What Size Nails To Use For Door Casing

How to Employ a Trim Nailer Gun

Updated: Oct. ten, 2018

Avoid common mistakes with a pneumatic boom gun.

finish nail gun Family unit Handyman

Learn to apply a trim gun and yous'll never want to pound another finish nail. A trim nailer will give y'all superior results with less try

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Learn to use a trim nailer

The first time I used a pneumatic trim gun, I was hooked. It's not just that it was lightning fast. I loved beingness able to install hardwood moldings without predrilling to prevent splitting, and I was happy to leave my boom gear up mostly in my toolbox. Simply even better was the fact that nail guns allow you to agree a molding in exactly the right spot with one hand while you instantly smash information technology in place with the other. And pocket-size boom guns called brad nailers allow yous to quickly and easily secure sparse, fragile moldings without ruining them. That's a job that otherwise requires the dexterity of a surgeon.

But things tin can go wrong. In this article, we'll show you the nearly common problems you'll see when nailing trim with a finishing boom gun and the techniques you lot can use to prevent them.

Avoid blowouts by watching the angle

Photo one: Problem: Boom blowout

If you're not careful the boom will come up out where you don't want it.

PHOTO 2: Solution: Bending the gun in

Angle the gun toward the unseen side.

Once yous master this angle technique, you'll take no trouble shooting nails exactly where you want them. First past positioning the heart of the finish blast gun tip exactly where you desire the nail to enter the wood. Then carefully align the nail gun with the path you want the nail to take, just like when y'all line upwardly a pool cue earlier striking the ball. Photo 1 shows what tin happen if you lot become careless and angle the gun wrong. When you're nailing into door jambs or other areas where only one side shows, point the finishing boom gun slightly to the hidden side where it won't show if the nail pops through (Photo 2).

Occasionally nails hit a knot or follow the grain—and pop out despite your best try. If this happens, break or cut off the protruding nail with a nipper and use your boom gear up to recess the remainder.

Avoid split ends by placing nails accurately

Photo iii: Problem: Split trim at the ends

Be careful. If you nail too close to the finish of the trim, it'll split.

Driving nails with these finishing blast gun tools is and so simple that it's easy to become carried abroad and put nails where they don't belong. (Ask any painter who has to putty all the actress holes!) With practice, you'll get a experience for where the boom comes out of the stop nail gun and be able to drive a smash precisely. Photo 3 shows the upshot of placing a nail too close to the cease of a molding. The same thing will happen if you boom too close to the end of a baseboard, especially on short pieces. Make sure to go on nails a few inches from the finish of moldings to avoid splitting the wood. Brad nailers, which drive thinner and shorter nails, are the exception. With these, you tin usually nail inside one/2 in. of ends and ane/eight in. of edges without splitting the wood.

Use the right size nail

Photo 4: Trouble: Exposed smash

If the nail is also large information technology can come out where you don't want it.

Photo 5: Solution: Use a smaller nail

Brad nailers are amend for piece of work that's close to edges

Different nail sizes

Be sure to get the right size nails for the chore.

Changing nail sizes in the centre of a job is bothersome. It's tempting to apply the nails that are loaded and promise for the best. Only it's a bad thought.(Photo iv). We should have used a 3/4-in. brad or at nigh a 1-in. xvi-gauge smash on this miter. A good dominion of thumb is to pick a blast long plenty to go through the material you're fastening and penetrate the underlying wood virtually 3/4 in. to one in. Let more penetration for heavy-duty jobs like nailing door jambs, and less for fine work similar securing miters.

I own a 15-approximate nailer and a brad nailer and keep them both connected to separate hoses while I work. (Install a T-plumbing fixtures at the compressor to connect two hoses at in one case.) With this setup, information technology's an like shooting fish in a barrel matter to pick upwardly the brad nailer for intricate jobs like pinning.

Buying or Renting Blast Guns

If you can afford it, buy both a 15-estimate finish nailer and an 18-gauge brad nailer. The two guns make a winning combination. The xv-estimate nails, ranging in length from about 1-1/4 in. to ii-one/2 in., are strong enough to secure door jambs and other heavy trim materials. Plus, the angled nose on about 15-gauge nailers allows you to boom in corners and drive toenails more than easily. Prices for 15-gauge nailers range from $230 to $350.

