Best Nail Guns in 2021

How We Chose Our Selection of Best Nail Guns

Performance - The performance of a nail gun comes down to a few basics: how easy it is to load, how easy it is to clear jams, how cleanly it sets the nails, how easy it is to switch between different length nails and whether or not it is prone to breaking down. We weigh all of these considerations and more when judging performance.

Quality - The quality of the nail gun is determined in large part by how effectively it performs the tasks just mentioned. A high quality tool is the one that is easy to use, reliable, versatile and does not break down.

Reviews - While we certainly spend time sifting through online reviews we do so mainly to see if there are any things we might have overlooked. We give much more weight to those opinions we are able to obtain in face to face encounters with the people who actually use this type of equipment in the performance of their job. And then factor in our own experience as well.

Features To Look For In Nail Guns

Weight - A standard claw hammer weighs about 1 pound and over the course of the day can take a toll on your arm. Now imagine using a nail gun that weighs 8 or 9 times as much. Not only that but you don’t get to swing the nail gun. You have to hold it more or less stable. If you don’t think that makes a difference go find a 10 pound weight and hold it out in front of you stationary for a couple of minutes and see how it affects your arm. The bottom line: The lighter the better.

Ease of use - There are a number of factors that determine whether a gun is easy to use or not. They include whether the nail gun is prone to jamming. Whether the gun has a propensity for firing 2 nails at a time. Whether the gun is tethered to an air or power source or whether it’s battery powered. Other factors weighing on ease of use include how easy it is to clear jams, how many nails can be loaded into the gun and whether or not the handle is comfortable.

Battery/Cord Power/Pneumatic - Nail guns obtain their power in one of 3 different ways:

• Pneumatic nailers - A pneumatic nail gun derives its power from an air compressor. That compressor is tethered to the gun by an air hose. The pneumatic nail gun can deliver all the power you’ll needed for heavy duty framing and other tasks but the hose and compressor often have the effect of limiting mobility.
• Fuel driven - The fuel driven nailer has no power cord or air hose. What it has instead is a disposable gas cartridge which provides fuel for combustion. There’s a small battery which provides a spark to ignite the fuel and once the motor is running the fuel driven nailer can provide as much power as an air nail gun.
• Battery powered - With a battery powered electric nail gun you have the unlimited mobility of the fuel driven nailer without the exhaust. But it’s not a perfect solution because you need to keep charged batteries on hand and the battery powered nail gun doesn’t deliver the power of either the fuel driven or pneumatic nailer.

Nail type - The nails used in the best nail guns are typically joined together for the purposes of loading and keeping things orderly. Either paper, wire or plastic is used to do this. Sometimes these nails have clipped edges that allow them to sit side by side easier than if they had round heads. Most nail gun nails are coated to slide into the material easier and then bond with that material after the nail cools following insertion.

Firing modes - The bounce trigger allows you to work quickly. As soon as the tip of the gun touches the surface a nail is released and the gun ‘bounces’ back to be reset and refired. Roofers often use nailers with bounce triggers. The risk is you won’t reset the gun accurately when bouncing it and your nails will miss their intended target. So practice is essential. Sequential triggers are the most common. They force you to depress the trigger in order to fire a nail.

Nail capacity - Most nail guns with straight magazines have a capacity of about 100 nails. Some might accept up to 120 nails but that’s about it. Coil-style guns however, have a much larger capacity and can typically handle as many as 300 nails. While this means you’ll have to reload far less frequently it also means the gun is much heavier to move around. So you need to give serious thought to the size of the magazine before you buy.

Working range - If you have a pneumatic nail gun the distance you can operate from the compressed air source is formidable. We know of pros that run 300’ hoses. While that’s a bit extreme 100’ hoses are actually fairly common. This gives you a great degree of flexibility when it comes to where you can work. The fuel driven and battery powered electric nail gun provide unlimited operational length but with one you’ll need to keep clear of the exhaust and with the other you’ll need to keep spare, charged batteries on hand.

Features - Nail guns offer a variety of features that you should keep in mind when looking for one.

