Frequently Asked Questions
What are nail guns used for?
A nail gun (or nailer) is used to drive nails into wood. Rather than placing each nail into position and hammering each nail into the surface, you simply load the nail gun magazine with nails, place the tip on the spot you want to nail, compress it, and pull the trigger. This makes woodworking easier, saves your energy and increases your productivity. As soon as your nail is fired into place, you can move straight on to the next spot. When manually hammering nails, it is possible to miss the nail head and hit and damage the workpiece. With a nail gun, you simply place the tip onto the wood exactly where you want the nail and pull the trigger to drive it in. There is no swinging and missing, or accidentally damaging the workpiece.
Nail guns can be used for a whole range of applications. Framing nailers take larger nails that are typically used for rough woodwork and construction jobs, such as, joisting, stud work, erecting timber frames, soffits, floorboards, roof battening, roof decking, panelling, cladding, and fencing. A brad nailer takes smaller nails and is usually used for finishing work. This could include tongue and groove panelling, crown mouldings, architraves, window casings, beading, dado rails and skirting boards.
What types of nailers are available?
There are several types of nail gun that can be used for a variety of different tasks. Which nail gun you should use will depend on the project you’re attempting.
First Fix/Framing nail guns
Although they are designed to work with all different types of materials, framing nail guns are often used for heavy-duty projects. They are a must-have for carpentry and industrial work, including installing decking and fencing, hardwood flooring and framing houses.
Brad/Second Fix nail guns
Brad nailers fire smaller nails than framing nailers. They are more appropriate for finishing work, like tongue and groove panelling, architraves, beading, dado rails and skirting boards.
Pin nail guns
These guns use tiny, delicate, headless nails, usually around an inch long. They are usually used on soft woods and useful as a reinforcement for glued pieces.
Roofing nail guns
When installing a roof, you could encounter a wide range of materials, including wood, fibreglass, and asphalt. Roofing nail guns are designed to handle almost any type of material.
Staple nail guns
Staple nail guns fire staples and are often used for upholstery projects, carpet installation and wood panelling – jobs where a nail could be too abrasive and cause wood to split.
Flooring nail guns
While many will opt for a staple gun for flooring, others will prefer the extra force you get from a flooring nail gun – especially for thicker hardwood floors.
What type of nail gun to I need for skirting boards?
Brad nail guns are perfect for installing skirting boards. An 18-gauge nailer will work better than a 15- or 16-gauge nailer, as it has a thinner head. This leaves almost unnoticeable holes in the wood for a much better finish without compromising on holding power. The thinner nails also reduce the risk of splitting or cracking the wood. 18-gauge nailers are also lightweight making them more comfortable to use and easier to manoeuvre.
Brad nail guns are also ideal for crown moulding, window woodworks, furniture work and other delicate woodworking jobs. This is thanks to their smaller, thinner body compared to other types of nail guns. They are also good when working with thinner cuts of timber, fibreboard and plywood.
What are the best brands for cordless nail guns?
Nail guns are a must-have tool for many professionals. Carpenters, joiners, roofers, carpet fitters and contractors all benefit from the consistent speed, power and precision offered from nail guns. We stock a wide range of nail guns from leading brands including Paslode, Makita and DeWalt. You may want to consider your existing cordless tools as it does make sense to choose the same brand of nail gun. This will mean you don’t need to worry about different types of batteries and any other little hassles that come into play when you mix and match tools. It’s also important to remember that what you find amazing in one brand, someone else is going to find in another.
It's more important to consider the type of nail gun you need for your project. If you need any help or advice choosing a nail gun, contact our friendly and experienced team who will be able to advise. You can send us a message via our contact form, call 03330 043 777, or visit us at our shop in Wigan. Our team have plenty of knowledge – one of the reasons we’ve been one of the UK’s leading independent tool suppliers since 1963.
