What Gauge Nailer for Woodworking?

[@Bangali540]

As an educator for close to 20 years in NYC, and a woodworker by hobby and passion, I can appreciate good instruction. You did a great job of explaining the progression of the gauges and transition from nails to staples. I loved the portion of the video where you compare all the different types of gauges side by side. Great video. Great instruction.

[@zacharysementelli1098]

What do you recommend a 15 or 16 gauge nailer first

[@rollthers3157]

Agreed.

[@G5Hohn]

Good video. I acquired a Hitachi collection a few years ago and got the 15ga angle finish nailer, 18ga brad nailer, 18ga barrow crown stapler and 23ga pinner. What I’ve observed: - The holding power of staples is many times that of nails. If the joint won’t be visible, use staples. - The pinner is the way to go for anything visible. Use it with glue and toenail the pins for better holding until the glue sets. Paint/stain right over with no filler and they disappear. - 15ga angle nailer is best for harder to reach things or any time you need a really long nail. - 18ga brad nailer is the most versatile, but once you get the other guns you’ll rarely use it because there’s always one of the specialist guns that works better. One of the others either hides better or grips tighter or has longer reach. It is now my least used gun. I’d get the 18ga bras nailer first, then get the narrow crown stapler 2nd.

[@russellseaton2014]

Agree with most if not everything you said. I also bought the Metabo HPT/Hitachi set of guns. 15, 18, stapler. Then bought the 23. The 23 pinner is great for almost everything trim related. I am talking about regular/cheap ranch style trim. Not extra thick heavy duty 3/4" crown molding. 15 gauge is great for holding big stuff. Plywood, 2x4s. Its great for everyday regular nailing wood together stuff. Stapler is great for thin plywood. 15, 23, stapler have been used a lot by me. 18 no because its a middle of the road not good at anything nailer. Sort of.

[@darthsquider8586]

Finally a nail gun video that actually shows the different gauge sizes in the wood. Thank you! Off to buy a brad nailer now.

[@adamrperkins]

This video was exactly what I was looking for! 1. Compared guns/gauges 2. Discusses projects each gauge is good for 3. Makes recommendation on which to buy first 4. Thorough, but short and sweet (no wading through minutes of unbearable rambling) 5. Clear and steady camera work with good audio Well done, and Thank You!

[@uhenoalvarez3480]

Thank a bunch for all the tips. been a woodworker for 20 years, nice to see a young person with a lot of knowledge and willing to pass it on.

[@rishij]

Thanks for being the first person to actually giving a definitive recommendation.

[@Tayfancier]

Thanks. 18 gauge brad nailer, it is.

[@cannonball666]

I think this would work as well for assembling cabinet frames if used in combo with glue.

[@1977np]

​@@cannonball666 exactly. I did the same. Works well.

[@charlesvanmeter3958]

Retired guy getting started with woodworking/construction projects. Very good instructional video thanks!

[@DennisMathias]

Well, it's about time somebody explained this to me. Excellent report!

[@WorkshopAddict]

Thank you! -Andy

[@nyazz22]

My first fastener was a rigid 18 gauge brad nailer. Love it. I saw at my local HD they had a rigid combo pack - 16ga and 23ga for 140. Swooped them both up thanks to this video!

[@WorkshopAddict]

Very cool!

[@danielsmith4042]

That was really helpful. I'm an amateur woodworker and also a teacher and your presentation was really clear and very helpful.

[@jimbo2629]

Reassuring as I have an 18g airstrike. I didn’t buy 16g as I thought I would prefer screws if I wanted permanent strength. I often use the Brad nailer as a positioner and clamp.

[@normferguson2769]

I got a 18 gauge brad nailer and compressor to assemble store shelving. It worked great and didn’t split 1x4” boards. I also learned to not get my hand near the joint being nailed. The 18 ga 2” nail hit something and curved out through my finger. Lesson learned.

[@rauldelacruz8139]

Simply and methodically explained, with clear and concise examples...thank you...subscribed just because of this video!

