PSA: You don't need a 16 gauge nailer for 90% of trim work

I keep seeing guys on sites and in videos using a 16 gauge for all their finish nails, and it's overkill. For most baseboard and casing, an 18 gauge brad nailer holds just fine and leaves a much smaller hole to fill. I switched over three years ago on a big job in Tacoma and haven't looked back. What's the actual case where you think a 16 gauge is a must?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_tessa10h ago

Exactly... 18 gauge is all I use now.

mila_campbell252h ago

Honestly, it reminds me of my uncle who INSISTS on using his framing nailer for EVERYTHING. He put up some crown molding at my place and it looked like a woodpecker went to town. I had to patch holes the size of dimes. Some people just get stuck on the bigger tool because it feels more solid, I guess. They don't see the extra work they're making later.

terryw671h ago

Honestly, this whole debate makes me think of my neighbor's deck project last summer. Guy used a 16 gauge for all the thin cedar trim and split every other piece. Tbh, it was a mess. He was so sure the bigger nail meant it would never come loose, but he was just fighting the material. Like @the_tessa said, the 18 gauge is the right tool for that job. Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way that more power isn't always the answer.