What You'll Learn
The Face-Nail Solution
"Drill a pilot hole first," says Patrick Hunt, as he fits his drill with a 3/32-inch bit just a whisker narrower than the 8d finish nail he's using. "Otherwise, the wood will split." Positioning the bit at the center of the board and at least 3 inches from the end to prevent splitting, he slowly bores straight down through the wood until he hits the subfloor, about 3/4 inch below. "Too fast and you'll create a sloppy, burred edge," he says. In the days before power drills, floor-installers ran finish nails through their hair in lieu of a pilot hole. "The natural oils made the nails drive through the wood more smoothly," Hunt says. "Or you can dull the nail tip with a hammer so the nail cuts through the wood fibers instead of wedging them apart." Hunt positions his 2 1/2-inch finish nail in the pilot hole, then taps it twice to sink it just shy of flush with the board. "I'm lucky if I hit a joist, but it's not necessary," he says. (In houses that have no subfloor, Hunt has to make sure the nail goes into the joists, which always lie beneath the end joints in the flooring.) He's careful not to hammer the board lest he leave a crescent-shaped mark or divot on the wood. Instead he uses a nail set to drive the nail 1/8 inch below the floor's surface"). Using his finger, Hunt fills the indentation above the nailhead with a tinted oil-based putty, then wipes the surface clean with a cloth. The filler doesn't require a finish and comes in a variety of wood hues to blend with the color of the flooring. "I may mix two or three together to achieve a perfect match from board to board," he says. "Plus, oil-based putty won't dry out and form a skin that throws off the color match."
"Drill a pilot hole first," says Patrick Hunt, as he fits his drill with a 3/32-inch bit just a whisker narrower than the 8d finish nail he's using. "Otherwise, the wood will split." Positioning the bit at the center of the board and at least 3 inches from the end to prevent splitting, he slowly bores straight down through the wood until he hits the subfloor, about 3/4 inch below. "Too fast and you'll create a sloppy, burred edge," he says. In the days before power drills, floor-installers ran finish nails through their hair in lieu of a pilot hole. "The natural oils made the nails drive through the wood more smoothly," Hunt says. "Or you can dull the nail tip with a hammer so the nail cuts through the wood fibers instead of wedging them apart." Hunt positions his 2 1/2-inch finish nail in the pilot hole, then taps it twice to sink it just shy of flush with the board. "I'm lucky if I hit a joist, but it's not necessary," he says. (In houses that have no subfloor, Hunt has to make sure the nail goes into the joists, which always lie beneath the end joints in the flooring.) He's careful not to hammer the board lest he leave a crescent-shaped mark or divot on the wood. Instead he uses a nail set to drive the nail 1/8 inch below the floor's surface"). Using his finger, Hunt fills the indentation above the nailhead with a tinted oil-based putty, then wipes the surface clean with a cloth. The filler doesn't require a finish and comes in a variety of wood hues to blend with the color of the flooring. "I may mix two or three together to achieve a perfect match from board to board," he says. "Plus, oil-based putty won't dry out and form a skin that throws off the color match."
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