Air compressors are known for their reliability and doing tough jobs easy and used for so many tasks. When you look around yourself, you may find air compressor for performing multiple tasks. You may find an air compressor at your local car-washing shop, wood working shop, and so on. In this article, we will discuss how to use nail gun with air compressor.

How To Use Nail Gun With Air Compressor

If you have a nail gun in your house, then it is essential to know how to use a nail gun with an air compressor.

Operating your nail gun with an air compressor opens up many possibilities for you to perform tasks yourself at home.

This article will discuss a step-by-step guide about using an air compressor for nail gun. But first, start with the basic question:

What is a Nail Gun?

A nail gun, also known as a nailer, is used to drive nails into wood or any other material, just like a standard hammer.

In simple words, a nail gun is a tool that we use to drive nails more conveniently, efficiently, and quickly than a typical hammer.

Most commonly, nail guns are powered by compressed air, providing additional force and better grip for driving nails.

With a nail gun, you can drive thousands of nails in a day, making your work easy and efficient. That is why it is widely used among builders, handypersons, and professionals.

How Do You Use A Nail Gun – Step-by-step Guide:

Things needed to use a nail gun with an air compressor:

• Air Hose
• Air Compressor
• Nail Gun
• Nails Strip
• Universal Coupler 
• Safety Goggles
• Teflon Tape
• Wrench

Easy Steps To Use A Nail Gun With Air Compressor:

I’ve done my research and tried to make a simple step-by-step guide for you to follow:

• Step 1 – Set up your nail gun
• Step 2 – Select nails for your nail gun
• Step 3 – Choose the suitable air compressor
• Step 4 – Connect nail gun with your air compressor
• Step 5 – Turn on your air compressor
• Step 6 – Operate Your Nail Gun
• Step 7 – Depressurize your air compressor & turn it off

Step 1 – Set up your nail gun:

The first step in using a nail gun with an air compressor is to set up your nail gun. Choosing a nail gun depends on the project you are working on.

There are various types of nail guns available on the market, but mainly these three types of nail guns are commonly used: 

1. Framing Gun
2. Brad Gun
3. Finish Nail Gun

Framing Gun:

Framing guns are heavy nail guns used for bigger jobs, such as reconstructing an old shed, building a patio deck, etc.

It uses 2.8mm nails, which can be used in wood or plasters without splitting the plaster or wood.

A framing gun needs at least 4–6 CFM with 70–90 PSI to operate smoothly.

Brad Gun

Brad guns are small nail guns used for smaller jobs, such as fixing a small wooden toy or a nightstand.

It uses small 18–23 gauge nails whose screw heads are not too big. Often, people hide the nail heads by color filling.

A brad gun needs 2 CFM with 70–90 PSI to operate smoothly.

Finish Nail Gun:

Finish nailer guns are the most commonly used nail guns used for jobs such as fixing old furniture chairs or using wooden DIY projects. It uses large-sized nails around 15–16 gauge.

A finish nail gun needs 2 CFM with 70–90 PSI to operate smoothly.

Step 2 – Select nails for your nail gun:

The most crucial component of a nail gun is the nail itself. But choosing the proper nails for your nail gun is also very important. 

The nails used in nail guns are joined through a flexible wire or plastic. When we push the fire button of the nail gun, the nail is separated from the wire and drives into the wood or any surface. 

Most of the nails have a layer of adhesive lubricant. When the surface cools down, the sticky lubricant also cools down, increasing the holding strength of the nail.

Step 3 – Choose the suitable air compressor:

The size and requirement of an air compressor to run a nail gun depend on multiple factors. For example, what is the size of your nail gun? Do you want to use it for a small home DIY project? Or do you want to use it for a professional service?

When choosing an air compressor for a nail gun, the most important factors to keep in mind are:

1. Tank size
2. CFM
3. Horsepower
4. PSI Air pressure

If you want to use a nail gun with an air compressor, make sure to meet the following air compressor standards before starting the process.

Typically, an average size 1 HP air compressor with 2-4 CFM and 70–90 PSI will suffice to run a domestic nail gun. Choose the tank size that can complete your task without any delay depending on your usage.

Later, we will discuss every aspect and requirement of air compressor for nail gun in detail.

