A nail gun is one of the essential tools in the toolbox of carpentry and other woodworkers. On the market, you will find different types of nail guns. Unless you know them properly, it might be a chance to drain your effort and time using the wrong tools. It can waste your penny, too.
So, You must have to learn their features and applies well. Only then, you could be able to use the proper one for your projects. Your job will also be much more comfortable.
In this article, our research team is going to introduce the basic features and uses of different types of nail guns, which are usually popular and cover most nailing works. It will be our pleasure if you will learn them well.
Let’s go through on it.
Different Types of Nail Guns and Their Uses
1. Framing Nail Gun
A framing nail gun is mainly used in heavy-duty jobs. This nailer is for entire house framing, construction works, wood siding, deck work, cellar recreation, and more. Usually, the nails are 2.5 to 3.5 inches long. Two styles of framing nailers are available on the market: the round head and the clipped head.
The clipped head nailers are perfect for high volume jobs as they have more nails. On the other hand, the round head framing nail guns have fewer pins, but the construction codes are not limited.
For specific projects, you can also use three custom versions of framing nail guns: pneumatic framing nail gun, gas framing nail gun, and cordless framing nail gun.
2. Flooring Nail Gun
The flooring nail gun is a unique floor installation tool and specially built for preparing tongue and groove floorboards. It makes the jobs much easier to install the wooden floor.
This nail gun saves your time and energy by not prescribing much force. The good thing is that it also protects your knees and palms-on working moment.
You will find two types of flooring nail guns on the market: manual and pneumatic. Although both nailers work similarly, pneumatic nail gun pushes nails into the floorboard by pressured air.
For this nail gun, the board’s edge holds at the nailer, and a rubber mallet strikes the plunger. This technique ensures that nails are pushed each time at the correct angle and depth.
Flooring nail gun is not a flexible one. Apart from the laying of floorboards, it does not have any other use.
3. Roofing Nail Gun
The roof nailer is designed for nailing new roof. This nail gun is a type of coiled nailer. There are different types of roof nail guns basis on their nature, such as:
• Spring-loaded roofing nail gun
• Pneumatic roofing nail gun
• Solenoid roofing nail gun
• Cordless roofing nail gun
This nail gun has typically a versatile structure that provides less time to reload when you work with ceilings. The nails have a large flat head for controlling the power.
Like the flooring nail gun, only skilled roofers and cabinet makers use this type nailers for roofing works.
4. Brad Nail Gun
When you need lightweight trimming with accuracy, you can do it with brand nail guns. To install thick trims and molds without separation, these nailers are particularly helpful.
You can do a wide range of woodwork and general household repairs by using these, such as: making jewelry box, bird cages, baseboards, crown molding, door and window casings and more.
As a handy lightweight tool, they leave very tiny holes on the material. However, these are not finishing nailers due to nail chamber design. In almost every use, brad nail guns can be used that need a nail of 15 or 16 gauge.
5. Finishing Nail Gun
The finishing nail guns are compulsory to give finishing touch on woodworking jobs. These nailers are designed for precise work. When you need to build furniture, make interior moldings, or trimming, you should use a finishing nail gun.
Finishing nail guns are different from brad or pin nailer as they hold wider and bulkier wood frames. They are compatible with finishing nails of 15 to 16 gauges. Usually, the nails are 1 to 2.5 inches.
6. Pin Nail Gun
Pin nail guns are typically used for carpentry work giving the finishing touch. These nail guns are small in size. They are compatible with pins-like, 23-gauge headless nails. You can use them for DIY projects comfortably.
Typically a pin nailer has used in:
- Carpentry finishing.
- Molding of the crown.
- Delicate parts for trimming
- Small furniture trim.
- Cabinetry
- Thin veneers.
7. Palm Nail Gun
The palm nail guns are lightweight nailers and are operated by holding them with the palm. These nailers are suitable for fixing ceilings, holding materials to corners and edges of a wall. You can also use these tools for holding tight spots, and joist hangers.
Most palm nailers push nails between 1.5′′ and 3.5′′, but there are also large-duty versions with a 2′′ and 6′′ length.
Three types of palm nail guns are available, such as: electric,
pneumatic, and the cordless palm nail gun.
8. Siding Nailer
When you want a nail gun to fasten the siding of your wall or board, a siding nail gun is the best option for this. For siding works, people used framing nail guns before they have got siding nailers.
The framing nail guns use longer nails than what is needed to be fitted with siding. On the other hand, the siding nail guns use a border head and shorter nails, which are perfect for their functions. These nail guns use smaller pins between 1.25 to 2.5 inch. wider heads.
