Fascia isn’t exactly the trickiest roofing material to put up, but you can easily mess up an install by doing something as trivial as using a wrong nail gun.
There are several types of nail guns on the market, but only a few can properly secure a fascia board in place. One of the few nailers that are suited for this task is a framing nail gun.
Just to be sure we’re on the same page, or you’re not mixing up fascia with another roofing material, here’s a brief explanation of what a fascia board is.
Fascia is a wide horizontal board that covers the end of roof rafters or closes the gap between a roof and the wall underneath it.
This roofing material is typically a border or trim in sloped roofing and usually comes in 2×8 or 2×6.
The function of fascia is to protect a roof from weather elements and pests and add to the overall appeal of a home. It also helps ensure proper water drainage as it supports the roof gutters.
Now to the topic of the day, what type of nail gun do you need for fascia board? You’ll find a detailed answer below.
Can You Use Any Nail Gun for Fascia?
As I hinted at earlier, not all types of nail guns can be used on fascia. As a matter of fact, only three types of nailers are suitable for a fascia board installation, and they are framing, roofing coil, and finishing nailers.
These types of nail guns are ideal for installing fascia boards because they have just the right amount of force to deposit a nail into the fascia and any structure behind or underneath it.
Other types of nail guns either have little or too much force. Using them can lead to a weakly secured fascia or a fascia so strongly secured that cracks are evident around the nail deposits.
A nail gun can be quite an expensive investment, but it’s way better than using the traditional hammer method. Here’s why,
- It requires little effort to operate.
- You can accurately deposit a nail into a desired spot
- It can be operated with one hand
- You can easily and quickly complete an extensive nailing job
If you still plan on putting up your fascia with the traditional hammer method after the above points, ensure you have enough time and energy to spare.
How to Choose a Nail Gun for Fascia
Choosing a nail gun for fascia is pretty straightforward. You’d need an option that’d keep your fascia in one piece and reduce your caulk application.
Options like roofing coil nailers, framing nailers, and finishing nailers are best suited for installing fascia.
As for the type of nails needed to reinforce the fascia, refer to your local building code for the right specification.
According to NRCA(National Roofing Contractors Association), 65mm or 2.5 inches finishing nails are best suited for standard fascia.
The code also states that exterior 4d galvanized casing nails can be used to secure standard fascia boards.
While finishing nails are widely preferred because they have smaller heads and can easily be driven into roofing materials, they don’t go well with certain types of fascia.
For instance, PVC fascia trim boards cannot be properly secured with finishing nails. The best type of nails for these boards are headed nails like stainless steel shank siding nails.
For a more accurate specification of nailer and nails to use on fascia, contact the manufacturer of your fascia or go through the instruction manual that came with the product.
What Are the Different Types of Nailers?
Nailers, also known as nail guns, come in different types or forms. They are primarily classified by their functions and the type of nails they use. In the below points, we will be taking a look at all the types of nailers.
1. Framing Nailers
A framing nailer is a nail gun used to drive framing nails into about 3.5 inches of wood or material.
It is strong enough to penetrate some metals, making it one of the most effective and powerful nailers on the market.
Framing nailers join large blocks of wood used for framing houses or buildings. They are basically used for big carpentry tasks.
Here are all the components framing nails can be used on, housing frames, wood sheathing, fences, decks and patios, chair rails, and hardwood flooring.
2. Brad Nailers
Brad nailers or nail guns are used for interior trim installations, specifically small and lighter trims.
This type of nailer uses very tiny 18- gauge nails, which become almost invisible when driven into wood or any building material.
This is why using a hammer for an 18- gauge nail may not be such a good idea as you might miss the nail or bend the nail while hammering.
It’s best you use a brad nailer on projects that require it. Otherwise, you will damage the material you’re working on with a hammer or, even worse, hurt yourself.
Brad nailers are commonly used on smaller wood projects and upholstery.
3. Siding Nailers
As the name implies, siding nailers are used for siding installations and require nails of about 1½ inches-2½ inches.
Siding nailers offer firm and strong holding power. They are super-efficient at joining and securing large blocks of wood and other siding materials.
4. Finishing Nailers
Finishing nailers are used for finishing carpentry work. It is sort of a multi-purpose nail gun, but it is used mostly to secure furniture.
Nailers of this type are kind of similar to brad nailers. The major difference between them is that one holds or secures materials better than the other.
You can use finishing nailers on baseboards and molding projects, fascia installations, cabinetry, and furniture making.
5. Roofing Nailers
Roofing nailers are heavy-duty nail guns. They are commonly used to secure roofing structures.
This type of nailer is known for its high capacity and incredible speed; therefore, not just anyone can use it.
You must have lots of experience using heavy-duty tools before acquiring a roofing nailer.
Roofing nailers can be used to install shingles, sheathing, and other building materials like siding and flooring.
6. Staple Nailers
Staple nail guns are used for smaller carpentry jobs. They are commonly referred to as the handiest nailer on the market.
These types of nailers are used to secure thin sheets of wood and delicate projects that can be easily split apart by nails.
Tasks like hanging pictures, making frames, paneling wood, upholstery making, building bird houses, and installing carpets, usually require this type of nailer.
Final Thoughts
You can never go wrong with nail guns, well, unless you use the wrong type on a project or don’t know how to handle them.
Fascia boards require nail guns with medium capacity or adequate holding strength.
As I mentioned earlier, nail guns like framing nailers, roofing coil nailers, and finishing nailers can properly secure this roofing material.
If you’re skeptical about which one of the nailers mentioned above to go with, you can simply contact the manufacturer of your fascia to get suitable tooling recommendations.
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