Mehreen Alberts
For detailed woodwork and trim, where you need more holding strength than a micro pin can provide, a brad nailer is typically the top choice among contractors and weekend warriors alike 😁 Brad nails are formed from a fine, 18-gauge wire, which means they are smaller in diameter and typically have less holding strength 👍 The benefit to an 18-gauge brad is its size. Thanks to a smaller head and diameter, brad nails are easier to conceal in small pieces of wood trim. In fact, there’s a good chance you won’t even need carpenter’s putty to conceal a brad nail after installation. A brad nail’s size helps prevent surface splitting, which could occur if the fastener is too large for the item it is nailed to. The only real downside to using a brad nailer and nails, these fasteners do not have the holding strength required for larger, heavier projects – such as large crown molding or baseboards.
The primary difference between a brad nailer vs a finish nailer is that the brad nail gun shoots 18-gauge nails whereas 16-gauge or 15-gauge nails are used in the finish nailer. The small 18-gauge brad nail helps you to attach delicate trims without splitting the trim. In contrast, finish nail guns that drive thicker nails offer more holding strength.With a brad nailer, you can attach thin trims and moldings without the need for using putty. On the other hand, a finishing nailer is what you will use for most of the carpentry and woodworking jobs though you may need to putty the hole.
According to Diandra Arnett at finepowertools.com, both 15G and 16G nail guns can drive nails up to 2 1/2 inches (6D to 8D long nails). The main difference is the diameter of the nail (15G is bigger) and the angled base of the 15G nailer that helps you to reach corners easily.There are few other types of nail guns such as roofing and framing nailers that can drive bigger nails, which offer better holding power. But, this means that you will have more fill work to do after the nails are applied. Plus, you increase the chance of splitting the baseboards when driving the nails.A 15 or 16-gauge nail is basically perfect for the job. This is because it is large and long enough to attach the baseboard, yet thin enough to be barely noticeable. Although with any nail you will have some fill work to do when making the baseboards look neat. There is considerably less work when you use this size of nail. (revised by Anthony Stewart from Jinhua, China on January 20, 2021)
Based upon further reading from sgs-engineering.com, when it comes to powerful, efficient nailing and stapling, the air hammer nail guns and air staple guns we have on offer at SGS are built to deliver. From heavy-duty nailing to light framing work, our selection of air tools provides you with one of the fastest and most efficient fastening methods available. We’ve been designing, selling and refining our own range of air-powered nail and staple guns for years now, so have a look through the full range of air tools and accessories or learn more about picking an air compressor and tools in our handy Air Compressor Buyers Guide. (we really thank Charise Olivas from Incheon, South Korea for letting us know).
