Five DIY projects to get the best out of your nail gun

Are you a keen DIY enthusiast? Are you regularly taking on projects around the home, honing your skills and improving your property at the same time? A recent survey revealed that 74% of UK households were planning to do exactly that during lockdown, as millions of people up and down the country take the opportunity to finish those jobs they’ve been putting off for weeks, months or even years.

Whether you’re a casual or serious DIYer, there’s no denying that getting stuck in can have a number of benefits for both our physical and mental wellbeing. For some people, it might mean redecorating their front room. Meanwhile, others will take on larger projects that involve the use of power tools such as a nail gun, which can take your plans to the next level – and make your life much easier in the process.

So, which type of nail gun is best? What are its advantages? And which DIY jobs is it most suitable for?

The advantages of a nail gun

If you need to knock in a lot of nails, a gun will make your life much simpler. You won’t have to worry about bent nails, bruised thumbs or split timber – instead, it will fire them in quickly and consistently, saving you an awful lot of time and effort. It will also help to avoid the fatigue that can affect your hammering arm, but it’s important that you use it with the utmost care and attention, otherwise, serious injuries can occur.

The types of nail gun

A pneumatic nail gun uses an air compressor to fire in your nails. It can drive them in with great power, although on some jobs they can be awkward to use as the air hose can get in the way and you might find you are limited by its reach, as well as the location of the nearest power supply. In contrast, a cordless nail gun can offer greater flexibility and may be more suited to smaller, quicker tasks. It’s vital that you select the right battery for your cordless tool and this guide from SGS can help you in that regard.

What can a nail gun be used for?

Nail guns can be used on a range of DIY projects, including:

• Decking: A great way to revamp your garden is to create an outdoor seating area – perhaps one that catches the evening sun and offers you a space to relax, unwind and maybe enjoy a glass of something cold at the end of a long, hard day. But to fix your decking’s cross-pieces to the frame, you’ll need a nail gun to get it done quickly and efficiently.

• Flooring: When laying hardwood flooring, a nail gun will hammer home the nails at a 45-degree angle, ensuring you won’t spend hours kneeling down and worrying about correctly fixing the boards. You’ll have that new kitchen floor down in no time!

• Wall panelling: It’s official: wall panelling is enjoying a resurgence. So, if you want to get on board with the latest trend, save yourself the hassle of painting or wallpapering and use a nail gun to make sure the job is done right.
• Roofing: Looking to construct a shelter over your outdoor seating space? Maybe the shed roof is starting to show its age and needs replacing? A nail gun can help you fix down the covering material in no time, ensuring you and your tools stay safe from the elements.

• Interior finishes: A nail gun can also be used for those crowning touches that give your home an extra dash of class, such as kickboards, skirtings, moulding and cornices. It’s particularly useful for heavy pieces of trim and less intrusive than driving screws, meaning you can achieve a stylish aesthetic with a minimum of fuss.

Here’s a video about choosing a nail gun for your project:

FAQs about nail guns for DIY projects

Q: How to describe a nail gun briefly?

A: The nail gun is a power tool propelling/driving nails placed is a strip/coil right into a piece of wood. Some also name the nail gun as a nailer.

Q: Who uses a nail gun?

A: Anyone doing a job in construction, carpentry, farming, or roofing will use a nail gun sooner or later. People interested in DIY projects are also involved in utilizing a nail gun for their projects.

Q: What’s the working mechanism for the nail gun?

A: A firing mechanism is common for the majority of nail guns out there. The nail gun features a piston hammer that will propel your nails where you want. The origin of the force driving the piston will determine the differences between various models of nail guns.

Q: What are the main functions of the nail gun?

A: Basically, nail guns will perform two fundamental tasks. They are made to generate an impressive amount of force with every pull of the trigger. At the same time, nail guns will also reload new nails every time you fire them. A firing mechanism and a nail-loading mechanism are fundamental for the functionality of your nail gun.

Q: What are the most common nail guns?

A: The pneumatic nails guns are the most typical kind. An air compressor is utilized for the firing mechanism. A rubber or a plastic air hose is used for attaching the base of the nail gun. Pneumatic nail guns have to come with adjustable regulators to get the proper pressure, according to your specific needs.

Q: What are combustion nail guns?

A: The combustion nail guns operate similar to the pneumatic models. The fuel source is what makes them different. These nail guns have internal combustion that produces the driving force firing the nails as you need.

Q: What’s the best model of nail guns for DIY projects?

A: Battery-operated nail guns are the most straightforward model, and make the best choice for DIY projects. They feature an electric motor compressing a secure string. When it’s triggered, the string will generate the force required for propelling nails into the wood.

Q: Why do DIY enthusiasts prefer the battery operated powered nail guns?

A: Battery-operated nail guns come with many numerous, but portability and fast start-up are the most important to name. The user doesn’t need to stress the compressor, gas cartridge, air hose, or anything else. They only need to recharge the battery, which powers the motor.

Q: Do battery-operated nail guns have any downsides?

A: Battery-operated nail guns provide less power when compared to pneumatic or fuel-powered models. They make the right choice for simple and less challenging projects.

Q: Do you need just one nail gun, or you need several for various projects?

A: It all depends on the complexity of your projects and the complexity of the tasks. There are several kinds of nail guns, and each is designed for specific jobs. Gauge size is one aspect to consider when selecting your nail gun; as it relates to the size of nails, the tool will drive. Weight, portability, and power source are also aspects to consider.

Q: Why get a pneumatic nail gun?

A: It’s a good idea to get an air nailer if you already own an air compressor and air hose. The pneumatic nail gun is the most affordable type of nail gun. If you don’t have a compressor, but plan to get one for some DIY projects around the house, a compressor system is a wise investment.

Pneumatic tools feature a strong motor that will run for a long time. They’re also more comfortable, more compact, and effortless to handle. They don’t have many parts that may malfunction. All in all, pneumatic nail guns are longer lasting than other models.

Q: Which kind of DIY projects you may run with pneumatic nail guns?

A: You may use pneumatic nail guns for a wide range of jobs. Brad nailers, pin nailers, framing nailers, finish nailers, and even roofing guns are pneumatic.

Q: What matters the most when selecting the pneumatic tool?

A: The nail gun has to match the air compressor. The compressor’s measurements for pressure and volume have to be at least as high as the nail gun’s necessities. These requirements depend on the size and application. Therefore, a framing nailer may be more reliable than a power brad nailer. A framing has requirements of 2.2CFM at 90PSI, whereas the brad nailers have a need of 0.3 CFM at 90PSI.

Q: What are the downsides of pneumatic nail guns?

A: If you do plenty of DIY projects, a cordless model will always come in handy. The air compressor is typically bulky and heavy, so dragging it around will be tiring and annoying. The air hose can become tangled, and you always have to be a close electrical power supply. Sometimes, you only need to shoot a couple of nails, in which case the pneumatic nail gun seems like a fuss.

Q: Why get a cordless model as well?

A: The cordless models make an excellent solution for on-the-go and straightforward projects. Brad and finish nailers are typically battery-operated. They are lightweight, highly portable, and can give you speed when you’re hurrying up to finish a project.

Q: Are nail guns dangerous?

A: Even if nail guns come with numerous positive aspects, they pose significant safety issues. It seems that more than 40,000 people ended up in emergency rooms because of the injuries caused by improperly using nail guns.

Injuries to fingers, hands, and feet are the most common injuries, but the risk for harming legs, arms, and even internal organs is also very high. The risk of lethal injuries is never null.

All kinds of nail guns are dangerous, so safety should always be taken when used. For instance, you still have to shoot the pneumatic nail guns against a surface, which is a safety feature.