I’m about to purchase a cordless brad nailer to use for trimwork and interior doors. I’m curious as to whether 18ga brad nailer is sufficient in size, or if I should go to a 16ga bradnailer. I see on the cover of the latest Fine Homebuilding that a cordless nailer is being used to hang an interior door, but I can’t tell the nail size. I’d like to make sure I’m using heavy enough nails to hold things in place.
Thanks!
An architect and a handy homeowner team up for an exterior upgrade with energy efficiency, comfort, and durability as part of the plan.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
Mostly a bump, as the folks hanging around hear will
fill you in nicely.
For paint grade I've been happy with a 15g. It hold nicely,
But you will be filling holes.
For clear coats 18g.
That DW cordless nailer on the current cover is 16 ga., as are the Paslode cordless finish guns.
A 16 ga. is the minimum I'd use for setting doorjambs. I have both a Paslode, and a 15 ga. finish nailer. I use the 15 ga. most of the time when setting doors. For crown moulding, I like using my Paslode 16 ga., so I'm not dealing with houses when I'm up on a ladder.
I nail door and window casing to the jamb with a 18 ga. nailer, then nail the outside of the casing with the 16 or 15 ga. gun. I used to use just a 15 ga. for nailing casing, but I find having 2 guns with different length fasteners faster than changing the nails in one gun.
For your first gun, I'd go with a 16 ga. As far as I know, no one makes a 15 ga. cordless nailer. You can get a 18 ga. nailer down the road. You'll eventually want it.
"For your first gun, I'd go with a 16 ga. As far as I know, no one makes a 15 ga. cordless nailer. You can get a 18 ga. nailer down the road. You'll eventually want it."http://www.amazon.com/Senco-Cordless-41-15-gauge-Finish/dp/B000M90C4S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=hiqid=1236986737&sr=8-3http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DC628K-Heavy-Duty-XRP-4-Inch/dp/B000HZJJGY/ref=pd_bbs_5?ie=UTF8&s=hiqid=1236987056&sr=8-5"Shawdow boxing the appoclipse and wandering the land"
Wier/Barlow
fyi, I just discovered that Hitachi makes a cordless 15 ga finish nailer. While I have used the cordless framer with great satisfaction, but I can't speak to the finish gun.
At its most basic level, capitalism offers people the freedom to choose where they work and what they do … the dignity that comes with profiting from their talent and hard work. … The free-market system also provides the incentives that lead to prosperity -- the incentive to work, to innovate, to save and invest wisely, and to create jobs for others.†-President George W. Bush
In other words, free-market capitalism is the best path to prosperity.
Interesting, but I see they didn't get good reviews.
I'll stick with my Paslode 16 and 18 ga. cordless guns. They've been very reliable for me.
Who reviewed them, you? Don't count on a magazine to sell you a tool. Use it yourself and then make your decision. If you must have it right now, rent it first.
FHB is trying to sell you tools. Whichever tool company gives them the most money that month will be the "featured tool" in the article about roof flashing, or siding, or whatever.
I was referring to the user reviews in the Amazon link.
Thanks to you both for your thoughts. It sounds like the 16ga would be a better choice ... probably a DeWalt DC618k.
I'm not sure if you've made your choice, yet, but I just finished trmming out a remodel yesterday, and I found the Paslode cordless 16 just gets it done and is really easy to use. I had 15 ga with compressor on the job, and used it on the door jamb, but 16 ga resists splitting near the ends and you can hang it on your belt without a hose to worry about. As I recall, the reason I bot the Paslode was a review in one of trades which gave it a very high rating. I have seen nothing to disagree with that view.
At its most basic level, capitalism offers people the freedom to choose where they work and what they do … the dignity that comes with profiting from their talent and hard work. … The free-market system also provides the incentives that lead to prosperity -- the incentive to work, to innovate, to save and invest wisely, and to create jobs for others.†-President George W. Bush
In other words, free-market capitalism is the best path to prosperity.
Thanks for your comments. I actually went out and bought a 16ga DeWalt DC618K cordless. I had used an 18ga pneumatic a couple of times which was OK for light trim, but I wasn't sure what other people's experiences were with installing interior doors or dealing with things that might be a little more substantial than a couple of feet of quarter-round molding. It seemed to me that 18ga nails wouldn't do a solid job on door frames, but I thought I'd see what folks thought in this forum. Your comment further reinforces my comfort in selecting a 16ga nail gun.
I use a Senco 15 ga angled finish nailer, a Campbell-Hausefeld 18 ga brad nailer, and a Senco 23 ga "pin" nailer.
The finish nailer takes up to 2.5" nails, the brad nailer takes brads from 1/2" to 2", and the pin nailer takes 1/2" to 1".
The nailer I use for a specific job depends mostly on how well I need it nailed. The brad nailer can shoot brads long enough to hang a door, but they probably wouldn't hold very well.
The pin nailer can't be beat for hanging stained & finished scribe moldings. The hole it leaves is almost invisible and often doesn't need filling.
Edited 3/11/2009 7:13 pm by Dave45
Thanks. It sounds like I need to add a pin nailer to my Xmas list.
Yeah, I'm surprised at how much I end up using the pin nailer. I just made a set up sub-woofers and I need the pin nailer to help set the outside for glue-up this AM. I've used it in many unusual situations....glad I bought it.
At its most basic level, capitalism offers people the freedom to choose where they work and what they do � the dignity that comes with profiting from their talent and hard work. � The free-market system also provides the incentives that lead to prosperity -- the incentive to work, to innovate, to save and invest wisely, and to create jobs for others.� -President George W. Bush
In other words, free-market capitalism is the best path to prosperity.
Just FYI, those are finish nailers....next size(s) down are brad nailers, and then come (headless) pinners.......
And 'slight head' pin guns.
if you are a prodution trimmer??? why go cordless they can be very expensive and the paslode gas smells bad in a closet or running base .and the cells cost ya a fortune the dewalt weighs a ton .good for warranty work but allday it could get hard on the arms
>>
if you are a prodution trimmer???<<
Some how, I don't think he is a production trimmer.
And don't see anything in his posts to indicate that.
Jim Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
I'm not a production trimmer .... I just always have a project going, between my house and my kids' houses. I just finished redoing a living room for a daughter (sheetrock, a door, baseboard, crown molding and window trim), I'm redoing my kitchen now (Two doors, new baseboard, and crown molding), and next month I'm redoing a basement for another daughter (two bedrooms, three closets, several interior doors and lots of trim). I got tired of banging my fingers and bending finishing nails which mangled the trim, and told my wife it was time for a suitable bradnailer.
I passed up the Paslode because I have a camp in the Adirondacks that I work on a lot, and the chances of getting Paslode cartridges up there are 'zero' if I run out. The battery-only powered nailer will eliminate that problem. I've been putting notty pine in the rooms (three rooms down and three to go) and the brad nailer will help a lot.
I appreciate everyone's comments, by the way.