Different Types of Nail Guns & Their Uses (with Images)

Last Updated on October 20, 2021

If you are someone who regularly enjoys working around the house and taking on new projects that involve a lot of handy work, then the chances are that you will need a nail gun. And if you are someone like me who has a tough time deciding what would be the best, then you need some sort of guide to help you out.

That is exactly what you will be getting here; we will give you info on different types of nail guns, what you might be able to do using those guns, and which would suit your work the best. So, for more information, keep reading!

Different Types of Nail Guns

You might need nail guns for various tasks and reasons. You will find nail guns fit for a total of 7 different tasks. In each of the categories, you will find either 2 or 3 different types of nail guns that you can use.

So, without further ado, let us move to the 7 categories as well as the main types of nail guns that fall under each of them.

Framing Nail Guns

When building the frame for a house, there are many different things that have to be taken into account. And for the task as heavy-duty as this, you need a very specific kind of nail gun, and that is exactly what the framing nailers are made for. You will need a gun that will be able to get the nail well into the frame.

Now, there are various types of nail guns. Let’s talk about them.

Gas Framing Nail Gun

This framing nailer can get the nail into the frame of the house by the use of a gas cartridge. And this has slowly become popular among builders and handymen as this works pretty well, and you will be able to get your desired work done.

You will see pretty good results when you use this, but do keep in mind that you have to keep the amount of gas in the cartridge in check so that you do not run out in the middle of the job.

Pneumatic Framing Nail Gun

When you go to the market looking for a framing nail gun, you will see that the ones powered by an air compressor are the most common ones. These guns are connected to their power source with the help of a hose. As the power source does not come attached with the nail gun, they weight much less.

But the main problem you will face when it comes to these nail guns is the length of the hose. You cannot really move them around as much because the hose restricts you from going too far.

Cordless Framing Nailer

A new type of nail gun has very recently come to the market, and it completely runs on a battery. You will be able to do the same things as you would with any other nail gun. All of that and you will not have many restrictions as the lack of cord will enable you to move around as much as you want.

However, this is powered by batteries. You need to keep in mind that these batteries might run out in the middle of the task, and therefore, you need to have some extras in hand so that you do not have to stop and buy a few before getting started again.

Flooring Nail Guns

different-types-of-nail-gun

Flooring projects are usually very big and require heavy-duty tools for completion. That is something the flooring nail guns will be able to provide to the user. These have been specially made for jobs such as these, as there are a lot of factors that come to play when it comes to the flooring.

Let’s get to know the flooring nail guns.

Manual Flooring Gun

The name of the gun itself should give you some insight regarding how the nail gun works. You, as the user, will be able to control what the gun is doing and how far the nails are going. There are also some other great perks of using this nail gun over all the others when the nail goes all the way in you will hear a very satisfying sound.

One of the problems you might have with this is that it is a bit slower than the other nail gun. And the other problem is that if you are a beginner, then the chances are that you will not be very comfortable using it.

Cordless Flooring Nail Gun

So for this type of nail gun to operate batteries are used that ignites the gas cartridge, that is how the gun starts working. As it is cordless, you will be able to move around with it as you please and should not face any restrictions.

But you need to keep in mind that this will not be powerful as the ones that are operated by air compressors.

Pneumatic Flooring Nail Gun

Just like the pneumatic framing nail gun, this, too, draws its power from an air compressor that is attached to the gun with the help of a hose. These types of nail guns are the most powerful, which is exactly why so many people prefer this over all the others.

Also, you will not have to slow down because of the lack of gas or to run out and get batteries. However, the hose itself can become a problem as it does not allow you to move around freely with the nail gun.

Roofing Nail Guns

Different Types of Nail Gun
As you have seen, there are separate nail guns that have been made for different tasks. Just like this one has been made specifically for the roofing. Below, we are gonna learn about different types of roofing nail guns.

Cordless Roofing Nail Gun

Slowly but surely, we are trying to cut back on the use of cords or extensions that have us rooted to a spot.We like flexibility. And keeping this in mind, the cordless nail guns were made. With this, you can do the job of a normal roofing nail gun.

However, you just need to keep a tab on how much gas you have in the cartridge and how much of the battery you have used up. Also, you have to carry around extra cartridges and batteries in case the one you are using runs out.

