Upholstery Stapling

[Devon Wolfie]

After 5 years of happy touring in our Swift Sundance, my wife and I have decided to redecorate the interior of our moho. All seems to be going well apart from the reupholstering if the lounge seating. Some of the back rests have 8mm plywood backing, which is very difficult to fire staples into. I've tried hand held and electric staple guns with both 8mm and 6mm staples, which both fail to fully insert the staple.
I've tried tapping in staples with a hammer but all that happens is they seem to buckle rather than go in further.
I've looked at hiring air staplers but they seem v expensive for less than a day's work (stapler £40, air hose £13 and air compressor £93).
Has anybody got any alternative/workaround ideas?

 

[Gellyneck]

If they are not visible you can get 8mm long galvanised clout (felt) nails traditionally used for attaching roofing felt to sheds, etc.
Maybe an option for you?
You could maybe even touch them up with a bit of paint to take away the galvanised look?
Alternatively, if you wanted to try again with staples have you tried a carpet hammer tacker with heavier staples?
https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/d10/Staplers/sd2718/Tacwise+A11+Hammer+Tacker/p37318

 

[TheBig1]

a hammer tacker or an air tacker would both work but use quality staples

 

[old-mo]

Don`t bother with all them expensive things...

Get a "Heavy Duty"

Fires 6 - 8 - 10 mm, staples into hard wood No problems...

I have used it for umpteen re-upholstery projects, Headboards/Dining Chairs/Pelmets etc...

 

[Gellyneck]

Don`t bother with all them expensive things...

Get a "Heavy Duty"

Fires 6 - 8 - 10 mm, staples into hard wood No problems...

I have used it for umpteen re-upholstery projects, Headboards/Dining Chairs/Pelmets etc...

Does it staple joke books closed?

 

[Devon Wolfie]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I tried a couple of heavy duty hand staplers but didn't go in fully. I think the problem is that I'm tacking fabric into plywood glued to 6 inches of foam.
So there's always a bit of of give when you push down on the tacker. We finally cracked it by first getting my wife to pin all the edges in place first, which allowed me to use both hands forcing down the electric tacker before firing in shorter 6mm staples. Looking good so far....