Features to Look For When Buying a Roof and Siding Nailer

To be sure, most nails on a modern construction site weren't put there with a hammer. Framing, siding, and roofing nailers make the job faster and easier, so it's no surprise that when hammers sit on the bench, they're put in the game—at least for most jobs. We compared the best framing nailers to see which tool performs best. For now, we're focusing on the features to look for in a roof nailer or siding nailer.

Rod Nailers vs Coil Roof Nailers

You can instantly identify a roof and/or siding nailer by the shape of the round magazine. Framing nailers use longer, smaller head nails (often from aligned sticks) to secure wood, while roofing nailers use aligned coils with shorter, larger head nails.

You can use these nailers to secure asphalt shingles, house siding, siding, and more. There isn't a huge difference between these nails. Still, when looking at options, certain features may cause you to choose one roof nailer over another. While our primary metrics are power and ergonomics, there are several other features we'd like to see on a nailer as well.

Lighter weight makes roof nailer more ergonomic

Let's start with the ergonomic side of the equation. We talked to the pros, and they had a lot of opinions. Where they all agree? Weight is the most important consideration when choosing a roof nailer. Light weight is one of the main features of a roofing nailer when it comes to holding the tool all day.

Protecting shingles and siding can be a full- or multi-day job. With heavy tools, the work is brutal. Not only the weight of the tool, but the user also needs to pick up a heavy object and hold it in place for nailing, which adds to the fatigue of the job.

Coil roofing nailers have greater fastening capacity than other types of nailers, but this is a double-edged sword. For one thing, the job doesn't have to stop and reload as often as you do with a stick or framing nailer. However, these nailers are generally heavier, especially at the beginning of the coil.

For this reason, we prefer the nailer itself to be as light as possible. As long as the nailer is light enough to accept and doesn't jam when nailing, other features are secondary. Metabo HPT (formerly Hitachi), Makita, Bostitch, Senco, DeWalt, and Max all have some incredibly lightweight roof nailers that weigh less than 6 pounds. Look for magnesium, aluminum or even plastic bodies to save weight.

Look for Roofing Nails with Good Balance

Knowing what features to look for in a roof nailer means knowing how the tool feels in your hand during various uses. In addition to being lightweight, a nail gun should be balanced from head to handle. Having a forward lean tool might be fine for a roof, but a better counterbalance system will make siding easier.

Roof nailers need a comfortable grip

Holding and using tools all day also means you want a comfortable grip. Many of these tools have nice overmolded handles, but we still really like the Ridgid Hex Grip. It stands out to us as a special design. Some tools also have a larger handle circumference than others. Depending on the size of your hands, you may prefer one brand over another.

Drive Adjustment Tool-Free Depth

Is the fastener depth easy to read and change? it should be. Since the variable air supply levels make this mostly trial and error, you need to be able to easily dial in the nail drive depth. Typically this involves activating a mechanism that moves the firing head towards and away from the piston/driver to vary the drive depth. If the manufacturer provides a thumbwheel, make sure it works with and without gloves.

We look for this feature so we can quickly adjust any roof nailer to properly drive into various deck materials.

Dry fire lock is more important on Pro Roofing Nailers than other tools

We still shake our heads when we look at it today, and the pneumatic roof nailers that come to us don't have this feature. A dry fire lockout prevents the nailer from firing when there are no nails to drive in the magazine.

Many manufacturers include this feature because it prevents unnecessary wear and tear. It also eliminates the frustration of shooting a series of nails only to find out that the board, shingle or material isn't actually set. With shingles, this feature is even more important because you need to make sure you don't miss a single nail in high wind nailing mode.

Tool-less shooting mode adjustments

All nailers have a single action mode, driving a nail each time the trigger is pulled, but some also have a bump mode, where the nailer head is fired each time the trigger is held. Drive in a nail. Of all the features of a roof nailer, this is probably the one you will use most in some situations to prevent double-shooting.

Crashing fire can help you work faster, but there are slight dangers lurking in the increased speed. If the nailer recoils and then fires, multiple nails can be shot through the same hole, creating a potential blockage.

Easily adjust baskets or magazines

A roofing nailer is suitable for nails of various lengths, and the nail basket or magazine should move up and down easily. This adjustment ensures smooth feeding of the nail and alignment with the firing mechanism.

low trigger pull

Roofers drive hundreds of nails every day with a roofing nailer. Over time, the repetitive force of the trigger pull can increase fatigue and pain. This is especially true in single-action shooting mode. It is important that the trigger pull is light. With bump fire, you're holding down the trigger, so high spring tension works against you as well.

Roof Nailer Needs Simple Jam Removal

Roof nailers should rarely jam if maintained properly. Still, when they do, tools are usually needed to free the magazine and find the nail in question. Some models include a tool-less magazine release or a jam release latch. Both of these features make it easier to clear the clog if the worst happens. Still, the best guns don't jam very often, making this feature lower on our priority list.

Adjustable exhaust port

Many nailers have an adjustable exhaust port that deflects the burst of air that accompanies the actuation. Otherwise, repeated bursts can hit you straight away in some locations and uses. The optimal location for venting is different on the roof than on the siding.

Rotary quick connector

A small convenience of an air nailer is a swivel air connection that makes moving the hose easier. You can add your own 1/4" NPT male fittings quickly and easily, but we prefer the flexibility of the swivel adapter. You may experience more frequent air leaks when using these types of connections. However, because of their low price, we just keep a wrench handy and replace them as needed.

Shingles Guide – Very Optional

Some roof nailers include a shingle rail. This acts as a jig to ensure each shingle is in the correct nail position. Professionals almost never use such features. However, for weekend warriors, it might help you speed up your work more consistently.

Pneumatic vs. Cordless or Battery Operated Roofing Nailers

The best (and most) coil roofing nailers are air operated and connected to an air compressor. They work faster and weigh less than cordless models. Gas models allow for cordless or hoseless operation, but there are trade-offs. You get cordless operation at the cost of a heavier nailer.

More recently, battery-only models have emerged. In particular, the DeWalt Cordless Roof Nailer drives hundreds of nails per charge from a single 20V Max battery.

Should You Buy a Cordless Coil Roof Nailer If You're a Professional? Maybe.

We found the cordless roof nailer helpful for smaller jobs or punch list jobs where dragging out compressors and hoses was inefficient. However, for larger jobs, the weight and gas expense tradeoffs make them impractical. I haven't seen anyone use a battery-operated or gas-operated roof nailer to cap an entire residential roof. If I do, I'll probably eat popcorn.

Roof Nailer Maintenance and Final Thoughts

You'll need to oil your coil roof or siding nailer frequently — at least once a day. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions for proper maintenance.

Now that you know what to look for in a Pro roof nailer, check out some of our most popular reviews as well as our tips on how to use your roof nailer like a Pro!

• Ridgid R175RNF Coil Roofing Nailer
• DeWalt DW45RN Coil Roof Nailer
• Senco SCN65 Coil Nailer
• Paslode CR175C Roof Nailer

We hope this guide helps you understand what to look for in a Pro roof nailer. If you're a pro and have tips for choosing a roof nailer, add them in the comments below – or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!