Flooring nailers are pretty much like other nailers/staplers, except that they add a funky head that helps you position nails quickly and easily. Of course, that means that the head has to be the right size for whatever flooring you’re going to install, or at least it has to be adjustable. That’s the Duo-Fast gun’s claim to fame: a foot that you can adjust — without tools — to accomodate any size flooring between 1/4″ and 5/8″.
Besides that, it’s also pretty light, weighing in at just over 4-1/2 pounds. It features a double-length magazine which holds up to 180 staples, too, as well as a reload indicator to let you know when it’s empty. As you can see in the picture (and Toolmongers will love, it seems) it ships in a blow-molded plastic case.
I’ve never actually installed wood flooring, but I hear that engineered wood is totally the way to go. Besides proving a lot more affordable and offering a much wider range of wood and finish options, you can also install it a whole bunch of different ways, from free-floating to nailed/stapled/glued. But having watched a friend install some similar flooring a few years ago, I can still attest that having the right tools for the job will speed it up significantly — as will a little research and experience.
How many of you have done flooring work? I’d love to know whether this gun really offers a significant advantage over others — or even over using a standard brad nailer. It sounds to me like it would, but what do you think? Is it worth $300?
SureShot 1848F [Duo-Fast]
Street Pricing [Google]