Home Improvement → Flooring Stapler

HI guys, first time posting here. I will be putting in some 5/8" solid bamboo flooring and have a question on the flooring stapler to use.

I will probably get the Stanley Bostitch EHF1838K which says it can do 5/8" flooring, but i have been looking at other staplers that say they only go to 1/2" but in some reviews I have read that people have used them on 5/8". The Stanley I can get for 189 on Amazon.

Others I see are BYNFORD HARDWOOD FLOORING STAPLER NAILER which is $100 which says Designed for floors from 1/4" - 9/16" (or 3/4" in limited applications)

and Freeman PFBC940 4-in-1 Mini Flooring Nailer/Stapler for $119 which says nailer is ideal for 1/2-Inch and below

So my real question is should I just get the Stanley since it states it will work? or risk it with a cheaper one?

Thanks
mchill

I'm no expert; but I do know Bamboo is a tough wood...

I'd be tempted to go with the best I can (reasonably) afford - and from the list you provided; probably the Stanley...

Why not just rent one?

Get the Stanley. I'm a huge believer in good quality tools. I use a Porter Cable flooring nailer and it's great. Solid and no misfires or jamming. It's been used for thousands of square feet of hardwood over a period of about 10 years. Still going strong.

If you can put it in fast, then rental may make sense.

Get the Stanley Bostitch…. it's the industry standard and is bullet-proof. You'll also find staples / cleats ANYWHERE, where some of the no-name brands have harder to find staples.

Speaking from experience, the last thing you want to do is fumble with a crappy flooring nailer. You REALLY don't want to be pulling up boards that are half nailed in. Trust me on this…LOL

Like LazMan said, Bamboo is one of the hardest/densest flooring materials. You simply can't skimp on the equipment here. Powerful enough compressor & a quality nail gun.

I agree that unless you're planning to do more hardwood down the road, renting is a better choice (providing you can complete the job in a couple days).

Thanks guys, I decided to get the Stanley Bostich. Renting doesn't make sense for me as it will take me a few days to the one room, then I have another room to do.

And since the Mrs doesn't me getting another tool buying makes sense.

Thanks
mchill

I hate to rent and rarely do so if the other choice is a new tool of my own!

To the best of my understanding bamboo isn't a wood, it's a grass. I've had bamboo flooring for years, and overall am not impressed by bamboo flooring compared to traditional wood floors (oak, maple, teak, etc).

When reading through some of the flooring forums, you'll see bamboo is a pretty highly discussed product. Some people like it and some people hate it. My decision not to go that route was because most of it is milled in China and because it's not as dimensionally stable as some hardwoods.

The American and Canadian milled hardwoods are typically far better than the Chinese milled floors in terms of good consistent lengths and widths. That being said, many like the look of bamboo and don't care about a little contracting and expanding. We have maple and Brazilian cherry floors that aren't as dimensionally stable as our upstairs oak, but we liked the look a little better.

Have you had problems with your bamboo? I used to hear that surface scratching was something that happened quite easily with the earlier available bamboo.

Yes, the surface began to peel in an area of the bamboo floor after 3 years, after a year or so of peeling, uneven discoloration followed. We have had bamboo for 8 years in two areas of our home and other areas are also peeling and becoming discolored. We have much older oak, cherry and teak flooring (solid not engineered or veneered) that is still fine.

At the moment I'm finishing a major addition to the home, the bamboo area is relatively small, and it'll be replaced in a few months. It could be a bad batch, or a bad manufacturer, but it's turned me away from bamboo at this time.

Yeah, you're typically not going to go wrong with solid hardwood flooring. That's my favorite stuff. Easy to put down, maintain and it lasts. We recently used high quality engineered Brazilian cherry. It wasn't my first choice, but given it was going over radiant, it was basically my only choice. Rest of the house is solid.

I assume OP already has the bamboo, otherwise I'd suggest reconsidering that choice of material.

I plan to install my bamboo hardwood floor and my question is, should I use staples or cleats? I planned on renting the flooring nailer from Home Depot and it looks like their guns only use staples. Just looking for some input.

That's a heavily debated topic. For bamboo, which I imagine is brittle, I would say staples. I think you'll split tongues using cleats with that kind of flooring.

This, use staples and play with the air pressure to get the desired depth before committing to banging down the whole floor.

I put in a 25yr warranty bamboo floor. I went with non-carmelized, vertical grain. I also bought and used a HarborFreight flooring nailer. IMHO, it is junk. Oh, it did the job, and for $99, you can't beat it. But it left some shoe/marks in the Bamboo. I know where to look, but most don't notice.

I prefer hardwood (oak, maple, ...) for floors now. The bamboo was for a front room that if future owner has a baby, it is ideal (green lumber! 25 yr finish! clean and not off gassing!). It is bright and clean looking.

But it does splinter. It is strong and flexible. Installs easy. It is brittle as it isn't really wood but a fiber, and can split. Oh, it is very strong (hardness like maple). However, if carmelized, it loses the hardness rating significantly.

Like most of this stuff, a consumer has to be pretty educated to make the right decision. But I think bamboo probably requires extra consideration of other factors that hardwoods don't have.

From my perspective, when I think of hardwoods, I think how about how good the milling is, quarter or plain sawn and grade. That's after I've decided the species. With bamboo, as you've indicated, there are other items to consider as well.

If a person makes an educated decision, no reason they shouldn't be happy with bamboo, hardwood, whatever it is. It's just the surprises that hurt.