[@61spindrift]

No discussion necessary, your video says it all. Thanks.

[@ahopkins1978]

Clearest vid I’ve watched breaking it down for this noob. Thanks for making this vid.

[@richardpcrowe]

Great video... I just purchased an 18 gauge brad nailer to fabricate bird nesting boxes which I build out of cedar fence slats. Since I no longer have an air compressor, and since my fabrication will be done at my work bench, I opted for a DeWalt corded Five-in-one tool.

[@bradenbushert3121]

Thank you! I have been struggling to figure out what gun is best for what types of projects as someone who has never really used anything aside from a roof nailer. This helped a lot! Made me realize the smaller guns are more helpful and required for what I need.

[@BenMarvin]

As a cabinet maker, I've done lots of cabinet assembly with staples, followed by screws. Staple perform well in particle board, melamine and plywood casework. The brad nails were mostly reserved for trim, 16ga for paint grade and 23ga for stain grade trim.

[@StreetKingz4Life]

well spoken

[@marlonmullon]

Thank you. I finally know the difference between these gauges numbers.

[@SabanWorshipper]

Thanks...easy to understand...everybody else was making this so confusing...subscribed

[@leonardcook86]

Thank you. You gave a clear explanation of something that was giving me a headache thinking about.

[@cdgregOG]

Agreed to starting with the 18g! Well presented.

[@MissDannigirl1]

You did a great job explaining everything without being to wordy. You were clear and right to the point. Very much appreciated

[@shanecrawford6023]

Thank you for this informative video, my wife and I are just getting into doing wood working and are presently trying to decide which nail gun to get . This was bang on in helping us to understand

[@davedaniels8211]

I knew I needed 18 gauge and your video confirmed everything I needed to ask. Thanks 🇬🇧

[@dekurvajo]

I Started with 18g and i am still working with that because it was very few times that i needed bigger. I don't even have a compressor yet, so the 18g is the best start in my opinion.

[@ajfam871]

I am a home owner an window/glass installer. I am moving to cordless nailers. I bought the Ryobi 18g Airstrike first and it's great. All my guys grab that before thinking about hauling around cord and tank. I plan on getting a 23g and am debating wheather to get a 15 gauge or 16 gauge. Leaning towards the 15 gauge.

[@0x73V14]

a couple weeks ago i replaced a broken window pane using the 23g airstrike, it worked great and left the tiniest barely visible holes in the trim, if it wasn't for the old holes from the staples that had been holding it before i replaced it, i wouldn't even need to paint it.

[@thorlo1278]

I've been a woodworker by hobby since the late 60's early 70's. Personally I think you did a great job explaining the differences for the newbies. As for my self, I have both an 18 gauge brad nailer and crown stapler. I wish I could afford a pin nailer and a 15 ga framing nailer, but you how that goes when the budget is extremely tight.

[@kizzjd9578]

As a carpenter, I use a framing gun, a 16g gun and also a 23g gun which is good for holding till glue goes off or stain grade mouldings.

[@bendrixbailey1430]

Very informative and well organized. Nice job. I learned what I needed to learn from this video. The difference in application between 15 and 16 gauge was difficult to figure out. Thanks for explaining it.

[@1eustaquiod]

Thant you for explaining the different size nail guns this will help me decide which size nail gun to purchase.

[@willnettles2051]

Absolutely terrific video. I've been doing everything from framing to furniture on and off for half a century. I needed some practical, usable information and WorkshopAddict provided it. Thank you. What I learned for what I need to do next is 18 gauge nailer, combo with staples if that's a possibility, after that with the small frames I assemble a 23 gauge.

[@WorkshopAddict]

Will Nettles Thanks!

[@mikew151Manhattan]

totally agree - 18ga first then 23... nice vid!

[@jlibert0546]

Such a clear video and explanation. I use a 18ga nailer/stapler combo and it does everything I’ve needed too as far as furniture building.

[@trooperjoe73]

I'm in the market for one, and this is the best explanation I've heard. Great info.

