Oak Floorboards and Skirting

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elmo

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7 Feb 2006
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Llanelli, Wales,
Hi everyone
I have a problem that maybe someone can help me with. i've been laying an oak floor and using a hired floor nailer the nails that come with it are steel
will the oak react against the steel in time if it does what else can i nail the boards with, this also applies to the skirting
 
Hi there,and welcome to the forum :D

Are the nails mild steel or stainless ?
Oak will eventually rust mild steel,or leave pretty black stains - stainless will be ok (as will other non-ferrous metals);although stainless steel is not perfect,and comes in different grades - some of which can still rust

Andrew
 
Thanks for the welcome all

woodpecker yes it is a secret nailer. It seems like stainless nails are the way forward but where do I get them from

Many thanks
 
woodpecker yes it is a secret nailer. It seems like stainless nails are the way forward but where do I get them from

The dark stain you are referring to is caused by a chemical reaction to the tanin (tannin) in the wood with Iron oxide. Oak and walnut in particular can be a problem as they have a high tanin content. But this only tends to be a problem when the wood is used in a damp environment i.e. exterior applications. Basically the nail will have to rust for the problem to occurr, for the nail to rust it will have to be exposed to air and moisture, which it won't be once it's driven home.

With regard to the skirting, if your concerned stick it on with gripfill or similar, but to be honest I wouldn't worry if you intend using masonary nails.
 
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