When you’re shopping for an air compressor, the first thing you’ll notice is that they’re plastered with specifications: 2 hp, 3 gallon, 2.8 cfm, 130 psi, 73 dB... But don’t let all those specs confuse you. We’ll tell you what they mean, what matters and what doesn’t, and help you choose a compressor to suit your needs. We tried the most widely available compressors on the market—more than 20 models—and selected eight that we thought were the best choices for DIYers. We focused on small to midsize models because they were affordable and portable, as well as powerful enough to handle the most common DIY projects. Pneumatic 16-Gauge Flooring Nailer/Stapler 3-in-1 Flooring Air Nailer and Stapler with Fiberglass Mallet 3-in-1 Flooring Air Nailer and Stapler 15.5-Gauge and 16-Gauge 2-in-1 Pneumatic Flooring Tool 18-Gauge L Cleat Flooring Nailer Pneumatic 15.5-Gauge Hardwood Flooring Stapler Flex Pneumatic 18-Gauge Hardwood Flooring Cleat Nailer

16-Gauge Manual Hardwood Floor Ratcheting Surface Nailer 16-Gauge Manual Hardwood Flooring Nailer 18-Gauge L-Cleat Flooring Nailer Pneumatic 15.5-Gauge Flooring StaplerWrought Iron Patio Furniture Pinterest Professional Flooring Kit with Fasteners (2-Piece)Elizabeth Park Designs Car Seat Covers 3-in-1 Pneumatic Nailer and Stapler with Case for Wood FlooringLight Bulb Battery Backup Light Aluminum Body Hardwood Flooring Nailer and Stapler Pneumatic 18-Gauge Engineered and Exotic Hardwood Flooring Nailer and Brad Nailer Combo Kit (2-Piece) Pneumatic 18-Gauge Hardwood Flooring Cleat Nailer 15.5-Gauge Flex Power Roller Pneumatic Hardwood Flooring Power Stapler 3-in-1 Pneumatic Flooring Nailer and Stapler with Quick Release

Pneumatic 18-Gauge Hardwood and Bamboo Floor Nailer with Adjustable Shoe for L-Cleat Nails Pneumatic 4-in-1 Mini Flooring Nailer and Stapler 50P Flex Adjustable Foot Conversion Kit Pneumatic 18-Gauge L-Cleat Flooring Nailer with Fiberglass Mallet and Padded Bag Pneumatic 2-in-1 16-Gauge L Cleat or 15.5-Gauge Flooring Nailer/Stapler with Fiberglass Mallet and Padded Bag Pneumatic Solid Hardwood Flooring Nailer with 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Combo Kit (2-Piece)Show All ItemsStep 1: Tools,Equipment, Supplies & Personal Protective EquipmentShow All ItemsTools & Material:  Nailer (a manual if fine for some woods but we opted for a kind called Patagonian Rosewood which is near the top of the Janka hardness scale at 3840 out of 4000, so a pneumatic was needed. /janka-hardness-scale-graph.php) Note that not all woods are listed. Our floors' wood is rated at 3840. When I tried to hand nail a board the nail bent and I had to drill a pilot hole to place nails where the pneumatic nailer couldn't reach.

$150-300 USD    We picked up the Akazuki from Amazon and those nice folks upgraded us to the professional model for FREE! This will shoot Cleat nails. look for rating of the "SCFM" (which translate to : how much air is moved by the compressor pump) of 3.5 or higher and able to reach ~ 120 PSI. More is better but the price increases with rating and size of the compressor. We got the Dewalt 4 gallon double hotdog, 120 volt. It was sufficient for the job, and allowed me to put in 10 nails in row before running low on air. $150-300 USD higher prices go with higher capacity and capability.Table Saw, 10in blade, steel (or harder) tabletop (note: an aluminum top is okay but boards move easier across Iron or Steel tabletops)  $90-300 USD Higher prices equal more features and better quality.Router or Dado cutter blades for the table saw to cut channels in the side of boards for custom fitted planks. I highly recommend a Router Table ($20-$30 USD) that you can set up a fence to help make the grooves easier.

This becomes important when laying board in unusual patternsMiter Saw, I have a 10in Hitachi but a 12in blade would be better for Herringbone layouts due to the depth of the angle cuts at the edges. $150-250 USD Saw Blades, be sure you have the right number of teeth, 60-80, for a 10 inch blade in order to make smooth sharp cuts and tipped with carbide or tungsten for longevity. It is worthwhile to mention that pitch(oils and sap)  builds up on the teeth and needs to be cleaned off occasionally. A good wire brush and a strong degreaser has worked or me. Simply remove the blade, soak it in the degreaser for approximately 30 minutes, then hit it with the stainless steel brush. When your edges of the cuts start looking rough it is time to clean it again or possibly time for another blade. $30-80 USD (shop around, price doesn't necessarily equal quality!)   I have been putting them approximately 6-8" apart. They are cleat style so they are designed to be put in by a Pneumatic Nailer.

Normally these are 1, 1.5 and 2 inches long and are glue together for ease of installation into your Nailer.  The length you need depends on the thickness of your planks and the thickness of the subfloor or wood below it. We measured wall to wall, did some minor geometry, and determined we needed about 1800 sq ft. Lumber liqudators in nearby so we went on a Wednesday (less customers) and found a clearance sale on a "limited" supply of $3.80/sq ft, Patagonian Rosewood (yes that's expensive but his floor will out live my son!) . I asked what they  meant by limited supply, which turned out to be only 18,000 sq ft! I laughed until the salesman told me that this was probable going to gone by that weekend! $7000 USD (I recommend that you have the wood delivered by the supplier. Each of our  80+ boxes was 8' x 12" x 4" and weighed 150 lbs.  Moving these inside was a workout!)PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)    Gloves, I prefer Framers since I like the ability to sense what I'm touching without having to look directly at it.

$25 USD    Knee pads, get quality ones, you're going to be spending a lot of time kneeling. $20-50 USD    Glasses, get Z87+ quality safety goggles or glasses. $7-20 USD ( I am rough on glasses so I buy the cheaper and replace as needed.)    Hearing Protection, in-ear style or over-ear just make sure it is at least 30db level. $5-20 USD depending on style and level of protection.Drill  I used a 14 Volt portable and a compact 10 volt portable, but most any drill will work. The key is to be able to work close to a wall or confined area without damaging the wood or the surrounding area. A pneumatic hammer drill will probably be overkill!  Corded: $60 USD  Cordless $90-150 USD depending on size and manufacturer. Flexible drive shaft bit holder  This should fall into the, "nice to have but not necessary" category. I broke a couple of these due to excessive bending and drilling at extreme angles (Herringbone pattern up against angled walls!). Again, the better ones cost more but a reasonable price is $10-20 USD Sliding Bevel  The DIY floor installers best friend for those weird angled cuts.