Brad Nailer vs Finish Nailer Comparison
| Brad Nailer | Finish Nailer | |
| Type of Nail | Brads are thin 18-gauge nails. | 16-gauge and 15-gauge nails |
| Hole Size | Approximately 0.0475 inches | Up to 0.0720inches |
| Capacity | Less holding power | Ability to withstand higher payload. |
| Recommended Nailers | DEWALT Brad Nailer Click to See Price | MAKITA Finish Nailer See Latest Price |
Full Answer
What do you use a Brad Nailer for?
- Finish nails are versatile nails with a 15- or 16-gauge diameter.
- They’re designed for thicker cuts of wood.
- They’re available in collated finishing nail strips for nail guns or individual pieces.
- Finish nail length ranges from 1-inch to 3 1/2-inch.
- Their heavier gauge brings greater holding strength to projects.
What are brad nails used for?
- Brads are thin, 18-gauge nails made for more delicate woodworking jobs.
- They’re available in collated strips for nail guns or individual pieces.
- Brad nail length ranges from 1/2-inch to 2 1/2-inch.
- Their slim profile reduces wood splitting.
- They leave small holes that often don’t need to be filled.
What is a Brad Nailer used for?
Please give an overall site rating:
How big are brad nails?
They’re available in collated strips for nail guns or individual pieces. Brad nail length ranges from 1/2-inch to 2 1/2-inch. Their slim profile reduces wood splitting. They leave small holes that often don’t need to be filled. Common brad nail uses include decorative trim, picture frame and paneling.
What are Brad nail guns good for?
Common brad nail uses include decorative trim, picture frame and paneling. They work well on birdhouses and other thin cuts of wood. Brads are excellent for trim work, including narrow trim around windows or doors, shoe moulding and quarter-round moulding.
Which is thicker 16 or 18 gauge Brad nails?
Gauge is actually the number of nails that are lined up. This indicates that 16-gauge nails are thicker and can hold better when compared to 18-gauge brads. You will have to keep in mind that a low gauge number will have a thicker nail.
Can you use brad nails in a finish gun?
Some carpenters use a finish nailer for this, but I like to use my smaller, lighter 18-gauge brad nailer, especially on ceilings. Brads don't have the holding power of 15- or 16-gauge nails, of course, but I make up for that by shooting two brads into every stud or joist.
What's the difference between a brad and a nail?
Brad nails are formed from a fine, 18-gauge wire, so they are smaller in diameter than finish nails and typically have less holding strength. They're better suited for tasks like light decorative trim and molding, panel installation and crafts.
Why is it called a brad nail?
In conclusion, a brad is called a brad because of its nature and its use in both paper and wooden projects. Brads are excellent choices when you want to conceal the nail in your work, unlike finished nails that have a bigger head. Brads have smaller heads and all these qualities are what make a brad a brad.
Can I use a brad nailer for baseboards?
Q. Can you use a brad nailer for baseboards? Brad nailers are suitable for baseboards. Most fire brads as long as 2 inches, which is enough to penetrate a 3/4-inch thick molding, 1/2-inch thick drywall, and bite into the framing lumber in the baseplate or wall studs.
Can I use 18-gauge nails in a 16 gauge nailer?
0:001:29what HAPPENS when you put the WRONG nails in your air nailerYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut there's also different lengths of each type on accident we put the 18 gauge nails into the 16MoreBut there's also different lengths of each type on accident we put the 18 gauge nails into the 16 gauge nailer. And about every 5 times we'd. Actually drive a nail.
Can I hammer Brad nails?
Luckily, you can definitely use a hammer with brad nails! But there's also a reason many people prefer brad nailers. Hand nailing brad nails comes with a lot of challenges and is rarely the right solution. It's easy to scuff or damage the wood swinging a hammer, and it can be tough to use a hammer on brad nails.
What is the difference between a pin nailer and a brad nailer?
Pin nailers and brad nailers both drive nails into wood, but they have some key differences. A pin nailer uses tiny headless nails that have little holding power. A brad nailer uses small t-shaped nails with greater holding power and can be used on a broader range of projects than a pin nailer.
Do you use a brad nailer or finish nailer for trim?
For detailed woodwork and trim, where you need more holding strength than a micro pin can provide, a brad nailer is typically the top choice among contractors and weekend warriors alike. Brad nails are formed from a fine, 18-gauge wire, which means they are smaller in diameter and typically have less holding strength.
How long should brad nails be?
The rule is simple: a brad should be three times as long as the thickness of the material you are fixing. Example: if the material is 15 mm thick, the brad should be 45 mm long. Choose a brad gun that takes the length of brad you need.
Can I use a brad nailer for quarter-round?
If you're doing lighter molding, such as quarter-round at the bottom of your wall, or installing a chair rail, an 18 Gauge Brad Nailer is fine for the job.
How do I know what nail lengths I can use in a brad nailer?
Each brad nailer will include a list of nail lengths in its specifications. Most advanced brad nailers can use nails ranging from 5/8 inch to aroun...
What does the gauge rating on the brad nailer mean?
A brad nailer uses 18-gauge nails. The gauge refers to the thickness (or diameter) of the nail. Nails as thin as 18 gauge will not have enough stre...
Why can’t I used a brad nailer for all of my projects? I don’t want to spend money on more than one ...
A brad nailer only uses brad nails, which are limited to 18 gauge and have little to no head on them. This means that if you use brad nail to hold...
What if I don’t have the money to invest in a pneumatic power tool system?
Most heavy-duty power tools make use of a pneumatic power system. This air-compression-driven system gives you a ton of power to drive nails quickl...
