Roofing Nail Gun Buying Guide

It’s critical to know what you’ll be utilizing a roofing nailer for before purchasing one. Obviously, you’ll use it for roofing, but how will you use it? Is it simply the roof of your shed or an extension to your home that you’re working on? Or are you a roofing contractor who will be using your nailer on a slew of jobs? While a low-cost roofing nailer may get you through one or two minor tasks, it’s unlikely to be adequate to do job after job. With that in mind, here are a few more things to think about.

Durability

If you’re a contractor, this is particularly essential since you want a tool that will endure. 

Most roof nailers are intended to survive some exposure to the weather since they are meant to be used outside. They’re usually made of aluminum and steel, and they’re very sturdy.

Construction

It may seem ridiculous, but the way a roofing nailer feels may tell you a lot about its quality. You should feel like you’re carrying a tough piece of equipment when you take it up, despite how light it is. The higher the quality of your roofing nailer, the longer it will endure.

Versatility

When it comes to flexibility, there are two factors to consider. First and foremost, can the nailer be used for purposes other than roofing? Some will come with accessories that enable you to use them for other outside chores, such as siding installation.

Second, what kind of materials can you nail with your roofing nailer? Some are extremely adaptable and may be used on waterproof tar paper, asphalt and fiberglass shingles, vinyl and aluminum siding, and so forth.

Another item to consider is weatherproofing. It would be ideal if all roofing work could be completed during the warm, dry months, but this isn’t always possible. While you should never work on a roof while it’s raining, your roofing nailer will almost certainly be exposed to moisture. During the colder months, you’re even more likely to require it. Check to see whether your nailer can take a little water and won’t freeze in the cold.

Obviously, the more functions a roofing nailer has, the better purchase it will be. This is important to remember, particularly if you are spending a significant amount of money on your purchase.

Safety

Safety is always a priority, but utilizing this specific equipment on a roof adds an additional layer of risk and necessitates extra caution.

Rubber grips are a little detail that makes a huge impact. Not only will this make it simpler to grip and manage the nailer, but it will also offer some friction on a sloping roof. The grips really prevent the nailer from slipping and potentially tumbling away from you. A fall may damage your tool permanently, but it also poses a significant safety danger to anybody in the area below.

Injuries to the feet and hands are unfortunately frequent while using nail guns. When possible, use sequential mode and always use protective gear, particularly safety glasses.

Useful Accessories To Have In A Roofing Nail Gun

There are a few items that are great to have but don’t actually impact the performance of your coil nailer:

A case. It’s a good idea to have a sturdy plastic storage box on hand. It provides you someplace to store your gun when you’re not using it, even if it’s only to keep it dry at the end of the day until you need it again the following day.

Directional Exhaust. This is one of the things that you don’t know how useful until you put it to use. It’s a lot more pleasant to work if you can keep the trash and air out of your face.

Tool-less depth adjustment. It’s as simple as turning a dial. While you won’t achieve the same precision as a manual adjustment, some of the best nailers have created tool-free adjustments that are fairly close.

Jam clearing. While excellent firearms shouldn’t jam all that frequently, it’s unavoidable that you’ll have to deal with one at some point. Having a simple method to break out of a jam may help you feel less frustrated and get back to work faster.

Other Factors To Consider When Buying A Roofing Nail Gun

Because there are so many various roofing nailers to choose from, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each before making a purchase. We’ll go over some of the differences in roofing nailers in our purchasing guide so you can determine which one is perfect for you.

1. Pneumatic or Cordless Power Supply?

The first choice you’ll have to make is whether you want a pneumatic or cordless roofing nailer. A rechargeable battery & a butane gas canister are placed inside a cordless roofing nail gun. With an electric roofing nailer, you have more freedom since all you have to do is make sure the battery is charged beforehand, and you can work on your roof without having to worry about cables getting your way. You may also buy extra backup batteries to put on the roof with you in case your main battery dies.

2. Nail Type: Can all nail sizes be accommodated by roofing nail guns?

When purchasing coil roofing nails for a nail gun, be sure to verify the size of nails that the roofing nailer can handle. If you’re a professional, you should get a roofing nailer that can accept a wide variety of roofing nails so you can utilize it for any project. A decent nailer should be able to handle a variety of thicknesses ranging from 7/8″ to 1.75″. It’s possible that a roofing nailer isn’t the best equipment for the task and that a roofing staple gun is required.

3. Drive Depth: Is it simple to adjust?

The roofing nail gun must be able to vary the depth of drive with which the nail is placed since roofs are constructed of a range of materials. It’s beneficial if your roofing nailer offers a simple method to modify this to make nail gun repair work go more smoothly and efficiently. Some tools feature a scrolling wheel for adjusting the depth of drive, while others have a trigger system for doing so. It’s ideal to choose a nail gun with a tool-free adjustment feature like the Dewalt roofing nailer, since otherwise, it may be time-consuming and difficult.