# finishing and nailing a wide plank pine floor - need advise



## martin007 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi All

I am currently milling lots of wide plank of eastern white pine for our cottage floor. Boards will average 7.5 inch wide. I need to shortly make a decision for the finish to use and the nails to use.

NAILING: Current floor is 5/8 plywood over joists at every 16" .I will face nail the square edge board on the joist. Should I nail every 16" or every 32"

are common spiral nails as good as traditionnal cut nail as far as holding power? I don't mind the look and they are much cheeper

FINISHING

So far I am favoring polymerized tung oil (sealer + top coat luster). We have young kids and a puppy dog, I am a little worried about "urine accident" on the floor like.

SANDING?
depending on the quality cut of my planer, I would like to skip any sanding. hope a newly sharpened set of cutters will be sufficient

Any comment or suggestions

thanks

Martin


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## rustedknuckles (Feb 17, 2008)

If you can get cut nails they still offer great holding power and a hint of authentisity. If it were me, and I've refinished pine floors, I'd mill toungue and groove and have no nail heads present. There is a safety factor in that too, nail pops cut little feet, not to mention adult feet. As far as a finish I would use a good quality low luster floor varnish, it migth yellow over time but so would the pine any way. Don't skip the sanding unless you don't mind planner ripples, and they will be there no matter how good your blades are.

Good luck and have fun!


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

I would use the cut nails for flooring. I think it would give it an antique look. Lay the wood in a pattern across the joists and not parallel to them. I think I would nail them top and bottom of the board on all the joists so 16" is what I would do. It will help to keep the boards from cupping. I have attached a website with cut nails.

http://houseofantiquehardware.com/s.nl/sc.13/category.146/.f?s_kwcid=TC|7359|cut%20square%20nail||S||4067972919&gclid=CPWA1NCItp4CFQjyDAod5x66nQ

Depending on how old you want the floor to look, one technique I have used to creat this is to let construction debris like nails etc lay on the floor, walk on it so the floor gets nicked up, then lightly sand, stain, and seal it.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

1 question are you t&g'ing the boards


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

i did a plank floor in my entire house..i used 1×8's and they were nice flat boards…but over time they could want to cup…i screwed my whole floor and covered the screws with pine plugs..and sanded the floor and all of the plugs flush…..some folks want the look the square head nails give…but its up to each person…it looks like you have plenty of advise here to make your decision…have fun and enjoy the job…sounds like fun to me…..


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## martin007 (Jan 24, 2008)

Pommy, no tongue and groove,just square edges.

Wayne, what type of sealer would you use


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## Phishead (Jan 9, 2008)

1. I think you WILL need to sand.
2. White pine is very soft, so with or without a durable finish, your dog and kids are going to beat the hell out of this floor.
3. Cut nails look cool, but will pop.
4. It's a cottage floor, not permanent living space.
5. Good luck and post some pics.


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## Phishead (Jan 9, 2008)

1. I think you WILL need to sand.
2. White pine is very soft, so with or without a durable finish, your dog and kids are going to beat the hell out of this floor.
3. Cut nails look cool, but will pop.
4. It's a cottage floor, not permanent living space.
5. Good luck and post some pics.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

I do tend to agree with TonyZ on this one cut nails do tend to pop over time as for sealer do you get *Ronseal* over there its one of the best here in the UK and being soft pine lots of it

1 question do you allow your timber to a adjust to climates when you lay new flooring


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## martin007 (Jan 24, 2008)

Pommy , the lumber has been stacked and stickered in my heated garage for 2 months.


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