# Forum Home Renovation Flooring  nails/nail gun type for timber flooring

## huc

Going to lay a timber floor that i had ripped up a few months ago. 130mm baltic pine floor boards i think and joist hardwood (very hard, red gum??). The wood is as old as the house, maybe 100 year?? 
What type of nails/nail gun should i use? 
How long should i wait before i sand and finish the floor? 
Thanks

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## sol381

A T-nailer is the only thing to use. 45mm x 2.2 T-nails will do the trick. As for how long to wait before sanding I`m not too sure but i dont see why you couldnt do it straight away.

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## Carpenter

I know a bloke who does timber inspections, & he says never use old pine/kauri because as it ages it becomes extremely suseptible to a specific type of borer. Anyhow, i suppose you're going to use it anyway, so get yourself up to speed with flooring & all the hickups at this website.http://www.timber.net.au/bulletin.htm

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## journeyman Mick

> A T-nailer is the only thing to use.............

  Not quite, a secret nailer specifically for flooring would be my first pick for a really good floor with a T-niler as 2nd pick. 
Mick

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## rscho

This is probably like asking for striped paint or left-handed screwdrivers but what's a T-nailer? 
My hardwood T&G floor was put down when the house was built (1940's) and I've recently had to remove some boards to get access under the house. The boards are face-nailed with two "T" shaped nails per joist. The long section of the nails is hammered along the grain which hides the nail well. I haven't been able to find similar nails (other than for nail-guns) and was planning to use bullet heads instead. Are these T-nails?

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## robbo80

> Not quite, a secret nailer specifically for flooring would be my first pick for a really good floor with a T-niler as 2nd pick. 
> Mick

  First post for me so go easy but as a carpenter for 12 years i wouldn't go secret nailer for any flooring wider than 108mm for fear for cupping. As for the T nailer, it's probably the nailgun of choice for face nailing flooring wider than 108mm because of it's hold down quality, the boards will never lift. Robbo

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## robbo80

Didn't see the date on the topic

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## chrisp

> Didn't see the date on the topic

  I wouldn't worry about it.  What was old is now new again! 
Welcome to the forum.  :Smilie:

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## barney118

> I know a bloke who does timber inspections, & he says never use old pine/kauri because as it ages it becomes extremely suseptible to a specific type of borer.

  I have 130mm Baltic pine boards which have been attacked by borers, all you could see on the surface (under) is a hole (pin prick) when you sand them like I have you end up with runners where they have gone horizontal along the board, adds a feature to the floor !

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## Dusty

And, those Borer did all that damage when the timber was new, not when it's old.  Borer really dig the sugar they find in _new_ Baltic. 
So, the inspector was right Baltic is frequently attacked by Borer, but the damage would of been done quite some time ago. 
To the original question:  Hand nail the floor. (Although, you've probably finished by now, given that you started nailing it way back in 2006)

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## barney118

> And, those Borer did all that damage when the timber was new, not when it's old.  Borer really dig the sugar they find in _new_ Baltic.

  Dusty,
I am going to lay some new baltic 150mm , top nail and glue, it is on an upper storey floor and ceiling under, is there anything worth mentioning in relation to borers to avoid the same as my old boards before I install the ceiling?

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## dukekamaya

Nearly all flooring these days is treated to H1 standards to kill any wood borers and keep them out.
I

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