood floor yourself, you will need to decide on a nailer. An essential tool, the nailer can be either manual or pneumatic. A pneumatic nailer will require a compressor with an air hose to function. The manual nailer needs nothing but physical strength to function properly. It also has a cheaper price tag than pneumatic models. Composed of three parts -- the detachable face shoe, the main unit, and a rubber hammer -- the entire manual nailer unit is fairly simple to use.

Manual nailer
Goggles
Mallet
Scrap wood

Instructions

- 1
  Load the manual nailer with nails by un-clipping the spring hook on the push plate. Slide the push plate out of the way and insert one strip of nails. Slide the push plate back into place and re-hook the spring hook.
- 2
  Manually install the first eight boards so they line up and affix to each other successfully. Slip the tongue of the nailer against the groove of the board that is to be nailed. The nailer should sit on the top of the board that is to be nailed. The tongue of the nailer should sit against the edge of the board and against the board's groove. Tap the nailer lightly with the rubber side of the mallet to make sure the tongue of the nailer fits firmly against the board's groove to hold it in place.
- 3
  Place your foot firmly against the nailer's shoe. Strike the nailer's plunger with the metal side of the mallet. Hit the plunger as many times as necessary to drive the plunger down fully. Once the plunger is fully driven down, it will spring back up.
- 4
  Drive a nail every 1 to 3 inches at the end of each board. Always try to hit a joist when driving the nails in.

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