Pneumatic Roofing Nail Gun

Even though we prefer not to use a cord, but at the end of the day, they are the ones that provide us with the most secure service. The pneumatic roofing nail guns draw power from an air compressor using a hose that connects the two. This will allow getting more power, which will enable you to complete the work a little fast.

However, as I have already mentioned before, the hose is the main problem as it does not allow the user to move freely.

Finish Nail Guns

Types of nail guns

The nail guns we spoke about till now are used for very big projects that require a lot of power. But there are certain tasks that need much smaller nail guns. That is exactly when the finish nail gun is used. You would sue something like this for making furniture and probably setting the cabinets up.

Cordless Finish Nail Gun

Just like the other cordless nail guns, this one also runs on a battery, which is why you do not need to attach the gun to any type of power source. As it is powered by batteries, you will have to keep a close eye on how much of it you are using because you might find yourself in a pinch if you do not have some spare ones.

You will find two different types of cordless finish nail guns; one will help to make straight inserts, and the other will help with the corners as it is at an angle.

Pneumatic Finish Nail Gun

This one is very similar to all the other nail guns that are attached to an air compressor. And this one will help you get a lot of power but at the expense of mobility.

Staple Guns

For the smallest work, such as installing fixtures around the house, we most commonly use a staple gun. This one is the smallest in size and works more like a stapler than an actual nail gun. Let’s get acquainted with different types of staple guns.

Hand-Actuated Staple Gun

When you have the job of putting up posters and flyers around, the best type of nail gun for you is the hand-actuated stable gun. They are very cheap, and you can find them in all stationery and hardware stores around you. Not only are they great with paper, but you can actually use this to fix fabric on your furniture.

Electric Staple Guns

The work it does is very similar to the one before, but you need some form of power to make this work. And ideally, this runs on batteries. As the size of this pretty small, it does not really require a lot of power to operate, and therefore you do not have to constantly worry about needing replacement batteries.

Hammer Stable Gun

The name of the gun itself should clue you in on how you will have to work with them. In order to get this staple gun to work, you will have to wield it like a hammer. The force that you exert is what the staple gun needs to knock the staples into place. And the only problem is that you might start getting tired after a while.

Pneumatic Nail Gun

So far, we have seen that almost all kinds of nail guns have a pneumatic version where they draw power from an air compressor; this is one, as well.

Even though there is no real need to use a nail gun with such power as the work done by these is not that much. But, if you are looking for something powerful, then this might be it for you.

Brad Nail Gun

different types of nailers

These nail guns tend to be a little bigger than the staple guns and are used to install carpets and small furniture. The nails that are used with this gun are pretty small and, therefore, cannot be used on bigger furniture as it will have much hold on the larger pieces. You’ll find 2 types of brad nailers on the market:

Pneumatic Brad Nail Gun

You will actually really enjoy using a pneumatic brad nail gun as these are mainly used for smaller projects, and one of the main problems of this kind of gun is the limitation of the hose, but as the project itself is small, there is not much need for you to move around.

Cordless Brad Nail Gun

Much like all the other cordless nail guns, this one too is used mainly for convenience.

The output you get from this will be very similar to the one you will see when you use a pneumatic nail gun;the only thing is that it will allow more free movement. However, as the kind of work you typically do with this kind of nail gun is small, so movement is not as required.

Specialty Nail Guns

The last kind of nail gun we will be talking about is the specialty nail gun that is made for very specific kinds of tasks. You might be able to use these for all kinds of work. They could be made specifically for furniture or cabinets.

Headless Pinner

Much like the staple guns, this does not really use nails. Rather, it disposes of pins that are used for very small jobs. You can use these in making a small frame that has more delicate pieces that need to be set up together.

This cannot be used for any other work. Also, the pins can hold on to very specific kinds of objects without being bent out of shape.

Palm Nail Gun

There are times you will see that the area that needs a nail is a very tough corner and almost impossible to get to with a regular nailing gun. This gun will fit in the palm of your hand, and you will be able to get even the tightest of corners with this nailer.

The only problem is that you cannot really use this for large jobs or projects. You will have to use this as more of a subsidiary tool as for anything bigger, you will need to use some other kind on nailer.

Conclusion

We have given you all the information you might need to know about all kinds of nail guns you can use for different tasks. Now, hopefully, you have a much better idea regarding what you need for what kind of work.

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