12 Different Types of Nail Guns and Their Uses

Affluent nail guns and their uses by categorization can make you overwhelmed. Nail guns are machines of mounted long clips with fasteners. Each one purpose-built has been designed for driving into wood or specific materials. Such tools turn out as the alternative of manual hammers, don’t they?

Questions may arise like why, how and safety issues from enormous listings. Let’s check answers and have a rundown with different types of nail guns and their uses. Before that, have a look at focused factors.

Nail Guns or Nailers? 

Hanging pictures or making birdhouses are easy with hammers. But running a furniture shop or building two-storey houses are not yet. To save hours of toils and sweat, you need nail guns or nailers.

What is a nail gun or nailer? How to run this? Well, it operates through a pneumatic system or electromagnetism. Else, by gas or battery. 

The major 9 types nailing guns which are in the details below: 

• Roofing
• Framing 
• Siding 
• Flooring
• Brad for Woodworking 
• Trim Finish 
• Staple Guns
• Palm 
• Headless Pinner

But special schemed nailers are available in stores. Cap and  metal connectors are some of them. So we have captured 12 different types of nail guns and their uses. 

Opt Out Factors

• Power Source: Battery, pneumatic, fuel/ gas.
• Tool Cord Style: Cordless, Corded.
• Nail Length: Thinner wall avails less nail length. Thicker walls provide more nail length.

1. Roofing

Roofing nail guns remarked their names from the first-task. From the DIYers to professional jobbers can afford and use in a typical way.

Types: 

Solenoid: Empowered by electromagnetic polarization.

Spring loaded: Run nails with the usage of spring into the roof.

Pneumatic: A basic air compressor system and powered by. Frequent loading of gas cartridges and batteries are not necessary.

The professionals should have a trial with cordless roofing nailers. But it offers the opposite functions of pneumatic ones.

Applications:

• Need less energy and save time afterward.
• More efficient for roof shingle installation.
• You may get the best roofing nailer listing to finish the lining here.

2. Framing

Which one is the heavy-duty nailer? Which have longer nails to make solid deeps into lumber? Any guesses? Got the same pinch and it is a framing nail gun. An ideal one’s nail length is up to 3-1/2” which intends to join 2×4’s. 

Head Types: 

Clipped head: At the bottom, graded for elevated projects even holding more nails.

Round head: Hold fewer nails than the clipped head. Also, tends to avoid certain building codes.

Such improved framing nail guns functions have enlisted below:

Air Framing: Facilitates activities of carpenter, carpenter and agile woodworks.

Cordless: Optimized with Lithium-ion battery technology. Also, swap out in need with a brushless motor and battery.

Coil: Fix all engineered lumbers, roofing, decking and crafting you need.

Gas: An electric jolt ferments a gas cartridge to run deeper into lumbers. Preserve enough gas holders for perfect maintenance.

Pneumatic: An immobile air compressor mechanism leads to continuous work. 

Applications:

• Corroborate the depth of nails underneath.
• Build your own homes, rooms, wood sheathing and decks too.
• Capable of generating fences and wood siding.
• Better portable. 

3. Siding

Want to install siding with nailers? Greater projects bid larger pieces of wood. Siding nail guns assist to join them up. The dimensions utilize between 1-1/4” – 2-1/2” with broad heads. A newbie contractual worker must choose from the hand-picked ones. Pick from the reputed brands like above nail guns and their uses.

Applications:

• Leashes together material and thinner wooden pieces as well to the wooden mount.
• Similar but more powerful than framing nail guns.
• Certain aluminium nailed models suit for aluminium siding. 

4. Flooring

Unique designs one may find in flooring nailers models. All flooring nail guns are not co equal to hardwood tasks specialty. Installing floors are quite responsive because of contracting weathering. Manufacturers fit spiral, smooth shape and often staple nails in several models. The suited nails vary in T or L shape. 

Types: 

Pneumatic: Pursuits with consistent high execution power. Besides, it highlights the flooring surfaces. But limited air hoses can disturb activities.

Manual: Considerable for making perfect crunch. Anyone can afford such UI compatible, but slow ones.

Cordless: A cordless flooring nail gun that conducts only with batteries or gas cartridges. Flexibility and lingering remain as long as you are swapping the process. 

Applications:

• Staples dipped and spiral shaped ones grip the subfloor and board. That resists working loose.
• A nylon mallet and edge in nailers of the board ever hit the plunger. The process ensures the driving into deeper surfaces. 
• Good at laying floorboards.

5. Brad for Woodworking

A professional contractor finds it difficult to choose between brad or pin nailers. Because both of their nail lengths are quite small. Brad nailers adjoin maximum 18 gauge and 2 inch length nails. The thinner nails in the cross section generate smaller holes. Also, less tendency to split shrunk trim and molding. Sort from the famous schemed akin to remaining nail guns and their uses.

Types: 

Cordless: Powerful for finishing woodworking in less time. A battery-powered gun upside dwelt with 18 gauge brads lasts long.

Pneumatic: The interruptive limited air hose thing assists in smaller jobs.

Applications:

• 15/16 gauge brands are significant for- crown molding, trim work and baseboards.
• Construct cabinets, carpets and light furniture.
• True choice for instant stop and baseboard shoe moldings.

6. Trim Finish

When the modern flooring nailers cannot reach into the subfloor need face nails. The trim finishing nailers hold face nails about 8 penny size. That means the size is 15 to 16 gauge with minimal heads. The best instrument for crown molding and baseboards. 