[@Jsquared876]

New wood worker so your video was very helpful for me....thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@patriciadixon8090]

Thank you so much, did a great job explaining." I'm a new be" purchased the 18 gauge brad nail. Simplicity to the difference in the different types.

[@billgarthwaite878]

You certainly have good presentation skills. Your video is very informative and very useful to those contemplating buying a nail gun.

[@TheChooken83]

Thankyou for making it a simple decision for newbies, I’ve watched so many videos and yours is the best by far

[@joeking433]

I have the Ryobi 18ga, 16ga, and narrow crown stapler and they are my favorite tools and have never had a problem with them.

[@GeeDeeBird]

Thanks for this. It's just as relevant today as it was in 2016.

[@maddawgzzzz]

True, the size of nails and the way lumber is fastened doesn’t change lol

[@PaulC1980]

I'm new enough at woodworking so this was helpful, I'll be going with the 18, I've been in shops looking but really didn't know which one to buy, thanks for useful info 👍

[@wildbill23c]

The brad nailer will do a lot of tasks in the woodshop. That was my first nailer, and I still use it a lot. The only time I use my finish nailer is for doing crown molding or base trim jobs...everything in the home woodshop seems to get the brad nailer. Picture frames I'll tack the corners till the glue dries using pin nails as the holes left are extremely small and most times don't require any work to cover holes like other fasteners would. Staplers work great for upholstery type jobs but other than that I don't use staples.

[@jimwebster5790]

I just purchased the Ryobi Air Strike 18 gauge nailer. I have driven around 50 brads so far in some trim work. I am very happy with my purchase so far

[@rgeraldalexander4278]

Watched your video before picking up a Milwaukee 18 gauge nailer, and found it to be super helpful working on a pretty big trim job. Thanks for the information.

[@jjextinguisher]

dude this video rocks!! I've seen a lot of videos on nail guns but this one is the best!

[@curtoloid3826]

I guess it depends on your work. I feel a 16 gauge is way more versatile. Can do just about all interior exterior trim work. Wooden projects and things like that. If you have to go smaller I’d go with a pin nailer next.

[@loktom4068]

For my first brad nailer gun it's definitely the 18g. It's the best of both worlds when you only have one brad nail gun to begin with. Later you can get the others if necessary.

[@wildbill23c]

It'll do a lot of work, the brad nailer is what I started out with about 15 years ago, course I now have many other sizes of nailers but that old brad nailer still gets used all the time for shop projects. Its small, and easily fits into many places larger nailers just won't fit.

[@maddawgzzzz]

I use my 18g the most, but when I need a bit more hold on larger projects I’ll use the 16, if I need bigger than 16 i might move to screws.

[@jackpine4347]

Excellent introduction to the various size fasteners in this class and their relevant application.

[@rayaldridge2506]

Andy, Thank you for that excellent video review. It gave me the information I needed to put down the hammer & nails and enter the world of pneumatic tools. I always wanted to, but just didn't know where to start. I'm new to woodworking so I went with a combo kit from Porter Cable. It came with a six gal. compressor, 16 ga. finish nailer, 18 ga. brad nailer, and an 18 ga. 1/4" crown stapler. I purchased a 23 ga. pin nailer separately. Now I'm ready to go. Thanks again.

[@MH-qx2mj]

Great explanation, I have referred back to this quite a few times over the years. Cheers

[@Андрей-р1ъ3б]

A very interesting topic and this is the best video in comparison of already hammered hairpins of different sizes, hello from Russia)

[@billbonnell2518]

Great explanations and I got my answer on the different types of gauges , thank you

[@davidoatis9683]

Excellent video, especially in that you gave good information and move very quickly. No unnecessary banter that slows the process down. Getting to the point quickly is great. One suggestion only, place a coin near your samples of nails for scale. It's great to see the difference between them, but putting in a coin to give a scale would provide a little better feel for which one might work best for our situation. Otherwise, great job

[@sungwonkim6074]

Best video I have seen. A very good explanation of the different gauges of nails and the guns.

