What are brad nails used for?
If you’re working on second-fix carpentry, then a brad nail will provide a neat, reliable finish. Their slim shanks and small heads minimise visible marks on the timber, making them ideal for decorative joinery when you want a professional, clean finish.
That’s why these second-fix nails are often used to fit skirting boards, secure architraves around doors, attach mouldings and trims, and fix lightweight timber components. They’re also great for installing lightweight door linings. Unlike traditional hammer-driven finish nails, collated brads can be fired quickly and accurately using a compatible nail gun, saving time on larger jobs.
How to choose the right finishing nail
16G vs 18G Brad nails
16 gauge brad nails provide a stronger fixing for applications such as skirting boards, architraves, and heavier timber trims, so they’re a practical choice when you need something with more holding power. 18 gauge brad nails are thinner and leave smaller holes in the timber, so they’re better suited to installing delicate mouldings, lightweight trims, and finer finishing work where splitting is a concern.
Straight vs angled brad nails
Straight brad nails are supplied in straight collated strips for compatible straight-magazine nailers and are commonly used for general second-fix work. Angled brad nails are designed for angled-magazine nailers, making it easier to access tight spaces and awkward corners. At eFixings, you can choose from16g straight brad nails orangled brad nails in electro-galvanised finishes.
Galvanised vs stainless steel
Electro-galvanised brads suit dry internal joinery applications and offer basic corrosion protection, whereas in damp conditions or where corrosion resistance matters more, stainless steel is generally the better option. Explore ourstainless steel brad nails for straight-magazine nailers.
Choosing the right nail length
Use shorter brads for thinner mouldings and trims, while longer lengths provide deeper penetration into the supporting timber. Make sure to choose a length that can pass through the material being fixed and also grips the substrate well without breaking through the other side. And check the lengths supported by your nail gun to make sure it’s the right fit.
Collated brad nails for nail guns
Our range of collated brad nails comes in strips rather than as loose nails, allowing them to feed through compatible nail guns for faster, more consistent fixing. When choosing brad nails for nail gun use, check the gauge, length, strip angle, and magazine compatibility to make sure it’s the right match. Not all second-fix nailers accept the same collation. For other fixing applications, browse our wider range ofcollated nails.
Brad Nails FAQs
Are brad nails the same as finishing nails?
They're very similar, and people often use the terms interchangeably. Both are designed to provide a secure fixing while leaving a small, discreet hole in the timber. However, brad nails are usually thinner than traditional finishing nails, making them a good choice for lighter trim and more delicate joinery.
What is the difference between 16g and 18g brad nails?
The main difference is how thick the nail is. 16G brad nails have a thicker shank, which generally gives them better holding power for jobs like fitting skirting boards, architraves, and heavier timber trims.18G brad nails, on the other hand, are thinner and leave a smaller hole in the timber, making them useful for delicate mouldings and lightweight decorative work, where you want to minimise the risk of splitting the wood.
Do I need straight or angled brad nails?
Straight brad nails are designed for nailers with straight magazines, while angled brad nails fit compatible angled-magazine nailers, so it depends on what type of nail gun you’re using. If you’re working in a tight or awkward space, then it’s best to use an angled nailer.