Brad nailer vs finish nailer: Which one do you need?

You can hurt yourself if you try hammering a nail by hand. Luckily, you can now drive nails quickly and effortlessly with a nail gun. 

However, with so many types of nail guns available, it can be tricky to know which to use for woodworking and DIY projects. To make it easier, you can compare two of the most popular nail guns first: brad nailer vs finish nailer.

What is a brad nailer?

A brad nailer drives brads or small, thin nails into wood and other building materials. It comes in two types: electric and pneumatic. An electric nail driver can be corded or cordless, while a pneumatic nail driver needs power from an air compressor. 

Since brad nails are thin, it’s ideal for projects that involve driving nails into light and delicate materials. This includes attaching delicate mouldings and trims between walls and ceilings or around doors and windows. You can also use brad nailers for crafting projects like assembling wooden picture frames and small boxes. 

What’s great about using a brad nailer is that it doesn’t leave large, noticeable holes. You don’t need to finish the wood and fill the nail holes with spackle or paste. Moreover, because it uses thin brad nails, it can help reduce the risk of splitting delicate wooden pieces. 

What is a finish nailer?

Finish nailers are designed to drive thick finish nails into the wood. Due to the thickness of finish nails, finish nailers provide strong holding power, which is ideal for heavy-duty applications like securing thick baseboards and crown moulding, building furniture pieces, and attaching stair treads and risers. Plus, they leave a professional finish even when driving long, thick nails.

Like brad nailers, finish nailers can be either pneumatic or cordless.

Finishing vs brad nailer: Which power tool is right for your home improvement project?

When doing home improvement projects like assembling furniture and updating fixtures, and installing built-ins, using the wrong tool can damage the material and the tool itself. You might even accidentally hurt yourself in the process, increasing the risk of nail gun injuries. 

This is why it pays to know and understand the differences between the various types of nail guns, like brad nailers and finish nailers. Here, we’ll help you delve deeper into these differences.

In terms of nail size

Nail size is measured in gauge, which is the thickness or diameter of the nail. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the nail size is because the gauge number is always inversely proportional to the nail’s diameter. 

Regarding finishing vs brad nailers, the latter uses a thinner nail size – 18 to 21 gauge, and ½ to 2 ½ inches of nail length. Due to their thin size, brad nailers are best for detailed work and thin materials. 

In contrast, finish nailers have a thicker nail size – 15 to 16 gauge, and 1 to 3 ½ inches of nail length. Since finish nails are thicker, they’re suitable for more demanding and large-scale woodworking projects. 

In terms of nail-holding strength

Since a finish nailer uses thick finish nails with a larger nail head than brad nails, it provides superior nail-holding strength. You can use it for projects that require demanding applications, such as attaching thick and dense baseboards between the wall and the floor to cover the uneven edges, or installing hardwood flooring to secure the wood in place. 

Because a finish nailer may require you to work with weighty materials, it’s best to leave the job to a handyperson to avoid injuring yourself. 

On the other hand, a brad nailer offers less holding power than a finish nailer because of the thin profile of brad nails. The nails will likely loosen over time, so avoid using a brad nailer for outdoor woodworking projects like building garden closets, picnic tables, and timber benches. You may only use it for small decorative projects like panelling the walls with a beadboard. 

In terms of the visibility of nail holes

We mentioned earlier that brad nailers leave less visible holes due to the small diameter of the brad nail heads, so you may use them as a moulding nail gun to install decorative skirting boards and crown mouldings. Aside from adding more depth and character to the walls, this will help create a cleaner and more seamless look. 

Meanwhile, finish nailers create more visible holes because of firing larger nails into the wood. This is why you should sand or fill the holes with a wood filler or putty to keep the material or workpiece looking smooth. Just make sure it is a top-grade filler since the holes can still appear visible even after finishing. 

In terms of wood splitting

Have you ever tried hammering a nail near the edge of a wood, and it caused the wood to split? You can avoid this by using a brad nailer. It offers precision nailing work, preventing the thin, fragile softwood from splitting. You’ll be able to fasten the nails more securely while maintaining the smooth appearance of wood. 

On the flip side, using finish nailers increases the risk of wood splitting because you have to drive longer and thicker nails. You can pre-drill the holes first to minimise the splitting, but this can be more tedious and require more time and effort when driving nails.

In terms of project versatility

Finish nailers are more versatile than brad nailers because they’re built for heavy-duty projects that require a strong and secure holding, such as attaching stair treads and risers. Because stairs are high-foot-traffic areas, these parts require thick and durable finish nails. 

Moreover, the finish nailer is useful for general construction and home improvement, such as building and assembling cabinets, securing hardwood flooring, and installing exterior trims, mouldings, and columns. 

Meanwhile, brad nailers are limited to decorative and crafting projects. Most would use them as a nail gun for woodworking to craft wooden picture frames, a mini birdhouse, and planter boxes. Some would use a brad nail gun for skirting boards that are thin and decorative. 

In terms of cost

Since finish nailers are more versatile and can handle heavy-duty projects, they are generally more expensive than brad nailers, with prices ranging from $238 to $949. Cordless nail guns or finish nailers tend to be more costly because these models require a longer battery life to drive thick nails.

You can opt for an affordable pneumatic finish nailer, but they’re still slightly higher than brad nailers. This is because finish nailers are designed for heavy-duty jobs and have a robust build to handle thick and heavy materials. In contrast, brad nailers are only suitable for light-duty tasks, reflecting their lower cost. For reference, prices for brad nailers range from only $59 to $725.

Take your home improvement projects to the next level with Airtasker

Choosing between a brad nailer and a finish is only one of the many dilemmas you’ll experience when tackling various assembling and home improvement projects. You must still ensure the nails are driven precisely to ensure a perfect fit. There’s also the problem of knowing which other tools and equipment. 

If this seems overwhelming for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to handypersons and assembly experts in your area. At Airtasker, connecting with these experts is easy –  just post a task with your budget and exact services needed.