Nailers Buying Guide

Nailers – We’ve got it nailed.

• Pin Nailer:  the smallest nailer available and a favourite amongst cabinet makers and framers. The pin nailer uses 21 or 23 gauge pin nails, which are easy to cover up with filler and/or paint, making them the ideal tool for delicate trim work. The downside of a pin nailer is that it doesn’t provide a lot of strength, but the small nails used by a pin nailer minimise the chances of splitting the material.

  Our most popular Pin Nailer:

• First Fix Nailers: these are the muscle of the nailer family. Also known as framing nailers, these powerful tools are used across a range of heavy duty applications. Use a first fix nailer for securing joists, roofing, cladding, flooring, stud work, fencing and decking.

  Our most popular First Fix Nailer:

• Second Fix Nailers: A second fix nailer, or finishing nailer, typically causes less impressions and damage to the material than a first fix nailer. They use nails with smaller heads than first fix nailers and are very popular within the woodworking trade for; panelling, furniture repair, cabinet making, tongue and groove work, fixing dado rails, skirting and architrave. Finishing nailers are available with either a straight or angled magazine. An angled magazine helps when working in tight spaces, where versatility is important.

  Our most popular Second Fix Nailer:

• Brad Nailers: are often confused with finishing nailers, but are a couple of distinct differences. Firstly from a visual perspective brad nailers are usually smaller than finishing nailers. Secondly, while a finishing nailer uses nails with very small heads, a brad nailer uses nails with next to no head. This makes the brad nailer ideal for intricate work, but it means it doesn’t have the same binding power as a finishing nailer.

  Our most popular Brad Nailer:

• Positive Placement Nailers: are a specialist nailer that takes only 35mm nails, used for construction of roofs and to fix connector plates, joist hangers, truss clips and strapping to timber frames. A positive placement nailer also uses a probe attached to the tip of the nosepiece to find the hole in the surface.

  Our most popular Positive Placement Nailer:

• Stapler: a handy tool for DIYers and tradesmen alike. Staplers are used in a wide range of jobs from working with packaging or fabrics, right through to display exhibitions. Electricians staplers are also available, which are typically used by electricians for securing cables. A power driven stapler will save a lot of time and effort, making light work of laborious tasks, and saving your hands from any Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) issues.

  Our most popular Stapler:

Key Considerations When Buying A Nailer

Firing mechanism: All our nailers are battery powered , but the nails are typically fired by either battery or gas. A gas nailer uses a rechargeable battery to power the tool and a gas power to drive the nail into the material. Battery nailers are now typically advantageous to gas nailers, as they offer equivalent power and do not have the additional maintenance costs associated with gas nailers, including the cost of purchasing gas canisters and regular servicing. Furthermore, the gas cannisters used in gas nailers don’t perform well in freezing temperatures, which could be problematic on site during the winter.

Our gas nailers often come as a kit, so usually there isn’t a need to buy the battery separately. Our battery nailers can often be purchased either as a ‘body only’ tool or as part of a full kit containing batteries. For both gas nailers and battery nailers, please review the product information to check the tool comes with everything you require.

Size of nails: Before selecting a nailer, you should check whether it can fire the size of nails needed for the job in hand. First fix nailers are typically used for larger construction jobs and, as such, take the largest size of nail. Second fix nailers are designed to provide a better finish and usually will take smaller nails than first fix nailers. Positive placement nailers only take 35mm nails and are a specialist nailing tool. Pin nailers are designed for intricate nailing tasks and take the smallest size of nail.

Finish: If your nailing job requires a neat finish, then you may want to avoid a first fix nailer. First fix nailers ae more likely to leave impressions on the nailing surface than second fix nailers and pin nailers. Brad nailers will typically produce a better finish than a second fix, or finishing, nailer because their nails are usually thinner and have a smaller head.

Adjustments: Before buying your nailer, you may also want to consider if you require the ability to change the depth of the nails being fired. Some nailers will enable such an adjustment, so that nails can be inserted both flush to the surface, or below it. Please ensure you read the specification of the power tool before purchase to it caters for any adjustments required.

Weight: Nailers can be heavy. Therefore, the weight of the nailer should be a consideration when selecting your purchase. Think about the task being carried out and the duration of use in relation to the weight of the nailer. Whilst a nailers job is to increase efficiency and decrease fatigue, they can still be extremely heavy tools to operate. So, if weight is going to be a barrier make sure this is something you consider when making comparisons and selections.

Nailer Safety

Safety Gear and Clothing: Nailers can be dangerous tools, which means safety is paramount. Gloves and safety goggles must be worn at all times when operating a nailer to prevent injury if a nail misfires or debris is thrown back. They can also be very loud, so ear defenders are also advisable.

Fit For Purpose: Possibly one of the most important rules for using a nailer is to use them for the job in which it is intended. Use our guide to help ensure that you have chosen correctly. Read the product instructions and only use on the materials the nailer has been designed to work with. Do not attempt to modify the nailer in any way.

Safe Operation: Never point a nailer at a person or animal. Ensure hands, feet and other body parts are clear of the nailer’s firing area and if needed use clamps to fix work in place. Many of our nailers have the added feature of a safety mechanism to prevent nails being accidentally fired.

Read the Instruction Guide: Always read the instruction guide carefully. Even if you are accustomed to using nailers or have used the same brand previously, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the current guidelines. Make sure you are fully aware of the operations and features for that specific tool. Nailers can be very dangerous if not handled correctly. Inspect the nailer and repair or replace damaged parts before use.

View our range of Nailers and find the lowest prices online at Howe Tools.