My boss insists on using a framing nailer for finish work and I think it's a bad idea.

Last week on a job in Austin, we were installing some simple 1x4 trim. My boss grabbed his framing nailer and said it was fine since the nails were the right length. I argued that the bigger gauge leaves ugly holes and can split the wood. He said it saves time and money on renting a second tool. Has anyone else had this fight with a crew lead?

4 comments

4 Comments

henry_murray1mo ago

Come on, it's just trim, not a museum piece.

angela_patel751mo ago

It's not just ugly, that split wood will fail way faster than a proper finish nail.

olivia_lopez981mo ago

My uncle does custom carpentry and he always drills pilot holes first. He says forcing a nail into dry wood is asking for splits, and once it cracks the whole piece loses strength. That split lets moisture in and the wood starts to rot from the inside out. A clean nail in the right spot holds up for years. Why would anyone skip such a basic step?

theajohnson1mo ago

Read a whole article on this last year. They tested different woods without pilot holes. Even pine trim split half the time. The writer said splits can spread under the paint, you won't even see the damage until it's too late. Makes a lot of sense now.

-1