18-gauge nail gun

If you're doing simple upgrades around the house, you're most likely shopping for either a brad nailer or finish nailer. So, which one is right for you? To the untrained eye, these tools would appear to be the same, but in reality, each has a different purpose.

Brad Nailers, The Precision Workers

A brad nailer such as the MAX NF255FA pictured above, is designed to run 18-gauge, fine-wire brad nails. These small nails are very hard to drive manually, which makes a brad nailer essential to any major home renovation project where brads are needed.

On top of that, brad nails are almost invisible once they've been driven into wood. In fact, there's a good chance you won't need carpenter's putty to conceal a brad nail that has been driven into trim. The downside is that these fasteners lack the holding strength for larger, heavier projects, such as large crown molding or baseboards.