Masonry Nailer

[Ben102009]

Are there any nail guns that would suit skirting to block work walls?
Anything I find is either spit gun or some variation of the nail sticking proud of whatever material is being fixed whether metal track or 4x2?
I need basically a sunk finish, not flush or proud?
Thanks.

 

[paulrbarnard]

What sort of bocks?
I have got away with standard 18gauge nails into brick or light weight blocks. I actually did some today. Used adhesive on the back of the skirting and fired in a few nails to hold it while the glue set. It was in an old Victorian house with banana walls so high tack adhesive on its own would hold it in place.

 

[Ben102009]

Just standard block...all skirting downstairs needs to be fixed by hammer and 2.5 nail, it's repetitive and time consuming! Whereas upstairs it's paslode angled brad city, easy.

I used adhesive on all the skirting anyway, I don't think using my second fix gun would be wise, even with 32mm at an angle, I need to get a solid fixing....on multiple houses.

 

[johnnyb]

axminster sell a masonry nailer

 

[Jake]

I have the Axminster one, it shoots maybe 7 or 8 out of 10 all the way in neatly into our relatively soft yellow stock bricks. The other 2-3 get left with heads sticking out 5-10mm, which need bending over and nail-setting into the timber leaving pretty big gouges for filling. As a very occasional user it's not quite enough of a failure rate to make me remember thinking I should never use it ever again, but it's definitely enough to make me wonder every time if it was worth it over plugs and screws.

I wouldn't buy it again if it got stolen fwiw. But, it will depend on what you are trying to fix into.

 

[JobandKnock]

I use a Spit Pulsa for fixing laths to hard masonry and steels and I am convinced that these guns aren't suitable for the task you have, partly because the nail length is too limited and partly because they can destroy very dry timber. Similarly a 1st fix nailer probably won't work, either

The "traditional" approach to doing this job was to chisel or rake out the mortar from some of the vertical joints, shape timber wedges and knock them in (still use that approach on some aspects of work such as deep window reveal linings). The modern approach is to drill and countersink the skirting, drill the masonry (SDS), plug and screw the skirtings in (with grip adhesive on the back), then pellet (hardwood) or 2 -pack fill (softwood) the holes. That was what we were taught at college and still holds good for hardwood skirtings

The modern quick and dirty technique is to use low expansion foam and either pin the skirtings in place whilst the foam goes off or "sprag" the skirtings with softwood go bars (basically 2 x 1 laths bent slightly between the walls to create a bit if pressure)

BTW 18 gauge pinners are generally NBG for skirtings (too short, too puny) - most if the construction industry uses 16 gauge (for good reason). I started using a 15 gauge gun as well about 18 months back because the nails have greater holding power - in some circumstances very handy, despite the bigger holes

 

[Ben102009]

I have the Axminster one, it shoots maybe 7 or 8 out of 10 all the way in neatly into our relatively soft yellow stock bricks. The other 2-3 get left with heads sticking out 5-10mm, which need bending over and nail-setting into the timber leaving pretty big gouges for filling. As a very occasional user it's not quite enough of a failure rate to make me remember thinking I should never use it ever again, but it's definitely enough to make me wonder every time if it was worth it over plugs and screws.

I wouldn't buy it again if it got stolen fwiw. But, it will depend on what you are trying to fix into.

Thank you, yeah I just don't think there is anything on the market for what I need, basically a paslode 2nd fix pin gun, but instead of pins it's masonry nails that fire on gas and battery and sink into the skirting to be filled and painted later.

 

[JobandKnock]

There are concrete nailers which will drive nails up to 60mm, but they are expensive and they will wreck nice dry timber like skirting. Also not cheap to buy or run

 

[hlvd]

Just use masonary nails, they work fine and used them for years.

I do have two masonry nail guns though, will only work if the blocks are relatively soft, and definitely won’t go in the joint. I only used it once as it didn’t work that well.
I’ve another Bostitch masonry nailer that I’d forgotten I had and not used, but do remember the nails were very expensive, maybe that would be a better machine.

 

[JobandKnock]

In the absence of a piece of machinery, just what is wrong with low expansion foam? It is acceptable to building inspectors these days.

 

[clogs]

Hilti.....lol....

 

[JobandKnock]

Yes, GX120 et al, but the problem is that the nail head is round and leaves a massive hole, that's if it doesn't just split the skirting boards