[@CriticalThinker1967]

I started with a 16 gauge pneumatic and a pneumatic stapler then a 23 gauge pneumatic followed by an 18 gauge/narrow crown stapler battery and finally a pnumatic rotary nail gun

[@johnsteed265]

Great overview of the air nailers. Although it can be tempting to use in 18g brad nailer on projects, stick with only using a 16g for cabinetry/furniture work as the holding power is night and day.

[@MadLadsAnonymous]

For outdoor patio furniture like chairs, would you suggest going 16 or 15 ga? Saw another rec for 23/18/15, as the comment said most would just opt for 15 for the additional holding power over 16. I assume they meant 23 & 18 for smaller stuff like boxes, frames, cabinet work.

[@joserodriquez4270]

Mighty fine info, I will be getting a brad nailer for DIY projects around the house. Thanks for the video very informative 👍🏼

[@ganeshbal4405]

As I am watching this very informative video, I think a kit that comes with a 16 gage, 18 gage and a crown staple gun and a compressor would take care of many projects. I got the Bostich kit.

[@pabloca6524]

Loved your video. I bought a 16ga gun then I had a 2nd thought and saw your video. Returning it now and getting a 18ga 😊

[@geraldrees7846]

Thanks for explaining that, very useful. I have an 18 gauge which I find very useful for the stuff I make. I'm in the process of getting a larger nail gun and this had pointed me in the right direction.

[@1971mav]

Unfortunately too many furniture manufacturers go crazy with those crown staples. They use particle board and staple the hell out of it.

[@drizler]

Bret .Maverick What else can they do? It’s garbage with about the strength of toilet paper. Load it full of staples and it’s .......still garbage

[@kimchee94112]

Long ones for earthquake shear walls, lots of holding force.

[@briansschneider]

Terrific video and instruction. Thank you. I’m installing pallet boards on accent wall. Debated between 16 and 18 gauge. I think I’ll start with 18. Keep the videos coming. Want to build a work bench for the garage next. Please let me know if you have any videos for this or other projects for a DIY guy. Thank you!

[@wildgoose6596]

Great job Andy. I have a 16 gauge for trim work - baseboard and door casings where I need the added nail length to penetrate the drywall and still get into the stud. I don't do much fine carpentry, but I agree 16ga is probably too big as it not only leaves a large hole, but I would think it might even split the wood.

[@StreetKingz4Life]

love me the dewalt 16g brad nailer the holes don't bother me i fill them up with ease,yet though the 18g are very nice for my miniature projects

[@SnootchieBootchies27]

18, narrow crown, 23. 15 is only necessary outside and 16 can be replaced by stapler when only being used for assembly where fasteners are hidden.

[@johndyson1904]

very well explained to us novices! I decided to go with a 18 gauge Brad gun to put up paneling. Starting job July 18th, hope this works out for me.

[@russwebster3302]

Good Info Andy. I think the 18 gauge is a good choice.

[@sabestek8896]

very good .. thx much for going over the difference in gauge nails and their uses cases i.e. 18 gauge being the all around most versatile nail to use with good holding pwr.

[@laurendao4467]

Exactly all the information I was hoping to find in one video! Thank you so much.

[@idnorton]

Love the pictures of the finish each size leaves you with, that's really useful. Thanks!

[@brandonbdl]

Great video. Wish I would've seen this before I bought my 18g nailer. Looks like im gonna need a 16g nailer now. And a 15g nailer in the near future

[@stwms0519]

Thanks for the great video, easy to follow and helped me decide where to start with my first nail gun

[@ww89]

The best video I've ever seen in this topic, thanks!

[@vypersoft1]

Was getting ready to purchase a nailer but was confused on which one I really needed for around the house stuff...now I know. Thanks.

[@joeking433]

Hahahaha!

[@MrBrewzr]

Thank you so much for the video, it was exactly the information I needed. A lot of these type of videos tend to be to ambiguous in the end. However this video is exactly what a new woodworker like myself needs. I’m grateful for the solid, start with the 18 gauge. Non ambiguous solid answer, thanks. Got my sub!