9. Staple Gun
Staple nail guns are nothing similar to any of the above nailers. They are highly versatile tools. These nail guns are used for a wide range of applications. They can drive staples into a comprehensive range of materials. You can use them for upholstery, carpeting, carpentry, home repair, and construction works.
10. Hand-actuated staple guns
Hand-actuated staple guns are the most popular staple guns since they are the easiest and most affordable.
These staplers operate mechanically, and it’s possible to use them very flexibly. They can be used for DIY jobs and technical works around the home.
If you have not much work to do, or if your job is external you can use them easily. They can also be used in a variety of staple sizes and are ideal for refinishing furniture.
11. Cup Nailer
Another type of nailer is a cup nailer. Sometimes it may be called siding nailer but the function is different from the siding nailers so we can’t included it to siding nail fun.
Power Types of Nail Guns
There are so many types of power nail guns on the market. We will cover various types of power nailers in this section.
The majority of nail gun types with power canisters use a compression system for applying force on nails.
12. Pneumatic Nail Gun
When you need to push thick nails and heavy metals, pneumatic nail guns can be an excellent tool. This nail gun has an air compressed power system, where a separate gas-powered air compressor produces compressed air. The gas force which drives the nails in pneumatic nail pistons is typically ideal for steel and concrete materials.
13. Electric Nail Gun
Whether working on carpet or lightweight cabinets, an electric nail gun is the best option for both personal and industrial works. For it’s lightweight, you can easily operate. Even if you are a new user, it would not be difficult to use.
These nail guns can operate continuously without losing control. Thanks to its potent combination of power source and latch. It also produces less noise than others, and you can use it comfortably in the residential area.
14. Air Nail Gun
Air nail guns are designed for depth adjustment without rotating components. This nailers use compressed air as a power source. It will be a good oil-less compressor using at home.
This types of nail guns can fasten between 40 to 60 nails per minute. So, It will add an extra beneficiary to the carpenters as they can move it quickly on any surface. This tools are also perfect for heavy-duty industrial construction work for their powerful pneumatic force.
15. Cordless Nail Gun
Cordless nail guns are designed for high value jobs. These nailers are battery powered types. So, you don’t need any electric cords or compressor units.
The best features of these nailers are that they can save your time a lot. They will also give you the longest durability. Your jobs will much more comfortable using them.
There are different types of cordless nail guns and they’re used in different sectors: such as cordless framing nailer, cordless finishing nailers, cordless flooring nailers, cordless roofing nailers, and more.
So, the working sectors for these nail guns are vast. For framing, woodworking, roofing, finishing or metal works you can use specific type of cordless nailer.
16. Battery Nail Gun
Battery nail guns are versatile in nature for their increasing power ability and using area. Although these nail guns are similar to air-powered nailers or to cordless nail gun types, they use an internal compressor. Most often these nail guns use in carpentry works. They are also a handy tool for home based repairing including soft and hardwoods works.
17. Trim Nail Gun
For trimming, molding, and carpentry works, trim nail guns are one of the best tools. It can quickly install hardwoods.
There are three different types of trim nail guns with their various sizes of nails, such as: the brad trim nailer, the pinners, and the finishing trim nail gun. For using trim nail guns, you need to learn that little nailers allow you to work faster and also protect the fragile moldings than bigger nails.
18. Coil Nail Gun
The coil nail guns have drums to hold nails. Depending on models these drums can hold up to 350 nails. So, you don’t need to reload nails every time to complete your task smoothly. For framing works, coil nailer may use along with framing nailers. Though these nail guns are versatile, you can use for many jobs.
19. Strip-Style Nail Guns
Strip-style nail guns have a single but long magazine that rises from the lower part of the nail gun. These types of nail guns can handle only 20 to 40 nails. As the magazine comes from the bottom of the nailer, it can be a little bit unregulated and awkward to use in small spaces.
Although coil-style nail guns and strip-style nail guns have the same working spaces, the advantages of strip-type nailers are that they’re cheaper than coil-style nailers and also weight oriented for comfortable handling.
20. Hammer staple guns
Hammer staple guns are also known as hammer tackers or hammer staplers. When large quantities and high working speeds are required, and the accuracy is less important, hammer staple guns are the right choice in this action. They are perfect for padding and isolation of carpet but maybe a little sluggish and substantive.
Final Verdict:
What are you thinking about your nail guns knowledge now? We hope you’re getting out of confusion. You may have uncertainty before reading this article regarding which types of nailers you may use for your work since you have no idea of different styles. We believe you are going to be a winner from this post. You can now conveniently select which nailer is perfect for your jobs. Share your valuable words or experience here if you find this post helpful.
I started this blog to provide an advanced guide and information to the people to choose the best product. Writing over every part of the tools. I try to cover every type of tool to review and information.