Replies

1. 
   RedfordHenry | Jul 17, 2008 08:10am | #1

   Stainless steel ring shank siding nails shot from a siding gun.  Take your pick of manufacturer (Bostich, Makita, etc.)

2. 
   MikeCallahan | Jul 17, 2008 08:25am | #2

   I have a lot of nailers for every kind of work and I use them daily but for cedar siding I still prefer a hammer. You should be using ring shank stainless nails. Nailers are inherently sloppy. If you are not a carpenter and you miss a lot, then use a palm nailer. The nails need to be placed carefully. Nailing by hand will prevent shiners. A hammer in the hand of a carpenter is much neater. If you insist, a coil nailer is the standard but the largest nail is a 10d for most nailers. 10d nails are not long enough for nailing 2X trim. Cedar knots are very hard and you will need to drill pilot holes when the layout is on a knot.
   If you are spending the money for nice siding then hand nailing is the only way.

   Mike Callahan, Lake Tahoe, Ca.
1. 
   arnemckinley | Jul 17, 2008 01:20pm | #4

   i have hand nailed many cedar shingles. i can usually put on about a square a day hand nailing ss ringshanks. i can do twice that with a siding nailer...  the question is how much more is the average home owner going to pay for a hand nailed job. twice as much? many of us work for the wealthy, but i think on a budgeted job a pneumatic nailer is the way to go. 

   Every day is a gift, that's why it's called the present.

1. 
   arnemckinley | Jul 17, 2008 01:23pm | #5

   just read that you're putting up claps. i definetely hand nail claps. it's to hard to get the nail flush to the siding consistently. 

   Every day is a gift, that's why it's called the present.

2. 
   Piffin | Jul 17, 2008 01:52pm | #6

   "i think on a budgeted job a pneumatic nailer is the way to go."a budget job gets vinyl or pine, not good cedar. Why ruin a good job with bad nailing?
   edit - I see you are up to speed, LOLWelcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
   where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!

   Edited 7/17/2008 6:53 am ET by Piffin

3. 
   Piffin | Jul 17, 2008 01:16pm | #3

   Speed insn't everything when the claps are split and looking terrible. Cedara is far mnore sensitive to poor nailing than pine.

   Hand nail with SS ring siding nails

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!