Is 16 Gauge Brad Nailer Actually a Finish Nailer?

[Jay Chan]

I am looking for a 15-gauge or 16-gauge brad nailer in HF. But I get confused when they described a 16-gauge nailer as a "brad nailer" instead of a "finish nailer". They called it a heavy duty 16-gauge brad nailer. Is it really a "finish nailer"? If this is so, I may get it for nailing baseboard (and then use a 18-gauge brad nailer to nail the shoe molding into the baseboard).

Thanks for any info in advance.

Jay Chan

[DJ Delorie]

The missing piece of information is that there's a difference between brads and finish nails. A 16 gauge brad nailer will most likely not be able to shoot 16 gauge finish nails.

IMHO brads are not structural nails. They should be used with a secondary fixative, like glue. We used 16g finish nails for all the moulding in our house.

[Fly-by-Night CC]

You might be able to answer your own question if you look at the brads themselves. In my opinion, the 16 gauge look the same but just a little bigger than 18 gauge brads. 15 gauge look just like standard finish nails, so, yes, I'd say the 16 is a larger brad nailer and not a finish nailer.

I put up 7/8" thick poplar door trim, baseboards and header trim recently and am glad I went with a 15 gauge over the 16. The condition of much of today's lumber being what it is (slight twist, bow, etc.) needs a secure nail to help hold it in place. I used an 18 g. to put up a frame & panel section on the same wall - here the wood was at most

1/2" thick and I did the milling to straight and square, so there wasn't an issue of coaxing pieces into place.

[Jay Chan]

Thanks for all the helpful info that I have received here.

Seem like 16 gauge brad nails are not the same as 16 gauge finish nails. Therefore, a 16-gauge brad nailer is not the same as a 16-gauge finish nailer. OK, I get it.

Also thanks for another newsgroup member who has warned me the possibility that a 16-gauge brad nailer may only support up to 2" nails and I need to use 2-1/2" nails in order to go through the wood trim, the dry wood, in order to reach the stub. Indeed, that 16-gauge brad nail in HF can only support up to 2" nails. This means it is not appropriate for my need. I will need to look elsewhere.

Thanks again.

Jay Chan