Fifteen-gauge nails are too thick for many fine nailing tasks. And this is where the 18-guess brad nailer excels. They shoot very skinny 5/8-in. to 1-1/two in. long, 18-estimate brads. These are perfect for nailing miters (Photo 2), nailing the skinny section of door or window casing to the jamb (Photograph 3) and other nailing jobs where a larger boom would separate the forest or beetle through the other side of the material. Prices range from $70 to $200.

Having both guns connected to your compressor with separate hoses ways you can smash the inside and outside edge of casings without having to modify nails. And y'all'll always accept just the correct size nail for the chore at hand.

If yous don't do plenty trim work to justify the expense of ii nailers, a xvi-judge nail gun is a good option. The 16-gauge nails are a chip skinnier and non quite as strong as 15-gauge nails. Only they're less likely to split sparse pieces of wood. Virtually 16-gauge nail guns volition shoot nails ranging from 1 in. to 2-one/4 in. Prices range from $200 to $300.

Avert underdriven nails

Photograph 6: Trouble: Nail won't set flush

Nails that don't gear up must be driven in or removed. Apply side-cut pliers to pull protruding nails. Or use a nailset and hammer to drive them in.

Photo 7: Solution: Increase the air pressure level

Increase the air force per unit area on your compressor, or utilise a smaller smash if the nails aren't being driven in completely.

Nails that don't prepare, or that are left sticking out (Photo 6), are usually the result of pressure that's too low, a blast that's likewise long or an improperly adapted nail gun. If the nail is sticking manner out similar the i in Photo 6 try increasing the air pressure to the maximum allowable for your stop nail gun (90 to 100 lbs., or cheque your instructions). If the nail still won't ready, endeavor loading shorter nails or brads.

The nosepiece on some finish smash guns is adjustable to assist control how deep the blast is set. Use this in conjunction with force per unit area adjustments (Photo seven) to fine-tune your finish boom gun until the head of the nail or brad is slightly recessed. Keep a nail set handy for the occasional protruding nailhead.

Don't bother pounding in nails that protrude more than ane/4 in. They'll just bend over and dent the trim. Instead, take hold of the shank and bend it back and forth until it snaps, or use a side cut pliers (Photo vi) to cut the nail near the surface. Then recess the rest with a nail fix.

Stop Smash Gun Safety

Pneumatic nailers are unbelievably fast and powerful. 1 careless 2nd is all information technology takes to lose an heart or put a nail through your finger. Here are safety precautions yous should take with a stop smash gun:

Disconnect the air hose from the gun when you're loading nails or clearing a jam, or when you're non using the smash gun.
Habiliment safety spectacles and take your helpers and bystanders clothing them too.
Keep children abroad from boom guns. Disconnect the gun and put it out of achieve when you lot're not using it.
Keep your fingers well abroad from the nail'due south path. Use clamps if necessary.
Never remainder the gun on elevation of a ladder.
Go on your finger off the trigger when you're not firing the gun.

Other issues you might come across

Finish nail guns can be a footling choosy. Here are a few common bug and possible solutions:

If the finish nail gun fires only no nail comes out even though you tin come across nails in the clip, the nail feed machinery may exist sticking or the nails may exist binding in the magazine. Remove the nails and lubricate the magazine and spring feed with spray silicone.
If the finish blast gun doesn't fire even though it'southward loaded with nails (you won't hear or feel the piston and driver move), it's probably not getting enough air. Make sure the compressor is plugged in and that the fuse or circuit breaker isn't tripped. And then cheque the gauge to exist sure the pressure level on both gauges is prepare high enough.
If a nail jams in the nose, disconnect the hose from the gun earlier y'all practice annihilation else. Remove the nails from the gun. Then open up the nose (check your education transmission if you're not sure how) and remove the jammed boom.

Required Tools for this Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined upwards before you start—you'll save fourth dimension and frustration.

Required Materials for this Projection

Avoid last-minute shopping trips past having all your materials gear up ahead of fourth dimension. Hither's a list.

Originally Published: October 10, 2018

Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-use-a-trim-nailer-gun/

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