Best Pneumatic Coil Nailer for Your Next Roofing or Siding Project

Coil nailers are used for two basic purposes; roofing and siding. Both of these applications require round-head nails, meaning that they need to be collated in such a way as to provide enough space between the individual nails for the nail heads. Both applications also use a lot of nails, so a large capacity is needed. For that reason, the coil nailer was developed. The coil allows more nails to be loaded into the nailer than a typical stick configuration, without making the tool too large to handle.

The reason that round headed nails are used in these applications isn't because of the problem of the nails pulling out, but the material pulling out through the nails. Large nail heads help prevent shingles and siding from breaking and coming loose in high wind conditions.

One really great thing about this style of nailer is that the coil magazine makes for a nice stable way of setting the gun down upright; something which can’t be done with other types of nailers. While only a small difference, it makes it easier to pick it back up and have it in the right position to continue nailing. The coil also makes for a compact package, which is easier to hold and work with. It can hold up to 120 siding or roofing nails in a much smaller space than a stick magazine can.

These are used in high volume applications, so anything that the manufacturer can do to make the guns faster and easier to work with is a plus. Details like windows on the magazine, switchable triggers, rubber-coated handles, easy load canisters and tool-free depth adjustment are important, as they keep you working, instead of having to lose time to take care of your gun.

Weight is also an important factor when using these guns, as they spend more time in your hand than other types of nailers do. Often, roofing crews will split the work, with one person stuffing shingles and another nailing them. In those cases, where the gun is in your hand for hours at a time, a few ounces of difference in weight can make a huge difference in the ease of using a coil nailer throughout the day.

As with any nailer, jams are a reality of life. Most nailers today have easy-open nosepieces, to allow quick and easy jam removal. Roofing shingles are abrasive, so most of these guns come with tungsten carbide tip inserts. This prevents them from wearing out prematurely.

There are two firing modes used for these nailers; bump fire and sequential fire. On some units, you have to change the trigger out, in order to change firing mode. On the better units (in my opinion) a simple switch allows you to change between fire modes at any time that you want it to. Check out our list of the best pneumatic coil nailers in 2022.