Harbor Freight Nail Guns: How To Choose The Best One For Your Project

Using a nail gun (also commonly called a nailer) is faster and requires much less physical effort than swinging a hammer. So you'll regularly see them on construction sites and will often find them on lists of tools worth investing in to start woodworking at home. Harbor Freight offers a range of these devices at competitive prices. However, with various types of nail guns available under two different brands, it can be difficult to know how to choose the best one for your next project. 

The first thing to know is that with the exception of the Bauer 18V Cordless 18-Gauge Brad Nailer, all Harbor Freight nail guns are pneumatic. So you'll need an air compressor to power them. If you don't own one, you'll want to grab one of Harbor Freight's air compressors that are worth buying. It's also useful to know how to differentiate between the two brands sold by Harbor Freight: Banks targets DIYers users, whereas Pierce is described as contractor-grade.

Some nail guns make their use obvious. The Banks 2-in-1 Flooring Air Nailer/Stapler is specifically designed for securing planks to joists or subfloors. The Banks 15° Coil Roofing Nailer is intended for installing shingles, and the Pierce 15° Professional Coil Siding Nailer is for siding. However, a number of Harbor Freight nail guns are more multi-purpose, so let's look at those.

You can get some idea of which projects a Harbor Freight nail gun is best for by the size of nails it fires. The Banks 23 Gauge Pin Nailer takes nails that are just 0.025 inch across. These are great for cabinet trim and upholstery. The Banks 18 Gauge Brad Nailer uses slightly bigger nails (lower numbers actually mean larger diameter) to tackle small woodworking projects and fix lightweight moldings and trim. Although they may leave a more noticeable hole, there is a hack to perfectly conceal them every time. The most powerful Harbor Freight nail gun in this category is the Pierce 15 Gauge Professional Finish Nailer. This fires nails that are intended for woodwork assembly and fitting door and window casings and baseboards.

Framing nailers are good all-rounders, and Harbor Freight offers several. The most versatile is the Banks 3-in-1 Framing Nailer, which can fire three different types of nails. For high productivity, choose the Pierce 30° Professional Framing Nailer, which offers sequential or more rapid contact firing. Its steeper magazine angle can also reach into tighter spaces. Although the main use of framing nailers is clear from the name, they fire nails from 2 to 3-1/4 inches long, making them ideal for fencing and decking too. Finally, there's the Banks Compact Palm Nailer. It's perfect for spaces where you can't swing a hammer. It accepts any size nail, offers plenty of driving force, but takes just one at a time.