Always used finish nails for trim until a pro called me out on it

I was doing a baseboard job in a 1950s ranch house near Columbus and a older carpenter walked through, saw me using 16 gauge finish nails, and told me I was making extra work for myself. He said 18 gauge brad nails hold just as well on most interior trim and leave way smaller holes to fill. Tried it on the next room and honestly the difference in putty time was like 45 minutes shaved off per room. Has anyone else made the switch and not gone back?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_angela2d ago

Agree with @sammoore, 18 gauge changed everything for me too.

sammoore20d ago

That thing about "making extra work for myself" really hit home. A buddy of mine who flips houses here in Indiana used to swear by finish nails on everything until his crew lead basically said the same thing to him. He finally tried 18 gauge on a full gut job and called me up pissed off about how much time he'd wasted over the years filling those bigger holes. He still uses the 16 gauge on door jambs and thick stuff but for baseboards and shoe molding he never went back. Said it saved him almost an hour per house on spackling alone.

the_riley20d ago

Man oh man, I feel that guy's pain in my bones. I swear I spent the first few years of trim work thinking bigger nails meant better work, not realizing I was just creating a second job for myself with all that filling. I got the same wake-up call when my cousin came over to help on a rental flip and just laughed at me using 16s on quarter round. Now I look at my old jobs with all those popped fill spots and just shake my head. Funny how the right tool can make you feel like a dummy for not switching sooner.