Secret Nailing for Hardwood Floor Installations

There are various methods to install the hardwood planks - floating method, glue-down method and nailing-down.

In the past solid wood floors were fixed to the base with nails from the upper side of the boards. Innovations and creativity have developed new method floor fixing especially after tongue-and-groove planks came into existence.

Secret nailing is one of the methods of fitting that got popular nowadays and almost replaced the traditional nailing method. Secret nailing method can be used for two kinds of floorings. They are Solid hardwood and Parquet. The secret nailing method offers a stable and durable hardwood floor installation solution, providing a strong bond between the wooden floors and the subfloors.

Secret Nailing Iinstallation

Secret nailing is a nail-down installation also known as "blind nailing", because the nail remains invisible once the floor is laid. It is applicable for any tongue-and-groove solid wood or engineered floor installation. This method uses the special tool, which quickly positions and fits a special kind of nail into 45-degree position above the groove of the planks so that it does not interfere or bother the fixing of other planks to be fitted next to them. Floorworks uses "portanailer" nailing tool to ensure a secure and stable fitting. The nailing down floor installation method requires specific skills as it can cause health and safety issues unless it is done properly with all nails perfectly hidden.

Benefits of Secret Nailing

• Secret nailing floors are relatively more durable compared to glue installation as they are more capable of withstanding changes in temperatures and the resulting expansion and contraction of the wood.
• A secret nail installation is completely invisible, as nails are fixed to the tongue of floorboards and get hidden by the groove of the next floorboard.
• Unlike gluing down, the process for secret nailing does not require drying time, which makes it faster in comparison to other floor installation methods.
• The process of nailing down is generally cheaper.
• Nailed down floorboards are easier to replace if wood floor repair is needed in the future.
• The secret nailing method provides a smooth and uniform appearance without any signs of nail heads or gap between the hardwood planks.

Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages of the secret nailing method, including the inability to install any underlay and underfloor heating systems as the nailing process would damage them. Therefore, a careful consideration should be given to define the most appropriate floor fitting method, taking into account the insulation fitting requirements.