What is Flooring Nail Gun?
Flooring nail guns have a different appearance compared to other types of nail guns. They are uniquely designed to make the laying process of the tongue-and-groove floorboard is easy and quick. The tool is held at the edge of the board and a nylon mallet is used to hit the plunger. This is a preferred and efficient method that drives nails at the correct depth and angle.
Flooring nail guns are not as versatile as other nail guns as you can only use them if you have flooring projects. Flooring nail guns come as either manual or pneumatic. They are used similarly but the main difference is that pneumatic flooring nail guns use air pressure to drive nails in the floorboard and do not need too much human exertion. Another difference is that pneumatic flooring nails require the mallet to be hit once while the manual flooring nail gun requires to be hit twice.
Best Flooring Nail Guns
| Product Image | Product Name | Capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | NuMax SFL618 | Air-powered | Check Price |
 | Freeman PFBC940 | Air Powered | Check Price |
 | Bostitch BTFP12569 | Air-powered | Check Price |
 | 3PLUS HFSNSP | Air Powered | Check Price |
 | DEWALT DWFP12569 | Pneumatic | Check Price |
 | WEN 61741 | Air Powered | Check Price |
 | Freeman PF18GLCN | Air Powered | Check Price |
 | Bostitch MIIIFN | Air Powered | Check Price |
 | Ramsond RMM4 | Air Powered | Check Price |
 | Freeman PFL618C | Air-powered | Check Price |
1. Numax SFL618
Numax SFL618 is a 3-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that will allow you to use both L and T-cleats as well as staples. This makes the tool more versatile and ideal for almost all flooring projects. It comes with interchangeable base plates and you can choose to use ½ or ¾ inch plate as per the thickness of your floorboards. It has an extended handle of 23 inches tall, an anti-dust cap, a no-mar rubber mallet, and ¼ inch NPT fitting that ensures that you utilize most air compressors.
This flooring nail gun uses pressure ranging from 70 to 115 psi, making it ideal for the installation of thin and dense wood floors. The cleat magazine has a capacity of 120 nails to help in reducing downtime. It is made using tough and lightweight die-cast aluminum hence you get a durable, easy-to-move around, and well-balanced tool. The only disadvantage is that the mallet handle is too smooth.
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2. Freeman PFBC940
It is a 4-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that is cheap but high-performing. This flooring nail gun is also versatile since it shoots nails and staples. It can be easily converted into a brad nail gun to help with finish woodwork projects. With the Freeman PFBC940, you will have two tools in one. However, it is not useful for large flooring projects. It uses pressure ranging from 75-115 psi.
The tool is very lightweight as it weighs only 4 pounds and thus you can easily use it for extended periods without being exhausted. It has a quick-release nose that makes clearing jams easy. Also, it has a reload indicator and allows for tool-free depth adjustment, making it more convenient. With the reload indicator, you can easily tell when you need to reload the magazine. The magazine accepts 18 gauge 5/8 to 1-5/8 inch brad nails and 18 gauge ¼ inch narrow crown staples that range from ½ to 1-5/8 inches.
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3. Bostitch BTFP12569
It is a 2-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that works best for hardwood flooring. It is also a great choice for engineered flooring and it comes with interchangeable and no-mar base plates. These are important as they prevent scratches on your project and make it easy to work with different flooring thicknesses. It uses pressure ranging from 70 to 100 psi and weighs 10.2 pounds.
Bostitch BTFP12569 shoots both stables and L-cleats. It is an ergonomically designed tool that has a long handle with a comfortable rubber grip that offers you maximum comfort, minimizes fatigue, and allows you to work for long hours. It has a 7-year limited warranty, meaning that you can use the tool for longer and in case of wear and tear, it can be replaced. The disadvantage is that it is relatively expensive and does not accept T-cleats.
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4. 3PLUS HFSNSP
It is a 2-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that is affordable. With the two-function mode, it allows you to choose between staples and cleats. It accepts 15.5 gauge and 16-gauge staples and L-cleats that range from 1-1/2 inch to 2 inches. This flooring nail gun weighs 15.62 pounds and is made of aluminum.