Step 4 – Connect nail gun with your air compressor:

Before proceeding further, we have to prepare the hose & fittings to connect the hose with an air compressor and the nail gun.

To do that, wrap some Teflon tape around the threaded end of the hose. Make at least 3-4 rounds of Teflon tape around the hose on the threaded portion.

Now pick the universal coupler and fit it on the end of the hose, where we have just applied the Teflon tape. 

Tighten the universal coupler with the help of 2 wrenches. The first wrench will hold the air hose while the other will tighten the universal coupler’s fitting. This end of the hose will go into the nail gun.

Make sure don’t over-tighten the hose’s fitting; otherwise, it will lose its grip.

Now pick the other end of the hose, and thread it with Teflon tape. Attach a female plug to this end. This end is ready to be attached with an air compressor.

With the help of this hose, you have now successfully connected the air compressor and a nail gun.

Step 5 – Turn on your air compressor:

Now its time to turn on your air compressor. Since the air compressor and nail gun are connected, make sure all the valves on your air compressor are turned off, especially the drain valve under the tank.

You can now turn ON the pressure regulator knob on your air compressor to start compressing and sending the air to the outlet.

Keep the regulator turned ON until the outlet pressure reaches the recommended PSI required to operate the nail gun, between 70-90 PSI.

If you are unsure about the required PSI for your nail gun, check the user manual or the sill on your nail gun.

The output pressure should never be more than the required pressure of the nail gun. It will exhaust your nail gun and will make it hot.

Step 6 – Operate Your Nail Gun:

Everything is set up to this step, and you can now use your nail gun with an air compressor.

It is advised to wear safety goggles and safety earplugs to protect your eyesight and hearing if any unwanted incident happens because these are the most vulnerable parts and have the highest chances of damage.

Later in the article, we will discuss the safety measures to follow when operating the nail gun.

Step 7 – Depressurize your air compressor & turn it off:

When you have completed using your nail gun, decrease the outlet pressure to zero. Turn off your air compressor and detach your nail gun from your air compressor.

If you use a smaller tank for large projects, your air compressor will get hot because of constant running. As a result, the compressor will start building water in the tank, which must drain once in a while.

So it is recommended to drain your air compressor to release any remaining pressure in the tank.

How to drain your Air Compressor

First of all, turn off your air compressor and let it cool down for a few minutes. Now unscrew the drain valve of the air compressor.

It usually is a ¼ inch round brass fitting. You will find it under the belly of your air compressor tank. (as shown in the image below)

Open this water release valve by turning it in an anti-clockwise direction. You can turn the valve with a pair of pliers. You will hear a sudden sound of releasing pressurized air stored in the tank.

Wait until all the condensation and pressurized air bleed out. Once you are sure that all air is drained, now firmly turn back the water-release valve in a clockwise direction to close it back.

Leaving your air compressor tank pressurized while connected with the nail gun or any other tool can cause the moisture to build up in your tool too, which can lead the tool to rust.

Safety Measures to Follow When Using Nail Gun

When using a nail gun with an air compressor, remember to follow these basic safety precautions to prevent unwanted incidents.

– Use your nail gun after inspection:

Before using your nail gun, thoroughly inspect it and replace the damaged parts.

Don’t alter your nail gun. Before performing any maintenance or making any changes to your nail gun, always make sure your air compressor is turned off.

– Ensure proper assembly of your nail gun:

Before using your nail gun with an air compressor, it is vital to know its requirements. Read the user manual thoroughly.

Follow all the instructions and protocols mentioned by the manufacturer and make sure you’ve assembled the nail gun properly.

Using a nail gun without proper assembling can result in an unwanted incident.

– Ensure the proper feed of nail strip:

Follow your tool manufacturer’s instructions and make sure you’ve properly fed the nail strip into the nail gun magazine.

The nail should always be pointed downwards with the head side up and at the right angle.

A slight mistake in loading your nails in the wrong direction can cause your nail gun to misfire, which can jam up your nail gun or can cause other issues.

– Keep your fingers away from the nail gun nozzle:

When using a nail gun with an air compressor, always keep your hands, feet, and especially fingers away from the nail gun nozzle.

Keep your fingers at some distance when assembling small wooden pieces into one. Because sometimes nail point goes in the wrong direction and comes out of wood, which can hurt your fingers.

