

It uses small 23-gauge headless nails that look similar to a sewing pin. It’s the smallest power nailer available. Back to Table of ContentsĪ pin nailer is a small, handheld power tool used to drive tiny, slender nails into wood. Pin nailers are most useful for fastening thin materials like veneers and delicate trim pieces to furniture.īrad nailers are ideal for trim work like attaching lightweight molding on cabinets, decorative molding on furniture, quarter round, shoe molding, and door stop molding. The small gauge nails used by pin nailers and brad nailers struggle with joining thicker materials like plywood or MDF. The advantage of a brad nail is the t-shaped head which has more holding power than a pin nail and can make a permanent connection. The pin nail is used to tack the workpiece where you want it and serves as a clamp to hold it in place until the glue dries. Pins should be used in conjunction with wood glue to make a permanent connection. On their own, pin nails can only make a temporary connection. Pin nailers use headless nails that have little holding power. That said, I think brad nailers create visible nail holes, so I usually fill them for my projects. Some do-it-yourselfers say that brad nail holes aren’t noticeable and don’t require filling. Related: Does Stainable Wood Filler Work? (Here’s the Answer)Ī brad nail produces a larger hole than a pin nail. Pin nail holes are tiny and virtually unnoticeable, so you don’t have to fill them with wood filler. Brad nailers use small wire-like nails with a t-shaped head that are larger than pin nails. Pin nailers use tiny headless nails that are similar in diameter to sewing pins.

In the photo below, you can see the size difference between a brad nail (closest to the pencil) and the size of a pin nail (farthest from the pencil). Most pin nailers accept ⅜” to 1″ nails, but some models can accommodate up to 2″ nails. Pin nails and brad nails come in a range of lengths. The advantage of using these small gauge nails is that they can be driven without splitting the wood. However, with larger 18-gauge nails, you can only fit 18 per inch. For example, you can fit 23 nails per inch with a 23-gauge nail. The smaller the nail, the higher its gauge. The amount of nails that fit within an inch is known as the gauge. Pin nailers use 23-gauge nails, while brad nailers use 18-gauge nails. The biggest difference between a brad nailer and a finish nailer is the size of the nail they use. Some of the differences between these tools include the type of nail they use, the holding power, and the type of material you can join with them. Instead, they’re used for finishing work on do-it-yourself projects, woodworking projects, and home improvement projects. They’re not commonly used to build things.

For example, they both drive nails into wood, only leaving a small nail hole behind. Pin nailers and brad nailers have a few key differences, but they also share some things in common. Pin Nailer vs Brad Nailer: What’s the Difference?