It has a removable long reach handle that is useful for different applications. You can also remove the long handle and use the shorter one as per your preference. It has a padded grip that offers maximum comfort when you are using it. Because it uses an air compressor, it can be easily used for hardwood panels. It comes with a rubber mallet and interchangeable flooring plates that can accommodate any flooring size. It offers a 1-year warranty which means that the quality of this tool is not that good.
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5. DEWALT DWFP12569
It is a 2-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that is expensive but worth every coin. It has lower CFM requirements when compared to other pneumatic nail guns. This means that it requires less air compressor run time. It uses pressure ranging from 70-100 psi and weighs 10.6 pounds. It is fitted with ¼ inch air fitting that makes the DEWALT DWFP12569 ideal for use with almost any air compressor.
This flooring nail gun accepts 15.5-gauge staples as well as 16-gauge L-shaped cleats. It has an ergonomic design that consists of a long handle with a comfortable rubber grip, making it comfortable and easy to use without causing hand fatigue even when used for extended periods. It uses interchangeable and non-marring base plates that can be adjusted to fit your floor size and thickness. This nailer has a silent rear exhaust but does not have a dry fire lockout.
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6. WEN 61741
It is a 4-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that drives 18-gauge brad nails that range from 5/8 to 2 inches. It can also shoot ¼ inch narrow crown staples that range from ½ to 1-5/8 inches. This flooring nail gun has removable spring-loaded flooring shoe angle fasteners at an angle of 45 degrees. It features a quick-release nose that makes it easy to clear jams.
Also, it has an adjustable air exhaust that makes it easy for you to direct the air away from your face and your project. The magazine capacity is 100 nails. It comes with a carrying case that makes it very easy to carry around and store. This nail gun uses pressure that ranges from 60 to 100 psi and has a ¼ inch NPT air inlet. It is lightweight and has a rubberized grip that helps to prevent fatigue during long hours of working projects. It has a 2-year warranty.
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7. Freeman PF18GLCN
It is a pneumatic flooring nail gun that uses 18-gauge L-cleats that are a great choice for dense flooring. This flooring nail gun accepts cleats that range from 1-1/4 inch to 1-3/4 inch long. It has an ergonomic design that makes it comfortable enough to be used in the installation of large flooring areas. It has an extended handle that makes it easy to use and will save your back from aches.
Freeman PF18GLCN can only be used with certain exotic floors, such as cherry, bamboo, exotic hardwoods, and Brazilian teak. It has a magazine capacity of 120 fasteners, which means you will work for a long without the need to reload. It has interchangeable base plates that match the material you will be using. The disadvantage of this nail gun is that it may be hard to find fasteners that are compatible with it and thus you may be required to only purchase those made by the brand.
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8. Bostitch MIIIFN
It is a pneumatic flooring nail gun that is expensive but offers high-speed nailing. It can offer 420 inches per pound of driving power, which is very impressive when compared to other nail guns in the same category. The high-speed pneumatic operation guarantees that you can drive nails into unfinished as well as pre-finished wood planks fast. It uses pressure ranging from 70-120 psi and weighs 11.2 pounds.
Bostitch MIIIFN has an extra-wide interchangeable base plate that offers the best stability and control to speed up your work and offer accurate results. It also has a rubber-tipped mallet and a high magazine capacity that accepts 16 gauge cleats. It has an ergonomic design that includes a long handle with a rubber grip, which means that you can use the tool for an extended period due to its comfort. This flooring nail gun comes with a 7-year warranty to prove that it is durable.
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9. Ramsond RMM4
It is a 2-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun that uses both L-cleats that range from 1-1/2 to 2 inches and 15.5 and 16-gauge staples ranging from 1-2 inches. The magazine capacity is 100 fasteners and uses a pressure of between 60 and 120 psi.
It weighs 26.9 pounds, making it one of the heaviest flooring nail guns. It is made of die-cast alloy, making it a durable and industrial quality that is a great choice for contractors and other professionals. This flooring nail gun has an extra-wide base that offers stability as well as balance, thus offering the best results.
