Where can I get old school floorboard nails?
Discussion
Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
The undisturbed victorian floorboards, held down with these cut nail things were extremely squeaky. The 22mm chipboard screwed down that replaced it all doesn't make a sound.This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
New houses are crap because everything moves and flexes because materials are done down to a price. It's not because they used screws instead of nails.
paulrockliffe said:
Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
The undisturbed victorian floorboards, held down with these cut nail things were extremely squeaky. The 22mm chipboard screwed down that replaced it all doesn't make a sound.This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
New houses are crap because everything moves and flexes because materials are done down to a price. It's not because they used screws instead of nails.
(we did extensive research on this)
blueg33 said:
paulrockliffe said:
Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
The undisturbed victorian floorboards, held down with these cut nail things were extremely squeaky. The 22mm chipboard screwed down that replaced it all doesn't make a sound.This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
New houses are crap because everything moves and flexes because materials are done down to a price. It's not because they used screws instead of nails.
(we did extensive research on this)
Anyway, you've done the research and you don't use nails? I presume you tested nails and they weren't as good or are screws just better when used with your floor system?
paulrockliffe said:
blueg33 said:
paulrockliffe said:
Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
The undisturbed victorian floorboards, held down with these cut nail things were extremely squeaky. The 22mm chipboard screwed down that replaced it all doesn't make a sound.This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
New houses are crap because everything moves and flexes because materials are done down to a price. It's not because they used screws instead of nails.
(we did extensive research on this)
Anyway, you've done the research and you don't use nails? I presume you tested nails and they weren't as good or are screws just better when used with your floor system?
We did test nails, there arn't too bad with normal floor boards but squeak horribly with chipboard. So we could built the house faster and keep floors protected from weather we used "weatherdeck" which is a dense chipboard sheet with a plastic top surface. Te plastic is weatherproof and is peeled of once the house is at final fix. Weatherdeck squeaked with nails
Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
Look at surface area of screw head actually gripping board if you will then look at brad. That's why, also the length of the head of nail should run with the lengthway of the board. ( the grain).
I'm 33 and know these things as my granddad taught me he was a carpenter back when kids started as at something like 14
Or you could just make a half arsed job like everyone else, hell when your done why not go the whole hog and get some furniture from oak furniture land it real oak you know, the plastic handles they finish the iteams off with really fit in with today's attitude towards a well made product ffs
Rant over
At last....well saidThis is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
Look at surface area of screw head actually gripping board if you will then look at brad. That's why, also the length of the head of nail should run with the lengthway of the board. ( the grain).
I'm 33 and know these things as my granddad taught me he was a carpenter back when kids started as at something like 14
Or you could just make a half arsed job like everyone else, hell when your done why not go the whole hog and get some furniture from oak furniture land it real oak you know, the plastic handles they finish the iteams off with really fit in with today's attitude towards a well made product ffs
Rant over
Edited by Ilovejapcrap on Friday 27th February 17:17
paulrockliffe said:
Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
The undisturbed victorian floorboards, held down with these cut nail things were extremely squeaky. The 22mm chipboard screwed down that replaced it all doesn't make a sound.This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
New houses are crap because everything moves and flexes because materials are done down to a price. It's not because they used screws instead of nails.
And I disagree on squeaky undisturebed Victorian boards, you sure a joist had not rotted at a corner thus giving the movement, oh and I'd love to know the undisturebed Victorian house you talk of I assume it had no new electric or central heating as I'm sure some would have been up for that.
Hope I'm not coming across as aggressive but can anyone tell this subject has touched a nerve with me ☺️
P.s chipboard floor will squeak in time, not after over a 100 yrs like the props we talk of either
Lets talk workshop safety!
On another note - who cares, if you want to use nails, go for it. Personally I prefer screws, not that I've done a lot of them mind.
Had problems with the floorboards squeezing in our bedroom - turned out they'd put a whole row of nails in off the joists across the whole room. Screwed them down and problem solved. Could have used nails but I had spare phenolic screws and an impact driver so it was faster.
On another note - who cares, if you want to use nails, go for it. Personally I prefer screws, not that I've done a lot of them mind.
Had problems with the floorboards squeezing in our bedroom - turned out they'd put a whole row of nails in off the joists across the whole room. Screwed them down and problem solved. Could have used nails but I had spare phenolic screws and an impact driver so it was faster.
) if nothing else cos they're only a fiver!Ilovejapcrap said:
Can people stop saying screw down, yes you may screw down the odd trap made in floor for access but they should be nailed down with brads or stamped if you prefer nails.