[@serena2214]

Thank you for making this!

[@alexseals1045]

Very clear and to the point! I wish more informational videos were as clearly explained.

[@kathynvalade665]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As a beginner in woodworking this is exactly what I needed. You have a very happy follower!

[@wildbill23c]

A brad nailer will accomplish many woodworking tasks in the shop, followed by a finish nailer which depending on what you are doing the 16 gauge finish nail heads are smaller than the 15 gauge finish nails so hiding the 16 gauge nail head holes would be easier to do on a project.

[@guygutierrez263]

Thanks. You helped me decide on a well priced 18G nailer to build a pallet board wall.

[@GingersinMilford]

Great instruction. I was always confused about nailers, now I get it. Thank you.

[@josellemonarchi3119]

Great explanation on all the various nailer products and sizes. You answered my question, 18 gauge nailer it is!!!

[@mikewest712]

I have used an 18 gauge brad nailer for years, i recently got a 15 gauge finish nailer and a pin nailer. Have not used the 18 gauge brads in a while , it has its place but my 15 gauge makes the same size hole. go hitachi kids

[@mattmason9705]

Wow, what a great informational video with all of the details I was hoping for. Thank you!

[@joshjpphillips6115]

Asked for the Hitachi combo kit for Christmas. Going to be my first nailer. Can't wait!

[@WorkshopAddict]

That is a great combo kit!!! -Andy

[@don.kowalski]

Thanks so much for this review. I have been out of touch on all the new equipment, and going to get back into making stuff. I could never afford toys like brad nailers, but they have come down so much. I appreciate your explaining the differences

[@stuw4812]

Excellent presentation and very informative. Thank you for increasing my knowledge and understanding

[@wahinenuiloa]

Thanks for posting. A great, quick explanation of the various applications for each gun/nail.

[@trashcan3000]

Wish I watched this video before I got the nail gun. Luckily I went with an 18 gauge brad nailer haha. Thanks for the helpful video

[@marzatomika]

Thanks for the good info. Very helpful for a first time buyer

[@JakePlisskin12]

I use the jlab epic sport anc wireless ear buds. They have the be aware feature so if you want you can hear whats going on like someone talking along with the noise canceling. I use them with a grider oscillating tool and chainsaw. Now i dont know how many decibles they actually block but i know for a fact my ears dont have ringing in them after doing loud work. Especially when using the foam insert. And they have a earhook on them, i will not buy a set of buds that does have the ear hook. Plus they cost under $100 with a 2 year warranty.

[@dominickm8777]

This is an excellent video. Great explanations on the usage of the different nail guns as well as well thought out recommendation. Thank you for taking the time to do this

[@TOOL_TECHNICAL]

Quick Question - For individuals with no nailer, nails range from 10 ga framing nails to 23 ga pins. I'm torn between 16 ga and 18 ga. In your experience which do you believe to be the more useful for 90-95% of trim. Many people who are getting into wood work or carpentry have to spend money on miter saws, nails, adhesives, sanders etc. and may not have the budget for 5 specific nailers. 16 ga has more holding power but makes slightly bigger holes (don't want to blow out your pieces) at the same time 18 ga may shear off with bigger/deeper trim. Price difference of ~100 dollars is negligible

[@IAmArgodabar]

This was a great video. I had purchased a 16 gage finish nailer and was wondering if I really need the brad nailer. My wife would ask what the difference was and now I can tell her.

[@sharit7970]

Very informative, very easy to understand, thanks for posting!

[@bobwolf1811]

Thanks for making a very helpful video. You've done a good job of answering the questions I've had in mind.

[@WorkshopAddict]

Bob Wolf Welcome!

[@oscarlopez2041]

Thanks I was having that problem I can’t decide which one to get it first.

[@John.117]

Yeah... this was very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

[@Mixwell1983]

Thanks for the video, i picked up my first nailer which is 18gauge from harbor freight on clearance for $13.50.

[@modularliving1024]

Way better video then others.(thumbnail makes it look outdated) I wished you added framing too