Bostitch MFN200 Manual Flooring Cleat Nailer

by Bostitch

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Straightforward enough for the do-it-yourself flooring installer, yet durable enough for the professional, this mallet-actuated flooring nailer comes with a rubber mallet so you’re up and running out of the box. Great for installing hardwood and engineered flooring, this nailer is lightweight but incredibly well-made. It drives 1-1/2- to 2-inch, L-shape, serrated cleats into tongue-and-groove, 3/4-inch solid hardwood as well as engineered flooring. An aluminum housing ensures optimal jobsite durability and easy handling. A long reach handle means less bending at the waist for better comfort and control. Rubber bumpers along the tool body help protect the floor from damage, a big plus when installing pre-finished flooring. Best of all, a 200-cleat magazine means fewer reloads, so you get the job done fast. Bostitch backs this tool with its 7-year warranty. --Brian D. Olson

Applications:
Installing hardwood and engineered flooring

What’s in the Box
Nailer, rubber mallet

Amazon.com Product Review

If you're not into pneumatics, this may well be your best choice for a flooring nailer. It's lightweight but incredibly well-made, and it securely drives its L-shaped, serrated cleats into tongue-and-groove, 3/4-inch solid hardwood flooring.

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Product Details

Product Manual [639kb PDF]

• Item Weight: 15.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005NMTA
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: MFN200
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,057 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Manual Flooring Nailer, October 15, 2003

By 

Christopher L. Sanders (Everett, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bostitch MFN200 Manual Flooring Cleat Nailer (Tools & Home Improvement)

This is the first time I have put down tongue and groove hardwood flooring. I did a quick search on the internet and found this nailer for a decent price. I coulnd't afford the pnuematic ones because of cost plus I don't own an air compressor. First overal impression was its sturdy construction, it's very well built. This should last me for years if I ever decide to lay hardwood floors again or if my friends need to borrow it. The mallet that is included is very robust and the weight and balance allows you to impart a nice blow to set the cleat. I have had a few times where I didn't give it a hard enough blow and I didn't set the cleat all the way down. This is the main complaint of this tool I found on the internet and some people prefer the ratcheting manual nailers. But, the complaint of the racheting manual nailers was it would jam if you tried to set the last cleat. The Bostitch has set every single cleat every single time. Hasn't jammed once. So, if I didn't set the cleat all the way on the first blow, I just grabbed my pliers and twisted the cleats head off. Didn't even try pulling it out. The head would fatigue right off at the wood level and I would set another cleat right next to it. So I guess for me, take your pick, take time to fatigue off the cleats unseated head or take time trying to unjam a nailer. In my opinion, a nailer shouldn't have problems with jamming and tools tend to get broken when this happens. Once getting used to the amount of force required to set the cleat, I pretty much set them every single time now. The flooring I've used is pre-finished and I haven't had any problems with marring of the finish from this tool. Also, with the heavy mallet, I can really get the wood up tight to the previous line. If I did do this for a living, I could tell that it would start to stress my wrists and tendons, hence thats the main advantage of the pnuematic nailers. But for the price, I'm quite pleased. I'm really impressed with the results of my floor. Hope this helps

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Flooring Nailer, November 26, 2002

By 

jeffrey m. brink (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bostitch MFN200 Manual Flooring Cleat Nailer (Tools & Home Improvement)

I purchased this nailer as an "experiment" from a local hardware store that had it on clearance. I had previously checked for reviews here and found none, so I had no idea what kind of nailer it would be. My only base of reference was experience with a Porto-Nails 401P that I used on several occaisions (borrowed from another guy on the crew). I was not especially pleased with the performance of the 401P, so I had decided I would not buy one for myself, and, at this time, a pneumatic nailer was out of the question because of their prices. So the MFN200 seemed like a decent compromise. Upon initial inspection, I was impressed with the all metal construction and the feel of the nailer, it looks and feels like a tool that has the durability and construction to stand the test of time in the field (something that I did not feel with the 401P). First use has been an absolute joy! It drives the L-shaped cleates smoothly and positively with one hit (it doesn't have the ratcheting mechanism like the 401P). Some like the ratcheting of the 401P, but I have found that the lack of this feature on the MFN200 doesn't bother me a bit, even in odd positions for striking the tool. And my output has increased as well. Comparing the L-shaped cleats of the MFN200 and the T-shaped cleats of the 401P, both are serrated so in my own estimation, the difference in holding power will be insignificant. My biggest satisfaction has been that the MFN200 will drive every cleat in the magazine until it's empty. The 401P I have used was never able to do this. The one negative comment I do have is that it does not have the variety of different shoes available like the 401P (I haven't checked with Bostitch, though. Just this site). Overall, this is a great nailer if you can strike the tool solidly using either arm. In my estimation, it is far superior to the 401P and anyone on a budget will appreciate the price compared to a pneumatic nailer. Spend the few extra dollars and own a tool you will be satisfied with.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Extreme do-it-yourselfer, January 2, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bostitch MFN200 Manual Flooring Cleat Nailer (Tools & Home Improvement)

I bought this based on reviews at amazon.com. Overall, I really like the nailer. It takes a little getting used to and you have to hit the striking button very square. I also like that it drives slightly bowed planks firmly into place which eliminates the need for clamping. The biggest problem I've had is finding nails. Amazon.com is the only place I've been able to purchase them. None of the big hardware superstores in my area carry them (4 different companies), nor any of the lumber yards, hardware stores, etc.. So, Plan ahead and buy plenty of nails online and don't wait until the last minute to restock. I'm in the middle of putting down over 2000 square feet of 3/4 inch hardwood and am very please with this tool's performance. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still buy this nailer.