Are 18 guage 1 1/2" nails too long for this job?


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Old 02-12-12, 02:56 PM
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Are 18 guage 1 1/2" nails too long for this job?

I've been doing my homework on the kind of nailer I need to use for some flooring I want to put down, and have been told that the P50 nailers available for hire from HD are the type I need. The nail gun in question comes with either 1-1/2" or 2" nails available for use, but I'm concerned that even the 1-1/2" nails might be too long for the job in question. The flooring I'm putting down is 3/8" in thickness, and it's going over 3/4" plywood. Now allowing for where the tongue is on the flooring, that means the nail will have about 1" in depth to drive down through before it hits the concrete underneath. At a 45 degree angle, my calculations indicate the nail can't be longer than 1.4 inches to prevent this occurring. A 1.5 inch nail therefore seems a fraction too long for the job.

Anyone have any ideas on the matter, or know if one and a quarter inch nails are possible for a P50 nailer? HD doesn't have them.
 
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Old 02-12-12, 03:10 PM
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From what I can see, yes, 1 1/4" nails are available: (scroll to the bottom)

Powernail 50P 18 Gage Pneumatic Hardwood Flooring Nailer | Tools4Flooring.com

I would make sure you can get them at the big orange store before renting though.
 
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Old 02-12-12, 04:41 PM
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Thanks for that. I was looking for something just like that chart. The second row which shows 1/2" board over 3/4" ply is on the money for the problem I saw for 1-1/2" nails with 3/8" wood - they're just a fraction too long for the job.

I'll see what I can do tomorrow to locate some 1-1/4" nails for the P50. HD doesn't sell them, so I'll have to source them somewhere else.

Thanks again for that information. This is why forums can be so handy when you have the right people to deal with.
 
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Old 02-12-12, 08:45 PM
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Another option to consider: I recently bought a Senco 18-ga. nailer for less than $80 (on sale), including the baby compressor, and it will shoot anything from 3/4" to 2" long. I don't know what you're planning to pay to rent one, but sometimes buying comes out close to the same cost (especially when figuring in the convenience of getting the products you want). And it's definitely a no-brainer if you ever have more finishing nails to shoot.
 
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Old 02-12-12, 09:35 PM
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I'd consider it, but the unit I'm renting from HD is $30 for a 24 hour rental, and if I have to stay up all night I'll try and do it within that time-frame, though I'm not going to kill myself just to save on another day's rental! I'll rack out the floor beforehand just to have everything set up right before I start.

I have my own compressor by the way, which obviously does have a bearing on overall cost.

Thanks for the thought though. I may still look into it, or see what kind of cheapies Harbour Freight has for sale.
 
 

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