Theres got to be an easier way!

[Ian]

When I was taught about ply lining I was told to always drill a pilot hole if screwing down to stop the screw pulling the layers apart and leaving a void between floor and ply. Making a tedious job twice as long. Hence staples if I do ever ply line

 

[Ceramica Tiling]

Turbo gold scews (screwfix)

 

[SandyFloor]

I use one of these with a compressor



It fires up to 50mm lg. ring shank nails at a rate of up to 3 nails per second so you can put a lot of nails in quickly. I usually use it to prep for vinyl tile 6mm ply with 22mm nails or 9.5mm with 27mm nails. You can set the depth as well. I have it so it just breaks the surface of the ply and no more.

 

[DHTiling]

Image had a copyright logo on it Sandy..🙂

 

[DHTiling]

BS5385 recommends screws..

 

[Scott]

If ring shanks wont hold down chipboard they wont down ply either, nails pull out screws dont.

Simples


Each to their own i guess but ill continue to screw down my ply 🙂

 

[Stewart]

Always use screws...... Usually a 40 - 50 mm 5.0. Have ripped up many plyed floors in he past, and when I have to do it, I hope it's been nailed, as it's much easier to remove than a screwed one.......

 

[SnipSnap]

Its not often I use ply anymore, I've been converted to hardi boards. Thing with the nails is you can put about 4 times the amount in a board,in half the time. With addy, grout and tile weight its very secure, and dare I say it, more secure than screwing?

NEVER underestimate the power of wood!
Fluctuation in temperatures and humidity will bend wood and I have seen a limestone tiled floor section lifting. When walked on, it was flexing considerably.
The nails were over 100mm long. I was asked to repair somebody else's work... the weight of the limestone and fixing material was quite considerable but it didn't help keeping it down.

Think about it... wood was used by the Romans in quarries to split sections of marble blocks.

 

[devonmark]

I have one of these:

Quik Drive® Auto-Feed Screw Driving Systems

It is truly amazing, screws are expensive but the time saving is unreal. There is a clip on there racing a guy with a DeWalt impact driver, its no contest.

now that is what I would call a really useful tool

 

[devonmark]

When I was taught about ply lining I was told to always drill a pilot hole if screwing down to stop the screw pulling the layers apart and leaving a void between floor and ply. Making a tedious job twice as long. Hence staples if I do ever ply line

something I always do and countersink