It has an internal driver blade that is made of steel and hence can withstand wear and tear. Ramsond RMM4 is also designed in such a way that makes it easy to get closer to the walls. It has an ergonomic handle that makes it comfortable when you use it. This is important especially because it is a heavy tool. It has a patented air booster chamber that increases driving force and speed.
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10. Freeman PFL618C
It is a 3-in-1 pneumatic flooring nail gun made from sturdy and lightweight aluminum that makes it comfortable to use. It has an ergonomic design with long handles that are covered by comfortable rubber grips. The rubber grips, as well as their weight of 11.46 pounds, makes it easy to carry the tool around. It is a great choice for tongue-and-groove hardwood floorboards that range from ½ to ¾ inches.
With Freeman PFL18C, you can use all three types of fastening systems. It accepts 16 gauge T-cleats and 16 gauge L-cleats that range from 1-1/2 to 2 inches, and 15.5 gauge ½ inch staples. It has two interchangeable no-mar base plates that offer stability and prevents damage to the finished project. This flooring nail gun comes with a 7-year warranty and 90-day wearable parts warranty.
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Buyer’s Guide
Weight: This depends on the material used to make the nail gun. Most nail guns are made out of lightweight aluminum. The material is considered ideal because aside from being lightweight, it is also durable. Ensure that your nail gun of choice is light enough for you to move it around easily. Also being lightweight means that you can balance it easily.
Comfort and ergonomics: A flooring nail gun is a tool that you will hold onto for longer periods when working. Therefore, you have to ensure that it is comfortable. Most flooring nail guns have an ergonomic rubber handle that makes it easy for you to get a nice grip.
This reduces the chances of an aching hand and thus you will be able to work for longer. Also, you want to ensure that your floor nail gun has a long handle. This is important because you will use the tool without having to stoop down as far and your back will not ache either.
Supported Length: Flooring nails and staples are different from each other. The main difference between flooring nail guns is the length. Make sure that your flooring nail gun can support the nail length that you wish to use. Some nails are 2 inches long while others can be 1 inch or less. Most of these tools offer a supported length range to you. There are options for 1-1/2 inch to 2 inches or 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inch. In comparison, a higher range offers more flexibility and versatility for the flooring nail gun.
Rating of the gauge: The thickness of the nails you intend to use is critical to check before you purchase your flooring nail gun. Different nails gun support the different thicknesses of nails and staples. The thickness of the nails can be 15 gauge or 18 gauge, where the 18 gauge is thinner compared to the 15 gauge. Therefore, ensure that you purchase a flooring nail gun that will correspond to the nail gauge that is needed for your construction needs.
Function modes: Most of the flooring nail guns in the market offers multiple function modes. The modes allow you to use the tool with different kinds of staples such as staples, cleats, nails, and others. Some models have 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 function modes. It is obvious that the higher the number of function modes means that the tool is more versatile since you can easily switch between the modes using control and switch on the flooring nail gun.
Warranty: The duration of the warranty is another factor you should consider as you are buying a flooring nail gun. The warranty from the manufacturer is essential especially if you face any problems mostly because of wear and tear. The longer the warranty means that the tool is expected to work for longer, for example, a framing nail gun with a 7-year warranty will last longer compared to one with a 1-year warranty. Ensure that you purchase a flooring nail gun that comes with great build quality as well as a decent duration of the warranty.
Power Source: Flooring nail guns come as pneumatic or manual. Pneumatic flooring nail guns are more powerful and they offer more precise results when compared to manual flooring nail guns. The tool comes with a bumper that requires hitting with a mallet to trigger. It is important to make sure that the flooring nail gun comes with a mallet, which can either be fiberglass or rubber. The manual flooring nail gun needs to be hit twice with the mallet while pneumatic ones only require one hit. Therefore, the pneumatic has less work and offers more accuracy compared to a manual tool.
Conclusion
When working in a house or any construction, you will understand that flooring is an important process that requires precision. Hence, a flooring nail gun is a highly useful and important tool. Above, the article has indicated the best flooring nail guns in the market as well as the major features in the buying guide that you ought to consider as you are purchasing your tool. The information above comes in handy to ensure that you have chosen the perfect flooring nail gun.
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