Are you a professional renovator or hobbyist builder? Searching the ideal nailer for paneling. Then you are in the right place as today we are going to chat with you about what nail gun to use for paneling!
Though thousands of nail guns are available in the market, not all are for paneling. What you need is the precise nail that will not make any cracks on the board. And after selecting the right nailer you must know how to use it for fastening the panel. So in this article, we will show you how to choose the right nailer for paneling, along with the method of using it. So why we are making a delay? Let’s jump into the main discussion!
Quick Overview
How to Choose the best Nail Gun for Paneling
Wainscoting, which is also known as wall paneling, not only enhances the beauty of the interior but also increases the lifespan of the wall from weather damaging and dumping. If you want to save the cost of hiring professional builders for renovating your bedroom or living room interior, then you need the right nailer to fasten the paneling.
To select the right nail gun for paneling is not rocket science! What you need to do is consider the place of application, focusing on the material of the block and last but not least, the power source, which means is it cordless or corded pneumatic!
Place of Application
The place of application is the first priority that what nail gun you need to use for the paneling. For furniture paneling, like the back portion of a cupboard or for the frame of the vanity, you need a smaller nailer with thin nails.
Again, for the celling, you need powerful nails which have more holding power like a staple gun. So based on the places of application, the types of nail gun vary.
The Material of the Blocks of Paneling
From the 13th century, paneling is familiar for enhancing the texture of the interior. Earlier, only wooden blocks were used for paneling. However, with the passage of time, plywood has taken the place of wood for a longer lifespan and cost-effectiveness!
Again wood-plastic composite board is water resistance and heavy-duty. And most carpenters like to use plywood for furniture paneling for a better lifecycle and less weight.
So when you are going to buy the right nailer for paneling, first of all, you need to focus on the material of the blocks. If the block is thicker like hardwood, then you need a powerful nailer with thicker nails. On the contrary, if the board is thinner like plywood, then you need thin nails to avoid the splitting of the board.
Source of Power of Nailer
The source of power is another factor that determines what nail gun is ideal for your project. If you are a heavy-duty construction renovator, then go for the best corded electric nail gun for paneling, which makes sure the continuous nailing without nail jambs.
And for hobbyist builders, a cordless, battery nailer is excellent for its portability and easy-to-use configuration. Again for celling and corners, there is no other good alternative to the cordless nailer.
For the garage owner and carpentry shop, a pneumatic nail gun works well for a low cost. Pneumatic nail guns are powerful, less expensive, and carry heavy-duty nailing. And in every garage, there is at least one air compressor available. So with a single-stage, 6-gallon pancake air compressor, you can run pneumatic nail guns.
And if you don’t have an air compressor then worry not. There are several combo kits like CRAFTSMAN CMEC6150K Air Compressor with a 13 Piece Accessory Kit which offers you two or three pieces of nail guns with the magazine. These combo kits will cost you only $150 to $200 max.
Finish Nailer vs. Brad Nailer; which is Ideal for Paneling
Finish nailer means 16 gauge straight nailer and 15 gauge angled nailer. A finish nailer is the most versatile and powerful nailer by which you can do baseboard trim, narrow trim, furniture and cabinet trim, molding, and fencing.
The nails of the finish nailer are 1.25 inches to 2.5 inches longer, with a thickness of 0.063 inches to 0.072 inches. Again, most of the finish nailer is pneumatic, which needs an additional air compressor to operate.
On the other hand, a brad nailer carries the nails much thinner than a finish nailer. The thickness of the 18 gauge brad nailer is 0.0468 inches, with a max length of 2.25 inches. And the heads of the brad nailer are smaller and leave comparatively smaller nail holes for the semi-headed configuration.
What Nail Gun to Use for Paneling
A finish nailer is excellent for thicker boards like hardwood blocks. However, while nailing a panel with the finish nailer, don’t use nails more than 2 inches in length. If you use longer nails, then there is much possibility of piercing and cracking the board.
Again, you cannot fill the nail holes with a nail hole-filler if the nail head is too big. What you need is to paint the board. So while nailing, you need to take such a nail that has not only the holding power but also leaves smaller holes on the board.
To cope with all the crises of paneling with a thin board like plywood or plastic, a brad nailer is excellent for its thinner diameter and smaller head. If you use a finish nailer for paneling, then the thin plywood cannot carry the force of the thicker nails. As a result, the board will split and damage completely.
However, the 1.25 inches to 2 inches nails of a brad nailer attach the board with the wall without leaving any visible holes for the semi-headed nails. And most of the brad nailers come with a cordless version. So it’s easy to carry nailing wherever and whenever you need it for nailing.
Required Tools for Paneling
- 25 inches brad nails
- Brad nailer
- Liquid Nails/ Spackling Paste
- Wooden Blocks/ Plywood
- Electric saw
- Marker
- Measurement Tape
- Gloves
- Goggles
- Hearing protector/ Ear Muffs
The Method of Fixing Panel with a Nailer
- First of all, take the measurement of the place where you want to fix the panel
- After that, mark the board according to the measurement of the surface with a marker
- Then cut the board with an electric saw
- Cut the corners with 45-degree angles so that you can fix the finishing line
- After that, spray some glue on the backside of the board and tap it on the surface
- Then nail the whole board by gaping 12 inches
- If you don’t want to use glue, then place some wooden blocks for supporting the panel while nailing
The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: Brad nailer vs. finish nailer, which is the most versatile?
Answer: A 16 gauge finish nailer is a multipurpose nail gun by which you can do all the carpentry.
Question: Can I use a nailer without an air compressor?
Answer: Yes, a corded electric nail gun and cordless battery-powered nailer don’t need an air compressor to run. These nail guns run with the help of electricity.
Question: What size nail is for paneling?
Answer: 1.25 inches brad nails are ideal for paneling. If you do paneling with the nails more than 2 inches, then the nails split the thinner wood.
Question: What is the cost of fastening paneling?
Answer: The cost mainly depends on which type of paneling sheet you are going to use. For per square foot of paneling, the cost will be around $7.5 to $9.
The Last Words
So we can come to the final verdict that a brad nailer is excellent for paneling for its precise nail size. However, a finish nailer is the versatile nail gun by which you can also fix thicker panels like hardwood with comparatively smaller nails. And cordless nailer is excellent than the corded pneumatic for portability.
After finding the answer to the question, what nail gun to use for paneling, your next duty is to buy the right nailer for paneling within your budget. And Amazon offers you huge verities of nailers with attractive cost ranges. Before outing the stock, check the best corded electric nailer if you are a professional renovator.
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