I think everyone's wrong about using a framing nailer for finish work

I see so many guys on sites around here grabbing their framing nailer for stuff like baseboard or crown because it's 'close enough' and faster. I get the speed thing, but it's a bad habit. I was helping a friend redo his living room in Tacoma and he used 16d nails on his quarter round because his finish nailer was out of gas. Every single one of those big heads split the thin wood, and we had to re-cut and re-stain half the pieces. It added like 3 hours to the job. A proper 18-gauge brad nailer with the right length nail leaves a tiny hole you can fill with a dab of putty, and it holds just fine. It's about using the right tool for the job, not just the one in your hand. Has anyone else had to fix a mess from someone using too big of a nail?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_nelson2mo ago

Exactly. That's just asking for trouble.

bethh202mo ago

Used to think cutting corners was just being efficient. Then my buddy tried to save time on a home repair and ended up with a flooded basement. That kind of mess really changes your view on doing things right the first time. What was the last thing you saw someone rush through that backfired?