How do I fix popped nails in hardwood floors?

Question

Two nails in my hardwood flooring keep popping up:

I have knocked them back in, but because of a bit of flex in the floor, they work their way back up. What should I do about them? Is it best to just pull them?

Answer 1

Use lost-head screws. These have heads small enough that they will pull down into the surface so you can cover them with a dab of filler.

There are many types, for different purposes, but all have this tiny head that will pull down below floor level. Often they use torx or square drivers so they won't cam out when driving. Drive them at an angle for even better pull resistance.

From comments
This may be another of those terms that doesn't cross the Atlantic well. If I search "lost head screws" I get a lot of hits, all in the UK. If I search "finishing screws" I also get a lot of hits, but a high percentage of them are in the US.
Interestingly, if I search "lost head nails" vs "finishing nails" in the UK I get the 'correct' nail [ie the one I thought I was looking for] for lost head, but I get the wrong nail for finishing.

Answer 2

I'd pull them out and see if the floor squeaks or flexes. Maybe you don't need them and can fill or ignore the holes.

Otherwise, replace them with ring shank or spiral shank type nails...as suggested here:

How do I keep nails from pulling up on my hardwood floors?

Answer 3

"Two nails in my hardwood flooring keep popping up: I have knocked them back in, but because of a bit of flex in the floor, they work their way back up. What should I do about them?"

Civil engineering answer:

The problem is not the nails, it is the floor flexing. The friction between the nails and the wooden restraint structure has been overcome by the force of the flooring pulling against the nails. Fix the underlying cause of flexural movement and nails will not be an issue ever again.

Using screw threaded fixings will not relieve the stresses causing the problem but may actually cause damage over a longer period.

Injecting a low viscosity epoxy filler, that will harden, through the nail holes into the underlying flexural space may be the best route in solving the flex.

Answer 4

Hammering them back in same hole wont hold

Hammer the nails at 10-30 dgr angle to drive the nails, that will stop them from coming out. That might take some practice.

Use a nail sinker tool, so to drive the nails just below surface and not to keep banging/damaging on the floor.

source: sears

Fill the old nail holes with wood filler

If you do not want to do all above, go to store and get longer nails.

Using glue suggestions:

Glue will not flow down the hole to the underfloor, it will mostly get soaked up at the top portion.

It will hold the nail and fool you, since it is not holding the floor to the underlayment.

Result, squeaking floor.

Answer 5

How do I fix popped nails in hardwood floors?

Note: this answer is intentionally literal instead of pragmatic.

1. Pull the nails straight up out of the floor
2. Tape off the floor surrounding the hole
   • Blue painter's tape is ideal
3. Put some wood glue in the hole
   • Elmer's Craft glue works fine as well if you already have that
4. Tap a toothpick or three in the holes
   • Make sure to get the toothpick below the hardwood surface
   • If a toothpick it sticking out then cut it off with a knife
5. Hammer the nails back into place while the glue is wet
   • Do this while the glue is wet because wood glue likes pressure and if you wait till the glue dries then you'll just break the glue bond between all of the wood
   • Ideally you would use a trim nail punch to set the nails about 1mm below the surface
6. Remove the tape and wipe up the excess wood glue with a damp sponge/cloth/towel while it's still wet
7. Try not to step on that floor board for at least 24 hours while the wood glue cures

Answer 6

I'd pull them and put in a few drops of cyanoacrylate glue (AKA superglue) or epoxy in the nail hole, re-install the nails and I guarantee you won't see them pop up again! Like knowitall's suggestion to use the punches to get them slightly below the surface and fill with wood putty.

Answer 7

Seems like no-one has mentioned pulling out and using bigger nails. If you're certain there are no pipes or wires underneath, in the joist, and the joist will take longer nails, great. Thicker nails would also do the job, same length as originals, if you're not sure. Otherwise, two or three toothpicks in the holes first will help. Or, knock the nails in at a crazy angle, avoiding the holes from where they came. Cheap and cheerful.

Answer 8

Whaterver the method from above you are using:

Make sure there are no pipes underneath.

A freind of mine once hammered back a popping nail and ended up with an expensive plumbing work that required lifting off a whole section of a floor. Clearly a counter-productive attemept!