An air nailer or nail gun can drive a nail into wood in a fraction of a second, significantly reducing the time and manpower involved when using a hammer for the same purpose. For large jobs such as installing roofing or hardwood flooring, an air nailer can speed up the workflow several times over while producing solid, consistent results. Nail guns come in a variety of sizes suited for different jobs, with models specifically designed for jobs such as roofing, framing and installing flooring. The project at hand will determine the type of nail gun that should be used.

Air nailers do not use the standard nails that would be used with a hammer. Rather, the nails for a nail gun come in strips or coils and are specific to a certain nail gun. To operate a nail gun, you load a strip or coil of nails into the gun’s magazine, which shoots a new nail each time the trigger is pulled. Always ensure that you are using the correct type of nails for the gun.

Though some nail guns are powered by means such as gas combustion, most are pneumatic, meaning they utilize compressed air to produce the force needed to drive nails. For small tasks like hanging a framed photo on a wall, using a regular hammer and nail is the simplest way to get the job done. For larger jobs, nail guns have a few advantages:

Work is completed in a fraction of the time.
Damage to the wood surface that occurs with hammering mistakes is avoided.
Nails that are held together by adhesive help bond each nail into the wood.
Consistency is achieved across the entire project.
Less manual labor is needed to complete large jobs, which can lead to less fatigue and lower costs.
Like other hand and power tools, nail guns can be extremely dangerous when used or handled improperly. Exercising the safety precautions recommended by the manufacturer of your nail gun is critical. While nail guns can make many projects more convenient, they can and do also cause serious injuries. Anyone using these powerful tools should be 100% focused on safety at all times.