Home Repair and Paint Guide

Nail guns, also called nailers, are great labor saving tools. You can set a lot of nails in a hurry with these. But you have to be careful because you could injure yourself or someone else. Nail guns can generate quite a bit of force. Nails could become missiles if the gun is not handled properly. You have to use them safely and with a good dose of common sense.

Nail guns can drive both long and short nails into wood in a fraction of a second. Depending on the pressure setting, this could generate a very high force. Nails can be sunk below the surface (set) simply by adjusting the pressure.

These are four different types of nail guns. Two use compressed air (framing and finish), and the other two are powered by miniature engines (again, framing and finish). All four models are a bit heavy but can be used by anyone with a reasonable amount of arm strength and endurance. The nail guns that fire long framing nails are heavier than smaller nail guns that drive thin finish nails into trim.

The self-contained guns that use combustion engines use a fuel cell filled with liquefied petroleum gas and a spark plug powered by an internal battery. An internal piston pushes the nail into the wood when the nail gun safety and trigger are depressed. These are very handy because there is no hose to wrap around everything (including your legs) while working. I don’t know about you, but I think hoses and cords are a huge pain around construction sites. They tangle around themselves and get caught on everything in their path. They also form small loops that are ideal for snagging your feet when carrying things around, tripping you in the process. Personally, I hate ‘em. But that’s just me.

When pricing nail guns, consider the entire system and add the costs of all components. Pneumatic nail guns require an air compressor with enough pressure and flow rate to operate properly. This is especially true if one compressor will be used to operate multiple guns at the same time. You might also have to purchase an air compressor that runs on gasoline instead of electric for remote sites. Don’t forget the price of air hoses, couplings, and possibly a drier and/or oiler. The gun manufacturer will list all components necessary, along with the size of compressor needed for the job. There are also kits available that include everything needed.

People are injured daily by nail guns. Because of the high impact force, anything that stops a large nail (such as a framing nail) can cause the gun to kick back and hit you. If you happen to be standing on scaffolding or a ladder, this could cause a fall with resulting injury. You could also drive a nail through a foot or hand. It’s happened a lot. Wear steel-toed shoes and be careful about placing the gun before driving a nail. Don’t try to work too fast. And always wear good eye protection.