You’re standing in the middle of your yard, looking at a pile of cedar pickets and a box of galvanized nails. It looks easy. Then you realize you have 300 feet of perimeter to cover. Suddenly, your trusty hammer looks like a medieval torture device. You need speed. You need power. You need a nail gun for fence projects that actually works without jamming every five minutes or splitting your expensive lumber.
But here is the thing.
Most people walk into a big-box store and buy whatever "framing nailer" is on sale. Big mistake. Huge. While a framing nailer can technically do the job, it’s often overkill, or worse, it’s the wrong tool for the specific type of fencing you’re installing. If you’re putting up a delicate picket fence, a heavy-duty framer might blow right through the wood. If you’re building a heavy privacy fence, a finish nailer will leave your pickets on the ground after the first big wind storm.
The Great Debate: Coil vs. Strip Nailers
When we talk about a nail gun for fence work, the conversation usually splits into two camps. Coil nailers and strip nailers.
Coil nailers are the kings of fencing. Look at any professional crew like the ones from Prowire Fence Co. or independent contractors who do this for a living. They almost always use coil nailers. Why? Capacity. A coil nailer holds a drum of nails—sometimes up to 300 at a time—wrapped in a wire-collated circle. You can nail for twenty minutes without stopping.
Strip nailers, on the other hand, use those long sticks of nails. You get maybe 60 to 90 shots before you’re reaching for your pouch. In a framing job, that’s fine. You’re moving slow, checking levels, and squaring up studs. But fencing is a rhythm game. Once you find your flow, stopping every two minutes to reload a strip nailer is a total vibe killer. Honestly, it’s annoying.
Why Weight Matters More Than You Think
Have you ever held five pounds at arm's length for six hours? It sucks.
A pneumatic nailer is lighter than a battery-powered one, but you’re tethered to a hose. If you have a massive acre-sized lot, dragging 200 feet of air hose through the mud and around bushes is its own kind of hell. This is where the cordless nail gun for fence options, like the Milwaukee M18 Fuel or the DeWalt 20V Max, come in. They are heavy. Your forearm will scream at you by lunchtime. But the freedom is worth it if you aren’t near a power outlet.
Understanding the Nails (The Part Everyone Ignores)
The gun is just the delivery system. The nail is what actually does the work. If you use the wrong nails, your fence will literally rot off its hinges.
You need Hot-Dipped Galvanized (HDG) nails. Period. Don’t let some guy at the hardware store sell you "electro-galvanized" nails because they are five dollars cheaper. Electro-galvanized nails have a thin coating that will wear off the second the nail hits the wood. Within two years, you’ll see black streaks running down your beautiful cedar pickets. That’s the nail rusting from the inside out.
If you live near the coast, ignore galvanized entirely. You need 304 or 316-grade stainless steel. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, they are worth it. Salt air eats zinc for breakfast.
Shank Types: Smooth vs. Ring
Most framing nails are smooth. They go in easy. They also come out easy. Wood expands and contracts when it gets wet or hot. Over time, that movement pulls smooth nails right out of the post.
For a fence, use ring-shank nails. These have little ridges along the shaft that act like barbs. Once they are in, they stay in. Pulling a ring-shank nail out of a pressure-treated 4x4 is nearly impossible without a pry bar and a lot of swearing. That’s exactly what you want for a fence that needs to survive a thunderstorm.
Setting Your Depth: The Difference Between Pro and Amateur
One of the most common sights in a DIY fence job is "over-driving." This is when the head of the nail is buried a quarter-inch deep into the picket.
It looks terrible. It also creates a pocket for water to sit. Water sits in the hole, rots the wood around the nail, and eventually, the picket just falls off because there’s nothing for the nail head to grip.
A quality nail gun for fence builds will have a tool-free depth adjustment. You want the head of the nail to be flush—just barely touching the surface of the wood. Not sticking out, not buried. It takes about five minutes of testing on a scrap piece of wood to get this right. Do it. Don't be lazy. Your future self will thank you when your fence isn't a rotted mess in five years.
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Popular Models Worth Your Hard-Earned Cash
Let's get specific. If you want the industry standard, look at the Bostitch N66C-1. It’s a coil siding nailer, but it’s basically the unofficial "official" fence gun. It’s lightweight, it’s a beast, and it takes nails from 1-1/4 to 2-1/2 inches. It’s pneumatic, so you need a compressor, but it will last a lifetime.
If you hate hoses, the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 15-Degree Coil Siding Nailer is the new heavy hitter. It’s cordless. It’s fast. It’s also a workout for your triceps. But for a weekend warrior doing a side-yard fence, not having to listen to a screaming compressor all day is a massive luxury.
The Problem With Cheap Knockoffs
You’ll see "no-name" brands on Amazon for $80. Don't.
Internal seals in cheap nailers fail. The drivers are made of soft metal that mushrooms after a thousand shots. A fence often requires five or six nails per picket. On a standard 50-foot run, you’re looking at over 500 nails. A cheap gun will jam, double-fire, or just quit. Buy a reputable brand or rent a professional-grade one from a local tool shop.
Safety and the "Bouncing" Technique
Fencing pros often use "bump fire" mode. You hold the trigger down and "bump" the nose of the gun against the wood to fire. It’s incredibly fast.
It’s also how people end up in the ER with a 2-inch nail in their thigh.
If you aren't experienced, keep the gun in "sequential fire" mode. This means you have to press the nose down and then pull the trigger for every single nail. It's slower, sure. But it’s a lot safer than a rogue nail ricocheting off a knot in the wood and flying toward your face. Always wear eye protection. No exceptions. Nails hit knots and bend in weird ways all the time.
How to Actually Start Your Project
First, check your local codes. You don't want to build a masterpiece only to have the city tell you it’s three inches too high.
- Mark your lines. Use a string line to make sure your posts are straight. A wiggly fence is a sad fence.
- Set your posts. Use a post-hole digger or an auger. Go deep—usually 24 to 36 inches depending on your frost line.
- Attach your rails. Use your nail gun for fence to secure the horizontal 2x4s to the posts. Two nails per connection point is the bare minimum.
- The Picket Pace. Use a spacer (a scrap piece of wood) to keep the gap between pickets consistent. It's faster than measuring every single time.
- Listen to the gun. If it starts sounding "dry" or "clunky," add a few drops of pneumatic tool oil into the air inlet. It’s like a tiny spa day for your tool.
Maintaining the Tool After the Job
Don't just throw the nailer back in the shed when you’re done. Wiping off the sawdust and moisture prevents the metal components from seizing up. If you used a battery-powered gun, take the battery out. Lithium-ion batteries don't like sitting in hot sheds for six months.
Basically, treat the tool like you want it to work the next time you have a project. Because there’s always another project.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check your wood type: If using Cedar or Redwood, buy 304 Stainless Steel nails to avoid "bleeding" stains.
- Measure your compressor: If going pneumatic, ensure your compressor can handle at least 90-100 PSI consistently.
- Test on scrap: Always fire five test nails into a scrap piece of your actual fence material to calibrate the depth drive.
- Safety check: Ensure your work area is clear of pets or kids who might pop up on the other side of the fence while you are firing.