What Nail Guns do you need for Woodworking?

Depending on the type of woodworking you do you’ll eventually need a nail gun. You’ll then find there are a lot of choices. Instead of buying all of them then learning what you actually use I’ll explain the pros and cons of the most common sizes of nailers and give my recommendations.

Note: I’m writing this article with the assumption that you will primarily be building furniture pieces.

Stick with Air

Maybe in a few years, battery-powered nail guns will be where I think they should be. But all the 18v ones I’ve tried fell short in my opinion. They are heavy, bulky, don’t work reliably, and are very expensive.

If you’re about to go buy your very first air compressor and nail gun. I can whole-heartedly recommend this set: Porter-Cable Air Compressor Kit: 6-gallon, 3 tools

Depending on where you find this I’ve seen this exact set up branded as Craftsman, Bostitch, DeWalt, and Porter cable. (All these brands are owned by Stanley-Black and Decker). It’s typically around $200-$250 (2021 pricing)

I personally own the Porter-Cable version. While the included guns aren’t “Premium” they work just fine. The compressor is fantastic for the price. It is a little loud. But it’s reliable, lightweight, and holds up to heavy use. I and many professional contractors I know use and abuse this compressor.

It includes a 16ga Finish Nailer, a 18ga Brad Nailer, and an upholstery stapler. It also includes a 25ft hose, which admittedly is not very nice but again does the job if you’re just getting started.

What Size Gun Do I Need?

Different guns are used for different things. The lower the gauge the bigger the nail. 15ga is bigger than 16ga. 16ga is bigger than 18ga, 18ga is bigger than 22ga.

The 16ga Straight Finish Nailer

This is, in my opinion, the most versatile nail gun you can get. If you already have an air compressor and are looking for your first nail gun for woodworking, this is where you should start.

I really like my Bostitch Nailer. I also have a Ridgid that is very good. But the “Smart Point” on the Bostitch is very nice.

A 16ga Finish Nailer big enough to get a good bite for some structural joints, but can also be used for smaller trim. Most can take nail size from 1” to 2 1/2” giving you a lot of flexibility.

18 Gauge Brad Nailer

The 18 gauge brad nailer can do many of the same tasks as the 16gauge nail gun but doesn’t have the same “bite” or strength. For example, I’ll use my 16ga to install a door, assemble furniture (with glued joints), but I wouldn’t trust those tasks to an 18gauge nail gun.

An 18 gauge brad nail gun shines for trim work, frames, and non-structural things like a cabinet face frame. Think of an 18gauge as more of a “Clamp to hold things until the glue dries.” It leaves a much smaller hole than a 16gauge so it’s easier to hide on both stained and painted projects.

Since I have both a 16ga and an 18ga I keep tend to keep longer nails in the 16 and shorter nails in the 18 which works great for the majority of the work I do.

The 18 gauge Narrow Crown Stapler

An 18 gauge narrow crown stapler is fantastic for production work where the nails are out of size and great for shop furniture. I use my stapler for attaching cabinet backs. Cabinet makers, who use dados, staple their cabinets together at the dados and rabbets to speed production. I use them for shop cabinets and 1/2” shop drawers.

You may not need this but if you find that a 16ga or an 18ga isn’t holding what you need it to then a staple is a great fastener.

21 Gauge Headless Pin Nailer

A 21 gauge pin nailer is great for delicate work or attaching finished trim where a nearly-invisible nail hole is desired. The stock photo above is a great illustration of how this gun is used. The carpenter is attaching a prefinished piece of trim. The nail hole will be almost invisible and will not require any filling. It’s a tool that I rarely use in furniture making but am glad I have it for the times I do need it.

Which Brands of Nail Guns are the Best?

In my experience, all modern pneumatic nail guns work just fine. Have a variety of brands, and have used a lot in my time in the trades. Some are definitely nicer than others, I really like the Bostitch ones I recommended above, but if you go to your local hardware store and handle a few you’ll be 100% ok getting the one you like the feel of the most.