Use safety goggles that are rated for nail gun protection. In the rare case that you accidentally shoot the gun towards your face, your eyes will be safe.
As you work, sweep away pieces of your nailing surface if they chip away, as they can often cause accidental fires as well.
Most nail gun injuries are caused by distractions and not following basic gun handling procedures. Don’t let others disturb you as you work and you reduce the chance of an accident by a lot. [3] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Some maintenance requires the air compressor to be attached, so check your instruction manual to see specific guidelines for your nail gun.
Rust alters the integrity of a nail, and it can break in the nail gun or cause jams. Keep damaged or rusty nails in your toolbox to either use with a hammer or discard later on.
Knock on the surface to determine if it is hollow or solid, and consult your home’s plumbing and electrical layout to see if there is anything hiding behind the wall that could get in the way of your work. If it is essential that you nail a surface with wires or pipes behind it, consult an electrician or plumber to see if they can be moved out of the way. Otherwise, you will need to choose a different location.
Every nail gun is different, but generally, the coupler is located towards the rear of the gun surrounded by a metal sleeve. The magazine is generally at the front of the gun connecting the handle and the tip.
You can use these nails with a hammer, but never use nails that aren’t properly arranged for nail gun use. The pusher is always located on the magazine, generally taking up much of the lower half to push nails up towards the chamber.
Nail guns can use a variety of different types of nails, but the size and shape are what matter. Check the minimum and maximum size nails your gun can handle and only use nails that are within those boundaries.
Keep the safety on while you load to further prevent the chance that you hurt yourself. If your gun doesn’t have a safety mechanism, removing its source of power should be enough to prevent injury.
Some models of nail guns have different requirements for the angle and method of loading. As always, be sure to check your guide to see if there is a recommended procedure for your specific model. [9] X Expert Source Ryaan TuttleHome Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
If at any point a nail falls out of the nail strip, discard the strip and try a different one. It is not recommended to use a faulty nail strip, as it may have other defects that are harder to see.
It can be useful to balance the nail gun on a block of wood or a surface to align your shot, but remove the block before nailing. Don’t rest your chest or any body part on it for balance, as the kickback can hurt you.
The safety should be turned on whenever you are not using the nail gun. Only turn it off the moment you are ready to nail your chosen surface. [13] X Research source Keep your free hand and other body parts at least 12 inches (30 cm) away from the tip of the gun at all times while nailing. [14] X Expert Source Ryaan TuttleHome Improvement Specialist Expert Interview. 18 June 2021. Walk forwards as you nail in a straight line, so you can see where you are going and don’t bump into something that could make you lose focus on the job at hand.
If you are working with planks of wood, simply take a spare scrap of wood to practice shooting nails into. If you are working on a wall, it is harder to find the correct pressure while avoiding damaging the home. Look in your user manual or online to find the recommended pressure setting for nailing through your surface with your nail gun. You may find that pressing the gun harder into the wall adds a little extra pressure as well. Try pushing the tip into the wall with a little more force, as well as turning the air pressure up, to get through thick materials.
Keep any extra nail strips in a very dry place to prevent rusting. You may want to store them separately from your other supplies in their own drawer or box.
