The Best Framing Nailers – Best Nail Guns for Framing

The heavy-duty sibling of smaller trim and brad nails, framing nails are essential if you plan to tackle any kind of structural remodeling to your home. They are also designed for maximum durability, allowing them to stand up to the harsh environments of busy job sites, and use a long, angled magazine that helps streamline their body for maximum maneuverability. They’re not suitable for delicate projects or materials, but if you’re adding an addition to your home, putting in a deck or putting together a tool shed, a reliable framing nail is worth its weight in gold.

What to consider

Since all framing nails are going to perform the same job—sink framing nails—the biggest factor to consider is their individual power source. While pneumatic nails have virtually unlimited run time, lugging around a compressor and air hose can be a hassle. Paslode models that use a gas fuel cell are more convenient while you’re working, but you’ll need to keep a supply of cells on hand, and these models are also very expensive. Battery-powered options also allow you to be more mobile, but their high price and limited runtime may not be practical for some users.

How we chose

Our experiences as residential and commercial carpenters, as well as time spent on a variety of construction projects, have given us a lot of insight into what makes a great framing nailer. We’ve used this experience – in addition to online research and other expert opinions – to populate our list with the most trusted names in frame nails, such as Metabo, Paslode and Bostitch. It’s worth noting that if you notice a lack of Hitachi products in our selections, it’s because Hitachi nails are now sold under the Metabo name, and we’ve found no evidence to suggest that the quality of their products has suffered do not have.