Carpenters in the house? Nail gun questions

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by CJay, Feb 4, 2024.

  1. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Disclaimer- I'm no carpenter. I can cut a piece of wood three times and it'll still be too small. I know zero zip nada about nail guns. That being said, I'm replacing a bunch of pressure treated 5/4 boards. So instead of hand hammering a bazillion nails, I was going to get a nail gun to make life easier

    The deck boards are held in place with 10D hot dipped galvanized finish nails. So Id like to put the same nails back in so everything matches. Id like to get a DeWalt cordless nailer because everything else I have is DeWalt.

    So my question is- what DeWalt nailer do I get? And can I shoot 10D galvanized finish nails through it?

    So far I replaced these steps that were rotted away. All the boards are fitted but nothing has been nailed. My OCD got the better of me. Every board fits perfectly

    IMG_20240131_154346_336.jpg
     
    Mark Demko and 1972 Stage 1 like this.
  2. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    I prefer screws ...the small head torx for sinking in and not working out and tearing your feet up...but my carpenter friend from vocational school had Bosch nail guns...none of this applies to what you want I see haha...I can't see a cordless doing many good deep hits b4 needing a charge tho
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2024
  3. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    those are likely 10d common nails with clipped heads (framing nails). Cordless nailers are cute and the finish nailers work quite good, but not for framing nails stick with a pneumatic
     
  4. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    Screen Shot 2024-02-04 at 10.22.14 AM.png I wouldn't pay the money for a cordless framing nailer. The pneumatic are all disposable now. We barely get a year out of any brand.
     
    docgsx likes this.
  5. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Interesting, 159 bucks is a lot easier to swallow on a tool I'm not going to use too often

    This is the nail that the deck boards are held down with

    IMG_20240204_103159_390.jpg
     
  6. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    Buy a Bostitch. You should look on Craigslist for a used one. Or check rental places. You only have one job so its not effective to buy a new one. The nails are costly enough. You won't find nailer nails that match. They come coated but not hot dipped. I bought one 30 years ago for a deck and have used it hundreds of time since.
    JW had a story about nailing his hand. These have some punch so hold it down with gusto!

    Edit - Thats a finish nail. Different nailer. The framing nail heads are usually "D" shaped.
    They use "gauge" nails: 16 Gauge Straight Finish Nails from 1-in to 2-1/2-in Length. They are shaped differently due to the feeder. I have one of those too - great nailer!
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2024
  7. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    You’re not going to find a finish nailer to shoot 3” nails, not in Home Depot. Pneumatic nailer will last you a lifetime. The battery framing nailers typically don’t have the strength.
     
    docgsx likes this.
  8. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

  9. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Ok, so pneumatic nailer-check

    And what kind of nail should I use on the 5/4 boards?
     
  10. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    10d galvanized 21deg, or 30 degree +++ to match the gun. Stay away from ring shank nails, smooth shank only
     
  11. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    The framing nailer Fred posted is the same one I have. Only used it a few times but happy with it.
     
  12. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    I have the 28 degree versions because we have a half dozen or so Bostich nailers that use the same nails. The 21 degree units are popular.
     
  13. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    A finish nail though correct?
     
  14. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    Keep that wood wet, literally soak it with the hose overnight if not nailing today. Gap it the thickness of a nail so it breathes
     
    Max Damage likes this.
  15. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    No, common nails
     
  16. Jeremy Zepnick

    Jeremy Zepnick STEELMAN

    There are codes to follow...just saying. Might want to check into that.
     
  17. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    Screen Shot 2024-02-04 at 11.04.48 AM.png Best pic I could find to match that gun 21 degreee, 3" plastic collated, framing nails, again stay away from the ring shank. Finish nails would need a different gun. Brand is irrelevant.
     
  18. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    Every deck I've ever owned or my daughter has owned will eventually get a bad board. They crack, rot or break and I hate pulling nailed boards up. Everything I've put back is with deck screws, usually Torx drive and often stainless steel. I rebuilt my deck completely with screws. Also, 5/4 boards were out of sight high during COVID so I found that 2x6 rounded edge lumber was cheaper by almost half. You can park a Buick on my deck if you built a ramp to it.
    [​IMG]
     
    Max Damage likes this.
  19. dynaflow

    dynaflow shiftless...

    ...if you're not replacing entire deck, you're pretty much committed to nails. Never seen a deck installed w/finish nails though. Fasteners need heads to keep boards flat, especially with the kind of lumber available now. Recently replaced 30 year-old boards, and new prime crap has different widths/thickness, and has already shrunk in some places more than original boards did in 30 years. I'm with hugger, torx deck screws, using cordless impact driver w/magnetic holder. Yeah, takes longer than nails, but speed's not everything. And, when it's a redeck, use sealing tape on joists...
     
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  20. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    I agree with the screw comments above. A few boards like in your pic will be easy. However, if you really need it to match existing (OCD), the 2 1/2 inch 16 gauge finish nails will be close. The exposed part of the head will be identical looking at the them from above. The biggest issue you will have is the depth of the head. You control the depth with the air pressure. Too much pressure and they can be an inch in! Play with it and you will find the right pressure.
     

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