This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
Look at surface area of screw head actually gripping board if you will then look at brad. That's why, also the length of the head of nail should run with the lengthway of the board. ( the grain).
I'm 33 and know these things as my granddad taught me he was a carpenter back when kids started as at something like 14
Or you could just make a half arsed job like everyone else, hell when your done why not go the whole hog and get some furniture from oak furniture land it real oak you know, the plastic handles they finish the iteams off with really fit in with today's attitude towards a well made product ffs
Rant over
Did Victorian houses use brad nails for floorboards or normal nails? This is why new houses are crap yet Victorian ones seem solid. Loads of people using anything for any job, it really pisses me off.
Look at surface area of screw head actually gripping board if you will then look at brad. That's why, also the length of the head of nail should run with the lengthway of the board. ( the grain).
I'm 33 and know these things as my granddad taught me he was a carpenter back when kids started as at something like 14
Or you could just make a half arsed job like everyone else, hell when your done why not go the whole hog and get some furniture from oak furniture land it real oak you know, the plastic handles they finish the iteams off with really fit in with today's attitude towards a well made product ffs
Rant over
Edited by Ilovejapcrap on Friday 27th February 17:17
As my old, but post Victorian, house has the cut nails for skirting but normal nails on floorboards- so just want to check you are comparing like for like?
As Simpo already said, the skirting boards just don't come off. It makes one hell of a mess with the nail left behind. Some were so stuck I feared they would take out the brick with it, so ended up using a angle grinder to first cut them, and then grind down to below plaster level.
OP- I went with the good old pozi Turbogolds with an Impact driver. Cheap as chips (Well fiverish so both fish and chips). Also come in Silver too if color matters.
http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/woo...
Also a left field choice for you
Use nothing at all! A lot of my house is taken up and put back down but not fixed as wanted to do it after I had finished the plumbing and ufh, and frankly you can't tell...at all. Nothing moves as the adjoining floorboards keep each other in place. If the board length covers a few joists and hasn't been cut stupidly so they rest well, and the joists are fairly close together then it appears that they don't actually need to be fixed down!
So don't be afraid to take them up but not actually fix them until you are fully done.
Edited by Yazar on Friday 27th February 22:27
This is boring now.
Floorboarss in Victorian houses are put down with punched nails ( brads ), it should really be in any.
Look at the surface area holding down the board once nailed down the upside down L shaped end if you will grips much better then any round nail or screw.
Don't forget wood will move a little in its life as it gets warm/cold/wet etc. a simple small oval top nail could just rip out the board causing a squeaky floor.
The 2 pics above re of my bathroom floor,
Laid at age of 26 I'm now 33
It was laid on original joists in my 2 up 2 down terrace.
It does not squeak, between the boards a couple of the joints have opened up very slight, this is due to modern wood being kiln dried rather than left for 10 yrs before sale, another one of today's modern s
t methods.
The varnish has never been redone, this is because it was done properly, not some bull st one coat will do crap, knocked back between coats with 1200 grit sand paper 4 coats to build it up.
This floor gets water and piss on it in the real world but looks like new in the flesh.
Laid at age of 26 I'm now 33
It was laid on original joists in my 2 up 2 down terrace.
It does not squeak, between the boards a couple of the joints have opened up very slight, this is due to modern wood being kiln dried rather than left for 10 yrs before sale, another one of today's modern s
t methods.The varnish has never been redone, this is because it was done properly, not some bull s
t one coat will do crap, knocked back between coats with 1200 grit sand paper 4 coats to build it up.This floor gets water and piss on it in the real world but looks like new in the flesh.
Interesting chart showing pullout forces of nails vs screws screw vs nail pullout force The 16d common nails listed are what we would call a 3.5'' roundhead, the type you would use for structural work. As you can see screws easily beat the nails for pull out resistance. That being said, floor brads do look far better, as in ILJC pics: Those floorboards wouldn't look half as nice fixed with pozis lashed in with an impact driver. I bet the OP wished he'd never asked now
Ilovejapcrap said:
It does not squeak, between the boards a couple of the joints have opened up very slight, this is due to modern wood being kiln dried rather than left for 10 yrs before sale, another one of today's modern st methods.
There is nothing st methods.t about kiln drying. Wood will expand and contract across the grain as it attempts to achieve equilibrium moisture content. The wood could have been left somewhere for a hundred years, if it is then placed in a dryer atmosphere it will shrink.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff