A nailer is used for driving a nail into any sort of material, most popularly wood. It works on the principle of electromagnetism and is driven by compressed air and gases.
Key Takeaways
- Brad nailer is a nail gun that uses thin brads, or small nails, to attach delicate trim and molding.
- A finish nailer is a nail gun that uses thicker nails to attach larger pieces of wood, such as baseboards and crown molding.
- Brad nailer is ideal for precision work, while finish nailer is better for heavy-duty applications.
Brad Nailer vs Finish Nailer
Brad Nailers is lighter, more portable and easier to use than Finish Nailers. Unlike Brad Nailers, Finish Nailers can be used on a wide range of materials. Brad Nailers is cheaper than Finish Nailers. Finish Nailers are smaller than Brad Nailers, hence easy to use in tricky spaces.
The brad nailer does not possess the same holding power when compared to a finish nailer because it does not use any nails.
Finish nailers are larger in size when compared to Brad nailers. A finish nailer has many uses and applications. It is highly versatile.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Brad Nailer | Finish Nailer |
|---|---|---|
| Nail Type | Brad nailer has brads that are thin 18-gauge nails, | Finish nailers have 16-gauge nails and 15-gauge nails. |
| Holding capacity and strength | Brad nailers have less holding power and capacity. | Finish nailers have immense holding capacity and strength. |
| Versatility | Brad nailers are not versatile as small brad nails are incapable of holding large boards, heavy wood, and moldings. | Finish nailers are highly versatile and are used for different kinds of works. |
| Power | Brad nailers are comparatively less powerful than finish nailers and are prominently used, driving nails into a thinner trim. | Finish nailers are very powerful and are prominently used for driving nails into a thicker trim. |
| Hole size | The hole size of the brad nailer is approximately 0.0475 inches. | The hole size of the finish nailer is approximately 0.0720 inches. |
| Uses | Brad nailers are highly useful and ideal for lightweight boards and moldings. | Finish nailers work best on plywood, baseboards, and MDF. |
What is Brad Nailer?
Brad nailer is a lightweight machine that is used for nailing brad nails. Brad nails are comparatively slimmer and have smaller heads than finish nails.
One of the major drawbacks of brad nailers is that it is not strong enough to keep up thick and heavy materials. It is highly ideal for getting thinner trims without enabling them to crack.
The main merits of Brad Nailer are:-
- The 18-gauge nails do not spill the trim.
- The hole which is formed after the use of brad nailer is very minute and small, due to which it does not need any filling.
- It is highly recommended for attaching delicate trims and mouldings.
- It can easily be used on small baseboards and plywood up to half inches.
The main demerits of Finish Nailer are:-
- It does not serve a number of purposes and is not versatile at all.
- It is not ideal and recommended for hard nailing to reach into the interior of the material.
What is Finish Nailer?
A finish nailer is popularly known as the bigger brother of a brad nailer. A finish nailer possesses great strength that ranges somewhere between the strength of a brad nailer and a heavy-duty nail gun.
The main merits of Finish nailers are:-
- The 15-gauge nails and 16-gauge nails are comparatively bigger and have a higher holding capacity.
- Finish nailers are highly versatile and serve a number of purposes, and have various applications.
- The 15-gauge and 16-gauge nails that are collated can easily reach corners.
- They are highly recommended for manufacturing furniture, fixing baseboards and plywood, and woodworking.
The major demerits of Finish nailers are:-
- The bigger nails produce larger holes that, unfortunately, require filling.
- It is not recommended for the fixation of thin trims and narrow boards.
Some people ask whether brad nails can be used in finish nailers, yes, one can use them, but the rate of efficiency, in this case, is highly less.
Main Differences Between Brad Nailer and Finish Nailer
- Brad nailers are highly recommended for lightweight boards and moldings, whereas finish nailers are recommended for plywood and hardwood.
- The hole size of brad nailers is approximately 0.0475 inches, whereas the hole size of finish nailers is approximately 0.0720 inches.
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