• Jam clearing - Jams happen and it’s essential that you’re able to clear them quickly, effectively and safely. Always look into the type of jam clearing mechanism the gun uses.
• Directional exhaust - Fuel powered nailers produce exhaust and it’s crucial that this exhaust be blown away from you while you’re working.
• Oversized triggers - These make it possible to easily operate the gun if you are wearing gloves.
• Depth adjustment - Sometimes you need to adjust how deep you sink the nail. Your nail gun should give you the option of easily adjusting the depth.
• Protective guards - A guard will protect you from debris flying off the surface when firing nails.
• Size adjustment - If you get a nailer that accepts different sized nails you want to be able to adjust to the different sizes quickly and easily.
• Carrying case - This just gives you a handy way to transport the device.
• Work lights - Some of the newer nailers come with built in lights so you can see exactly where you’re planting your nail in dim light conditions.

Nail Gun FAQs

Q: Why you need a nail gun?

A: Here are 5 good reasons to have a nail gun in your arsenal:

• You’ll work faster
• It protects you fingers
• There’s no need for a nail pouch
• It provides more power
• It’s more accurate than hand nailing

Q: When and where to use a nail gun?

A: Nail guns have numerous applications for craftsmen and skilled DIYers. Some nailers are intended for heavy-duty construction while others are for more detailed work. Nailers are generally divided into the following categories:

• Framing nailer - For framing houses, home additions, building decks and constructing other medium to large sized structures.
• Finish nailer - The finishing nail gun is generally lighter than a framing nail gun and is often used for making furniture, installing molding in a house or installing cabinets.
• Roofing nailer - This type of nail gun is designed specifically for the demands of the roofing industry and the installation of shingles.
• Flooring nailer - Designed for the finer work of installing hardwood flooring.
• Palm nailer - Single nail shooters designed to get into tight spaces.
• Staplers and brad nailer - Lightweight nailers designed for more precise work.

Q: How to use a nail gun?

A: Using a nail gun is not like operating the space shuttle but there is without a doubt a right way and many wrong ways to do it. The following is the right way:

• Load the nails - With the machine disconnected from the power source load the nails into the rack or coil either through the back or side of the magazine.
• Put on your safety gear - This includes safety goggles and any other safety equipment the manufacturer recommends you wear.
• Power up the gun - Once the gun is loaded and you have donned your safety gear power up the nail gun. Don’t worry. Powering up the gun is not enough by itself to cause a nail to shoot from the gun.
• Practice - When you are certain there is no one else in the immediate vicinity practice firing the gun into some wood scraps before actually firing it for work purposes. This will let you get a proper feel for the gun.
• Position the gun - Set the tip of the nail gun up against the object/surface you intend to nail. One hand should be on the handle with your index finger on the trigger. The other hand should be supporting the gun. Remember the gun will kick when fired.
• Fire the gun - Push the tip against the object/surface you intend to nail using only a bit of arm pressure. Never lean into the gun. Pull the trigger.
• Check the nail - If the nail is not properly seated you may have pulled the gun away too soon or not applied quite enough pressure. Adjust and try again.
• Disconnect - Always disconnect the power source before reloading, clearing a jam or performing any other type of maintenance.

Safety Tips

While it’s important to follow proper safety procedures with all power tools nail guns represent an almost unique danger. The ability of the nail gun to launch a sharp metal projectile at speeds approaching 90 mph means that anyone in the line of fire could be in mortal danger. Therefore, safety is of the utmost concern. Here are some basic nail gun safety tips to take to heart.

• Always inspect your nail gun before every use. If you notice anything that doesn’t seem right don’t use the nailer and contact the manufacturer with your concern.
• Never alter a nail gun in any way. This could lead to catastrophic accidents.
• Never, repeat never, point a nail gun at another person under any circumstances.
• Make sure others have cleared the area before you start operating the nail gun.
• Always wear safety glass and any other safety equipment recommended by the manufacturer.
• Never nail into an item that you are holding in your hand.
• Keep your hands, feet and other body parts completely clear of the firing area.
• Never give the nailer to someone else to hold while you move around or shift positions.
• Always make sure the nailer is disconnected from the air or power supply before inspecting it, performing maintenance or trying to clear a jam.