What is a brad nailer?
A brad nailer is a type of nail gun designed for specific nailing jobs where precision and detail are more important than brute force. Because brad nails are so thin in diameter (18 gauge), it can be difficult to drive them in with a hammer – you usually end up just bending the nail.
Brad nailer uses
A brad nail is a thin diameter (18-gauge) nail with a small (or no) head that is used for certain woodworking jobs, such as finish carpentry. The small head doesn’t leave a large hole in the wood, so it isn’t as noticeable as larger nails. In some cases, you may not even need to cover the nail hole with wood putty afterward.
Brad nailer power options
These brad nailers use compressed air to drive a piston that drives the nail into the wood.
Key features of brad nailers
When shopping for the best brad nailer, the most important consideration will be the power source. However, a few other key features, such as the following, can help you distinguish one model from another.
What is the diameter of a brad nail?
The brad nails are 18-gauge nails which have a diameter of 0.0475 inches (approximately 1.2mm). Your finish nailer is designed to use either 16-gauge (Ø0.0625 inches) or 15-gauge (Ø0.0720inches). I have seen people do this by mistake and caught their error only after noticing that the nail gun was shooting 2 nails per shot.
How thin is a brad nail?
For those unfamiliar with what brads are, they are essentially a thin nail. Your average brad nail has a gauge of 18 and is generally only 0.0475 inches in cross-section. As you can see, that is quite small for a nail. Brad nailers are perfect for fixing molding and trims.
How to use brad nailer for shoe molding?
For shoe molding, use the brad nailer with 1-1/2 long nails. Tips: Here are two important tips for you. 1. The brad nails are not round and they have a chisel edge. Position your nailer such that it is across the grain of the molding. This is to avoid the chisel edge splitting the molding. 2.
What is the best nail for crown molding?
15-gauge and 16-gauge nails are bigger and offer higher holding strength. Excellent for woodworking, building furniture, fixing large baseboards and plywood and attaching large crown molding. Finish nailers are more versatile and are handy for various types of work.
What is the difference between a brad nailer and a finish nailer?
The primary difference between a brad nailer vs a finish nailer is that the brad nail gun shoots 18-gauge nails whereas 16-gauge or 15-gauge nails are used in the finish nailer. The small 18-gauge brad nail helps you to attach delicate trims without splitting the trim. In contrast, finish nail guns that drive thicker nails offer more holding strength.#N#With a brad nailer, you can attach thin trims and moldings without the need for using putty. On the other hand, a finishing nailer is what you will use for most of the carpentry and woodworking jobs though you may need to putty the hole.
What is a finish nailer?
A finish nailer serves a very similar role to a brad nailer. Much like a brad nailer, you won’t be using a finish nailer for the majority of a job or a project. Instead, you bring it out for very specific situations. If you need to put up trim or molding, you would use a finish nailer as opposed to a regular nail gun.
How long nails should I use for baseboards?
Use the 1 ½ inch long nails for the best results. However, if your baseboard is large and heavy consider using a finishing nailer. When using a finishing nailer close to the edge of the baseboard, I usually predrill a hole to avoid splitting of the board. I highly recommend you do the same.
What are Brad nails used for?
Brad nails have small shank diameter and small heads that make them useful for a light finish when woodworking. This small size nails are less likely to split picture rail moldings, crown moldings and similar construction materials. Brad nails can be installed with the use of a hammer or through a pneumatic nail gun.
What is copper brad nail?
Copper Brad Nails. Copper brand nails are designed for wood surfaces, sidings and moldings. Although this type of nail is not as strong and as durable as the other types of nails, it is affordable and easy to find. Tools.
What is the most durable nail?
These different types of materials vary in terms of durability and strength. Brad nails that are made of galvanized materials are some of the most durable types of nails and they are less likely to corrode even when exposed to adverse conditions.
What is the best nail for piercing metal?
Aluminum Brad Nails. When it comes to fastening thin metal and siding, your best choice is the aluminum brad nail. Aluminum brad nails are good at piercing surfaces and they are less likely to bend in place.
How to tell the size of brad nails?
When choosing brad nails, see to it that the length of the nails is at least three times the thickness of the materials that you want to nail through.
Do brad nails cost more?
Yes, nails that are made of galvanized materials tend to be more expensive than other types of brad nails but if you want your woodwork to stay in tack on in good condition longer, you might as well invest in galvanized nails.
Can you drive nails through tile?
Most types of tiles can split apart when subjected to stress so as much as possible, do not use a hammer to drive the nails through. If you must use a hammer instead of a nail gun, use a tack hammer and make sure that you do not bend the nails in place as you drive it through the tiles.
What is a Brad Nail?
Brad nails, or brads, are made of 18-gauge steel wire. Nail gauge sizes indicate the thickness of the nail. Thinner nails have higher gauge numbers. The small diameter of brad nails makes them easy to mask in wood trim or paneling. In addition to being thinner than standard nails, they also feature a smaller head.
What are Finish Nails?
Finish nails, or finishing nails, are generally made of 15- or 16-gauge steel wire, making them slightly thicker in diameter than brad nails. The added thickness means that finishing nails create a stronger hold than brads. This makes them useful for heftier applications with thicker material, such as cabinets or baseboards.
Brad Nails Vs. Finish Nails
When it comes to choosing brad nails vs. finish nails, it depends on your project and the type of wood you’re using. In general, go with finish nails for thick wood and brads for thin wood. Finish nails are stronger than brads, so choose them if your project needs to be durable.