Nail Popping up on Hardwood Stairs?
Question:I have hardwood stairs and on a few of the planks the nails keep popping up. Is there any adhesive or other techniques for keeping the nails from popping up every few weeks?
Answers:
Certain types of pneumatic finishing nails (the ones that work in guns) come coated with an adhesive that holds the nails in, if you don't have a gun and are working with a hammer and nail set I would suggest using construction adhesive on the nail (Liquid Nails is one brand name). Any that gets on the hardwood can be cleaned up with some Goof-off. But I must ask, are you trying to use the same nail holes? If so, using a slightly larger finishing nail might work better in combination with the construction adhesive. If not, with hardwood, it is recommended, if you are anywhere close to the edge, and likely you are with stairs, to drill a smaller pilot hole to prevent splitting. There are also nails with,,, I find this hard to describe, one way teeth to keep the nail in, like the teeth of a saw around the nail, do you get me? These might be an answer for you, again in combination with a polot hole and construction adhesive, it will act as a lubricant to help the nail pass into the hardwood, until it dries. If all else fails there are screws, with a very small head, usually square drive, that are made to have the head pass into the wood and have the wood close over the head. These work best in particle board, osb, pine, fur and plywood, I would definitely recommend using a pilot hole for hardwood, but the wood won't close behind the head as well. You'll end up using a lot more crayon... Good luck!! Oh yes, I definitely don't recommend an ugly black drywall head on your hardwood staircase. (Sorry com-padre.)
Use dry wall screws
I would advise you to remove those nails and replace them with screws. The trick is to drill a hole in the hardwood the same diameter as the screw shank. That way the screw can go into the hardwood without resistance and then when you screw it into the support beam it will snug it up. Talk to the clerk in the hardware center and tell him your plans.
To really do a professional job you would countersink the screw a little bit so that the screw sits below the surface and then after you screw it in you can fill the hole with a wood filler that matches the wood.
Good Luck!
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