Compressor for Hardwood Flooring Stapler

by Rick Carlson
(Saskatoon SK Canada)

I have purchased and will soon be installing maple hardwood flooring on sleepers in my basement. I already did it upstairs except on plywood.

A borrowed 1 hp Campbell Hausfield compressor was not great but adequate for installing upstairs at 100 psi using a Bostich floor stapler. I don't know the exact rating of the compressor I used but it would be low in CFM's.

Since I have more projects, I bought a Canadian Tire inhouse store brand hardwood stapler on sale this summer. It seems to need more power, or maybe it's just because I have to shoot into a 2x4 instead of 3/4 in plywood. I need 2x4 sleepers because it will be on a concret slab. I've tried stapling the hardwood into a 2x4 for sleepers and the staple doesn't completely go in. It sticks out of the tongue edge 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch.

Now I see my new stapler packaging says it needs 6.3 CFM at 90 psi. I want to buy a compressor as I'll use it for many things. I saw a 2.5 hp Makita that puts out around 4.5 CFM at 90 psi and there are other similar models by Rigid and Dewalt, etc that are rated in the 4.3 - 4.9 CFM range. It's hard to find one that puts out 6.3 unless you buy a gigantic or very expensive compressor. I'd prefer to stay in the $400+/- range if I can. Do you think 4.5 CFM would do the job or do I really need to go for something larger, in which case I suppose I'd need to rent as I don't need a giant compressor. I'm not a speed demon so I don't need to fire off staples in rapid succession if that makes a difference. I don't know much about compressors and would appreciate your advice.




Comments for
Compressor for Hardwood Flooring Stapler

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Jan 18, 2008
 mY 2 CENTS
by: Anonymous

A friend of mine is a home builder, he has a small 2 gallon pancake compressor and it shoots thru 2x4s framing easily, 2x4 hardwood would be trouble though.
I picked up a Porter Cable C3151 4.5 gallon 7.7 CFM @ 40 PSI and 6.0 CFM @ 90 PSI. You should easily find one under $400. I found mine on ebay for $165 new and it works great.
Frankly I wouldn't go for a pancake compressor unless portability was your main issue. Sure there are other compressors, but if Norm Abram from "This Old House" uses Porter Cable, then it's good enough for me.

Hope this helps
Jan 18, 2008
 PSI
by: Anonymous

Rick

Remember that a compressor with a 2:1 ratio piston in it will only be able to give 15 * 2 = 30 PSI and thats it.

A 10:1 piston in a compressor will give 15 * 10 = 150 PSI.

The main difference between the 2 units is output volume.

Buy at least a 100 PSI unit to drive the nails in and wait a bit longer between shots assuming your hose is not too long and sized correctly.
Jan 02, 2008
 Compressor for Stapling
by: Bill - Publisher

Rick...good to hear from you.

Let's take a minute and look at the difference between pressure and flow.

Compressed air pressure is measured in PSI (pounds per square inch). 90 PSI from a small compressor is exactly the same as 90 PSI from a huge, industrial compressor.

For our purposes, flow is the CFM of air from the discharge port of your compressor, to your stapler, measured in CFM.

When you fire your stapler once, you will surely have enough air in the gun, regardless of how small your compressor is, to cycle it that one time.

If the pressure regulator on your compressor is set to the 90 PSI that's recommended, and assuming that the compressor is generating that 90 PSI, then when you pull the trigger, the staple gun / air nailer should drive the staple or nail into the wood completely.

Yours doesn't.

Is the regulator at the correct pressure?

Are you using the correct staples/nails for the gun, and for the wood into which you are shooting them?

You are quite correct in your comment that if you are not in a hurry to do the stapling, and only fire the gun intermittently, then you should be able to do your work with a smaller compressor.

That your unit isn't doing the job says that your supply of air is under pressure to the gun, or you're leaking air before the compressor can catch up so the gun's not getting the pressure it needs, or you gun isn't working, or the wrong staple is being used...look at these issues.

Also, are you lubricating the staple gun? Maybe there's low lube in the gun, and you are using up force in moving the gun's internals rather than driving the staple.

Cheers,

Bill

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