We also advise using clamps to assemble small pieces when using a nail gun.

– Use the nail gun at a safe place:

When using a nail gun with an air compressor, always make sure no sick person is near you. Also, keep the little children away from the workplace for additional safety measures.

Also, make sure there are no gas cylinders or flammable gas tanks nearby, which can cause any unwanted incident.

– Wear safety goggles and safety earplugs:

It is advised to wear safety goggles and safety earplugs to prevent your eyesight and hearing if any unwanted incident happens because these are the most vulnerable parts and have the highest chances of damage.

– Keep an eye on the gauges:

Always keep an eye on the air compressor gauge when using a nail gun with an air compressor. In many nail gun models, you can adjust the outlet pressure as per your requirements to control how deep the nail gun will drive the nails.

Setting the higher PSI of your nail gun will drive the nail deeper. Adjust it according to the thickness and density of the material being nailed.

It is good to do things at home yourself, but always keep your safety on top of your priority list.

What Size Air Compressor Do I Need To Run A Nail Gun

There are many different pneumatic tools that we can run with an air compressor. Every air-powered tool has other requirements.

Therefore, to run each pneumatic tool, an air compressor must match its needs in every aspect.

For choosing an air compressor to run a nail gun, you need to know the exact size of your nail gun because different sizes of nail guns require different CFM, PSI, and tank sizes. 

So basically, the size of an air compressor doesn’t matter; it’s the power of an air compressor that is important to run the nail gun.

What Size Of Air Compressor For Nail Gun

The size and requirement of an air compressor to run a nail gun depend on multiple factors. For example, what is the size of your nail gun? Do you want to use it for a small home DIY project or use it for a professional service?

Below, we will discuss the required size of an air compressor for a nail gun. We will discuss every aspect and requirement in detail.

1. Tank size
2. CFM
3. Horsepower
4. PSI Air pressure

If you want to use a nail gun with an air compressor, make sure to meet the following air compressor standards before starting the process.

Tank size:

The tank size of an air compressor plays a vital role in operating a nail gun smoothly and efficiently.

If you want to use a nail gun for professional work, go for a large tank air compressor, as smaller tanks don’t have enough air volume CFM (cubic feet per minute) to complete your lengthy projects.

The nail gun will start to strain as the smaller tank will run out of air while you are using it non-stop.

So, a smaller tank will need to be refilled several times for larger projects.

Recommended Air Compressor Tank Size for a Nail Gun

A small 2-3 gallons tank will be enough to use a nail gun for smaller home DIY projects. Whereas for frequent professional use, you will need an air compressor with a 6 gallons tank.

CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute):

CFM indicates the compressor’s flow rate, at which an air compressor can move the volume of air in a minute. The higher the CFM, the more air it can provide. Thus, it will be able to run more extensive applications.

Smaller tanks don’t have enough air volume CFM (cubic feet per minute) to use the nail gun for prolonged projects.

Therefore, higher CFM (cubic feet per minute) is required to use nail guns more efficiently.

Recommended CFM for a Nail Gun

To use a nail gun for smaller home DIY projects, 2-4 CFM will suffice. Whereas for frequent professional use, you will need 4-6 CFM.

The tank size should be large enough to serve more CFM than the required CFM for using a nail gun.

The excess CFM allows the compressor to have some time to cool down and prevent from overworking and heating up.

HP (Horse Power):

Horsepower (HP) is the amount of work that an air compressor can do, but higher HP does not necessarily mean it is better for every tool.

Recommended Horse Power for a Nail Gun

A small 1-2 HP air compressor can run your nail gun. However, higher HP air compressors may operate more efficiently if you use a nail gun for professional projects.

PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) Air Pressure:

PSI (pounds per square inch) measures air pressure delivered by an air compressor. The higher the PSI, the higher the air volume compressed into a tank.

When using a nail gun with an air compressor, air pressure is less critical than CFM.

Recommended Air Pressure for a Nail Gun

The recommended PSI range is between 70–90 PSI. But you need to set the PSI settings as per the operational requirement.

Recommended CFM & PSI for different type of Nail Guns:

Low CFM & PSI Consuming Nail Guns

Moderate CFM & PSI Consuming Nail Guns

High CFM & PSI Consuming Nail Guns