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Powder actuated nails kept blowing through tackstrip until I tried this
I was doing a hallway rip out in a 1970s condo in Cleveland last month and the concrete was so hard my powder actuated nails were bending or punching clean through the tackstrip. I tried slowing down the charge, even switched to a lighter load, but nothing held. Finally an old timer on the job said to pre drill the strip with a cheap carbide bit every 6 inches before firing, and it held like a dream for the whole 40 foot run. Has anyone else run into this on older slabs, or is there a better fix I should know about?
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emma_jones2d ago
Wow, I actually just read about that trick in a flooring forum last week! Someone was swearing by the same pre-drill method for those old poured slabs in high-rises. They said the carbide bit basically saves your nails from taking all that heat. Good on you for figuring that out on site, though, 'cause most guys just keep upping the charge and wrecking the strip. Honestly, for slabs from the 70s I think that's the only reliable way, unless you go with a hammer setter and some serious patience. Sounds like a solid fix, I'd stick with it.
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