# Forum Home Renovation Flooring  Masonite - Staples or Nails?

## Fantapantz

Chipboard floor 20mm thick. Masonite 5.5mm thick. Equals 25.5mm......... 
Nailing required by manufacturer----- 75mm around the edge and 150mm through centre... ring-grip 25x2x2.5 head nails....or..........22mm galvanised or copper etched narrow crown type staples preferably resin coated........ 
If I use the nails will they push the chipboard apart on the underside (the point will be right to the bottom and if punched in probably through the bottom)?????  
Clouts are the closest looking nails (without using a nailgun) but they don't have ring-grip so will they get loose over time????? 
Do staples do a good enough job, cause can use 22mm by manufacturers specs and can buy a stapler for $150???

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## Zedd

when we did our kitchen I used 45mm gal flat head nails - 1600 of the bastards by hand!  
I may be shooting it out my @@@@ here - but wouldnt the chipboard split anyway (ie nails or staples ?) 
may want to get yourself a power drill and lotsa screws if you wanna avoid the chipboard spitting .... 
feel free to correct me here...

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## Daniel

Where do you use that combination, flooring and masonite. 
Framing guns are a marvellous invention, have we been down this road before. (Hope I spelt marvellouus wright) 
It was only the other day a mate of mine  teacher/carpenter said I should of bought one of those years ago they are so versatile. 
Anyway just put the flush head nailer/spacer on the end of the gun and presto, nail stays flush with the surface.  
I hope this helps.   
Daniel   :Smilie:

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## Fantapantz

What I'm worried about is pictured below......Manufacturer allows 22mm staples or 25mm nails........90 nails per sheet could make a mess of the underside of the chipboard????

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## Fantapantz

Staple!!!!!!!!

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## echnidna

Use the proper underlay nails as they wont pull out like staples or ordinary nails will, so theres less likliehood of the nails popping up through your vinyl. They work well and don't destroy the floor.

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## Fantapantz

Will nail it down by hand........More work but what the...........
Thanks guys...

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## soundman

I dont see the problem with the nails possibly punching thru the flooring. you do have a cieling ?  
any way hire a nailer buy right size nails.

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## Fantapantz

No ceiling downstairs, just open at the moment. the original idea was to buy a coil-nailgun, but to get down to 25mm it would be basically useless for much else and I couldn't justify the cost buying one.  
The idea of using staples was, for $150 for the gun I could justify the cost.  
Hiring......and I don't have the tool at the end of it so again I can't justify the cost.....(it's only about 900 nails........) 
I don't like the thought of the heads of all those nails coming through the bottom of the particleboard....but if that's the way it's done then thats what I'll do........Or I could grind 2mm off the end of every nail and point new points on them............LOL

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