Laying pine tongue /groove floorboards - advice please

Rotor

Hi, As per title , I am laying PTG flooring - Do I need to clamp the boards as I nail them or will giving them a whack with a waste length of plank be enough to butt them up tightly?
(The planks have been waiting in situ for several months now so will be well acclimatised)

If I do need to clamp would these be suitable?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-633773-Laminate-Floor-Clamp/dp/B000OIJIM4
Thanks

kblufc7

hello rotor you can hire proper floorboard clamps if laying on joists k

ormus

you only really need the clamp if you are glueing the planks.
if (secret) nailing then they shouldnt move at all.

rochja

Good 'how to advice available on Homebase site.

Rotor

Thanks folks . yes I am secret nailing so it is good to hear that I can butt them up and nail ; makes life a bit easier.

leveller2911

ormus wrote: »

you only really need the clamp if you are glueing the planks.
if (secret) nailing then they shouldnt move at all.

You don't glue solid Pine boards Ormus otherwise when they shrink back they will crack.

Engineered boards and laminates can be glued.

leveller2911

leveller2911 wrote: »

You don't glue solid Pine boards Ormus otherwise when they shrink back they will crack.

Engineered boards and laminates can be glued.

If the boards are being laid on joists we just use a waste piece of flooring and use a wide chisel to cramp them up by hammering the chisel into the joist next to the flooring and push the boards together(try knocking the chisel into the joist with the bevelled edge away from the boards and you get better purchase).

You can buy or hire floor clamps but I've rarely needed them..

PS: The clamps you post the link to are for laminate flooring and won't work very well on pine boards,the main reason being laminate boards are straight whereas pine boards can be bowed, warped and twisted.