Nail guns are one of the essential tools for all wood and metal works. Especially when you are conducting a DIY project, it’s a mandatory tool. Professional carpenters have the skill to perfectly use the nails.
But you may not have this skill. So, when you are doing a project yourself where you have to use nails, you will need nail guns. Nail guns or nailers help to drive the nails very efficiently and perfectly.
Besides, you can easily drive a lot of nails in a very short time. This is how a nail gun makes the project very easier. However, it has different size options for different tasks or projects. This size mainly depends on the size of nails you will use.
In this article, we will discuss the different sizes of nail guns and help you find out what size nail gun you need for a fence picket. Keep reading if you are interested in this topic.
What Size Nail Gun for Fence Pickets?
Well, now you know all the different sizes of nail guns and all of their usability. The size of your nail gun is mostly dependent on the nail you use and the object where you will shoot it. If you use a large nail gun in a thinner fence picket, there is a huge chance of cracking the fence picket.
You have to use the perfect nail on the perfect size object with the appropriate nail gun. That is why, before starting your fencing process, you should know the size of nail gun you need.
For fence pickets, we will recommend you use a framing nail gun. A framing nail gun is perfect for shooting nails from 2″ to 3.5″ long, which will perfectly be fitted with the fence pickets. Using this nailer will add more holding power than others, and it has less risk of jamming.
Considering all these issues, and according to the carpenter professionals/ Specialists, the best nail gun for fencing is a framing nail gun. So, you can definitely use this in your project.
What are the Different Sizes of Nail Guns?
Depending on the size of the nail, brad, or staples, there are many different sizes of the nail gun. All are appropriate for distinct sectors. Some are best for fencing, and some of those are for roofing. Let’s discuss the sizes one by one:
1. 23-Gauge Pin Nailer:
It is basically used for the smallest nails or fasteners to drive into carpentry. It may seem like a luxury tool, but it’s very useful for some specific projects. 23-Gauge Micro-Pinner will help you to blend the pin nails into wood grains efficiently.
It also helps to install moldings without damaging them perfectly. Besides, in the case of pinning the corners and crevices, these nail guns work best. In addition, when you need to tack a hardboard or MDF pattern, a 23-Gauge Micro-Pinner is mandatory to drive the nails perfectly and give the perfect finishing.
2. 21-Gauge Pin Nailer:
It is one of the smallest nailers in the finish nailer family. This nail gun is specially made for shooting 21-gauge headless nails. It leaves a very tiny hole but works best in crown molding, baseboards, door or window casing, etc.
This nailer is compact, lightweight, and easier to work in tight spaces. It has an ultra-thin nose that helps to improve the line of sight. That is why this nail gun is best for some delicate tasks.
3. 18-Gauge Brad Nailer:
18-gauge nailers provide the most versatile feature by which you can conduct multiple tasks. This one is the most common and popular nail gun you will get in the market. The price is also very competitive.
This nail gun can shoot 3/8 inch to 2inch long thin brad nails depending on the different models. An 18-gauge nail gun is appropriate for many projects, especially installing trim or baseboards, crown molding, casing to the windows, crafting projects, etc.
4. 16-Gauge Finish Nailer:
This nail gun shoots 1-inch to 3.5 inches long finish nails. It performs best in dense pieces of wood. You can rely on this nailer for different types of large construction work like casing, flooring, exterior trim, cabinet, chair rails, etc.
16-Gauge Finish Nailer is also very versatile. That is why carpenters always prefer this nail gun. However, as it is best for large constructions, you can’t do any delicate tasks with this nailer.
5. 15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer:
15-Gauge Angled Finish Nailer is the ideal choice for furniture building, trim and molding installation, picture frame assembly, and many other projects similar to these. This nail gun can drive nails up to 2.5 inches into the object.
This nailer has facilities to work for both interior and exterior with the fastest jam release.
6. Framing Nail Gun:
A framing nailer is a heavy-duty tool used to shoot nails into various materials, including plywood and concrete. It is generally used for bigger projects like subflooring, deck building, framing, fencing, roof sheathing, etc.
This nail gun shoots larger nails, from 2″ to 3.5″ long. You can also use this in the projects where the plaster is involved. Using a framing nail gun will provide better results because using a hammer in the plaster can crack or loosen it.
7. Roofing Nail Gun:
Roofing nail guns are for efficiently installing shingles. It is powered by an air compressor and can take 120 nails at a time. When you want to replace or install a new roof, this nail gun can make your tasks much easier for you.
A roofing nail gun can shoot more than100 nails per minute. Besides, this one is the biggest and most powerful nail gun here. Using this nail helps you to complete your roofing project very efficiently in a short time.
How to Choose Nail Guns for Fence Pickets?
If you want to buy a new nail gun for your fence picket installation, you must consider some factors to choose the best one for your project. These factors are as follows:
- Types of Nail Guns: There are mainly two types of nail guns, pneumatic and cordless. The air compressor is used for the power supply in pneumatic nail guns. On the other hand, cordless nail guns are operated by a battery. So, according to your need and preference, choose the best one for you.
- Sizes of the Nails: You will get a wide variety of nails to choose from, which we have discussed before. So, find the best-fitted nail gun you need for your tasks.
- The capacity of the Nail Guns: If you are buying a nail gun for a big project, you have to choose one that has the capacity to store 120-150 nails and shoot them within a very short time. On the contrary, if you need a nail gun for little projects, you have to go for the guns having less capacity.
- Nail Gun Price and Reviews: Price is an important factor to consider when buying something. Nail guns can cost from $50 to $300. It should fit you’re your budget. Besides, you also have to check the reviews of nail guns, which will give you the most authentic information about the product.
- Weight of the Nail Guns: In some projects, you may need a heavy nail gun. Again, some of the tasks require a lightweight nailer. However, lightweight nailers are always good for these tasks because you need to hold them for a long time. So, you also have to think about it.
- Warranty: Most nail gun companies offer at least one year warranty. It’s good to warranty on the products. So, make sure your chosen nail gun has at least one year warranty.
Takeaway
When choosing a nail gun for your fencing projects, it’s really very important to know what size nail gun you need. This article gives the ultimate size guide to choosing the best nail gun for your project.
After reading this article, you should be easily able to find out your ones. In short, the size of the nail gun for the fence picket is dependent on the thickness of the pickets and the size of the nail you use in the project. That’s all about this topic. We hope you will find this article very informative and helpful for you.
FAQ
There are many frequently asked questions regarding the size of the nail gun for fence pickets. The most important questions are answered below:
A framing nail gun is the best nail gun for fencing. It is large enough and provides much power to hold the objects perfectly. It also offers less risk of jamming. In general, 2 inches to 3.5 inches are used in fencing projects which are perfect for fitting with the thickness of pickets. The framing nail gun is the most appropriate nailer to shoot this size of nails on the picket of this thickness.
Two inches to 3 ½ inches long nails are mostly used for fence pickets. This is the standard size for nails you need for fence pickets. It can be increased as well as decreased in some fencing projects.
Yes, you can use 16-gauge nails for the fence having small to medium thickness pickets. This is basically the minimum criteria for nails. To drive this nail perfectly into the pickets, you need to use the 16-gauge finish nail gun.
You can use either a framing nail gun or a 16-gauge finish nailer to build a cedar fence. For the thickness, you may need 1.5-inch to 3.5-inch nails in this process. In that case, these two nail guns offer the best services.
The ring shank nails are considered the gold standard for fence pickets. They are very hardy and highly resistant to bending and corrosion. Though it is slightly costlier than other nails, it is worth the price. You can definitely choose this.