Types: 

Pneumatic: For interior carpentry, choose 2-½ inches long nails.

Cordless: 2 major embodied nails like the angled and straight ones. Angled ones are for ingoing to corners. Besides, straight ones for stapling welding into places. 

Applications:

• Perfect for countersinking.
• Riskless assistance in tapping nail heads into the boards-surface.
• Useful in door and window casing, chair rail and door frames.

7. Metal Connector

Likewise the name, metal connector nail guns get into fixing metal hardware. People also familiar with the alternative names anchor or strap nailers. Hammered in straps help in securing joist hangers. One can use a positive placement head to lightweight the job. Also, hold dual nails length about 1-½ and 2-½ inch. 

Types:

Pneumatic: Strap-ties need 40/50 fasteners. Multi-blow driving helps restrain double-firing.

Cordless: Give the feels like a tool in hand. For instance, driving up to 600 nails with 75 face mount 2*6 joist hangers on one battery pack. 

Applications:

• Immune to hurricanes, earthquakes and similar disasters. 
• For complete strap ties and wall bracing.

8. Staple Guns

Preferring to act like a home carpenter from interior to dog house? Staple guns or narrow crown staples or trigger guns are the perfect solution. It acts better on vertical surfaces. Crown staples look U–shaped with a flat top. Generate a strong placement by pushing staplers. But the attached nails are actually staples, not nails. Often staple guns get sold by series, unlike other nail guns.

Types: 

Electric: Domain with a nice blend of electric force systems. Long time activities like carpeting, upholstery and easy cabinetry are possible with this. 

Pneumatic: Unlike other pneumatic models, the fastest activities get done. Already owning an air compressor is the best choice.

Hand-actuated: Perfect for inside or outside if you have less jobs to complete. This simplest gun includes various staple sizes for interior furniture reupholstering. Get available hand-actuated staple guns at a reasonable price. 

Applications: 

• Install light carpets and upholsteries.
• Useful in fastening fabrics and weather stripping.
• Often handy for ceiling tiles, wire and screening and foam and padding.

9. Palm

The mass makes sense in its definition of how one grips it in the hand palm. The mobility gives the credit to reach the tightest of corners. The accurate nail length for palm nailers is between 1.5”-3.5”. While the heavy duty models run between 2”-6”. The full-sized parts are supported in a smaller scale, such as mini nail guns.

Applications: 

• Reduce exhaustion via fencing, remodeling and crafting.
• Excellent at fixing joist hangers and other smaller projects.

10. Headless Pinner

Are you a new woodworking artisan? Then small, smooth and low-powered headless pinners are very handy. Each is compatible with 22-23 gauge headless nails like sewing needles. Suitable with 3”-8”. The pins conjoin with glue with almost no holding power. 

Applications:

• In case of finishing carpentry projects.
• Delicate in trimming and molding pieces.
• At times, cabinetry and crown molding.

11. Hammer Tacker

Both hammer tacker and staple guns differ from the orientation base of the layers. Staplers head needs to be placed, but this one with a vertical stroke push. Containing grip tackers collaborate one to staple on the desired surface. The exceptional nail length is about 8”-14”. As well as weighing only 1.8-2.2 pounds.

Applications:

• Better for installing insulations and flooring sometimes.
• Very often used on carpet layers and roof side works.

12. Caper

Best pneumatic machine for performing material underlayments. Combined with a sturdy plastic case to wrap something with nails. A criterion 100 check magazine is much more appropriate. Found nail biting in the wheel form. One can adjust the nail depth in anticlockwise or clockwise. A trigger maintains the contact and drag mode in the cap nailer design. Pick from the renowned cap nail gun brands.

Applications: 

• Utilize for sidewalls, components and baseboards.
• Nails altering options, unlike other nail guns and their uses.
• Protect and prolong the surface area of the fastener.

Cautions​

Working methods are different for power-actuated, combustion and air-powered nail guns and their uses. 

Adjust nail depth and fix nail gauge for more benefits.

The design should contain plenty of sequential trigger nail guns.

Power control (electric, pneumatic and fuel) analysis better inspects before running the device.

Read the manuals and get training if you are a professional contractor. Also, have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Close calls method for reporting and rapid injury treatments. 

What Safety Precautions Should Be Taken When Using a Nail Gun

1. Wear safety goggles and gloves when using a nail gun.

2. Make sure the nail gun is securely attached to the surface before firing.

3. Read the manual carefully before using a nail gun.

4. Keep your hands away from the tip of the nail gun.

5. Disconnect the nail gun from the air supply when not in use.

6. Use the correct nails for the job and never use more than the recommended size.

7. Keep the work area clear of obstructions and trip hazards.

8. Make sure the nail gun is in good condition, free from damage and wear.

9. Inspect the work area for any obstructions such as wires or pipes before firing.

10. Never point the nail gun at anyone.

Wrap Up

Still working with manual machines for house wrap and roofing underlayments? Time to upgrade. Such tools from workshop to home are superb with variety. Because one can’t use the 2.5” length schemed palm stuff in heavy-duty. Similar to 15 or 16 brad gauges are not perfect for woodworking. 

Indeed, different types of nail guns and their uses are great investments. Powerful nail guns or safe ones? Nailing down this issue is upon smart choice.

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• A Guide to 18 Gauge Brad Nailers for Woodworking
• Finding the Best Nailers for Crown Molding
• What is the Best Cordless Framing Nailer