How to Buy a Nail Gun

A hammer works well for a few nails and a small project. But once you get into a large project, you should consider buying a nail gun. Unlike hammers, nail guns come in a large variety and many nail guns perform specific tasks better than other nail guns.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Pick your basic type of nail gun. The two basic types of nail guns are stick and coil nail guns. For a stick nail gun, the nails are held together by wire or plastic to form a line and average 20 to 40 nails per stick. A coil nail gun stores up to 300 nails in a round magazine.

2. Look at nail guns that fit your specific purpose. The most common type of nail gun is a pneumatic nail gun, which requires an air compressor to work. If you're working on roofing, you should buy a roofing nailer. For cabinets, trim or furniture, a finish nailer works best. You can also buy a framing nailer for projects with larger material.

3. Read product reviews. A good review offers information on the price for the nail gun, the manufacturer of the nail gun, the speed at which nails are dispersed and additional features. You can find different reviews for nail guns at Online Tool Reviews. You can also ask local contractors their opinion on nail guns.

4. Take a trip to your local hardware supply store. Home Depot and Lowe's both carry nail guns. Read the in-store product descriptions and compare the price. You also need to consider the size and type of nails used by the nail guns.

5. Buy your nail gun and any accessories you don't have. Nails for the nail gun should be in the same section and you want enough to finish the project. Another thing you might need to buy is an air compressor. Most manufacturers suggest wearing safety glasses.

Tips & Warnings

• Some air compressors come with a basic gun.
• You need an air compressor equal to or greater than the manufacturer's recommendation.

Resources

• Reviews on nail guns at Online Tool Reviews.