How To Load Coil Nails: Essential Guide

Your coil nailer just jammed or won’t fire? Learning how to load coil nails correctly is the key! This guide shows you how to easily load your nail gun, ensuring smooth operation and successful projects. Get your nailer ready in minutes with these simple steps.

Hey everyone, Jack Shaffer here from Nailerguy! Ever stared at your coil nailer, ready to tackle that deck or fence, only to realize you’re not quite sure how to get it loaded? You’re not alone! It’s a common hiccup for DIYers and even some seasoned woodworkers. The good news is, loading a coil nailer is straightforward once you know the drill. Mastering this simple skill will save you time, frustration, and keep your projects moving along perfectly. Forget those jamming woes; we’re going digital to bring you the clearest, most reassuring guide on how to load coil nails, making your nailer your best friend on the job site.

We’ll walk through every step, from checking your nailer to safely firing off that first nail. So, grab your nailer and let’s get started – you’ll be a coil nail loading pro in no time!

Table of Contents

Why Loading Coil Nails Matters

Loading your coil nailer correctly isn’t just about getting nails into the gun; it’s about ensuring safety, efficiency, and the longevity of your tool. When done right, you get consistent nail drives, fewer jams, and a smoother workflow. Think of it like putting the right fuel in your car – it just runs better!

An improperly loaded nailer can lead to:

Nail Jams: Nails bent or misfired, potentially damaging the feeder mechanism.
Inconsistent Drives: Some nails driven too deep, others not far enough.
Tool Damage: Stress on the firing mechanism or feed system.
Safety Hazards: Misfires or double fires can surprise you.

Taking a few extra moments to load it right saves you much bigger headaches down the road. It’s a foundational skill that pays off big time!

Understanding Your Coil Nailer

Coil nailers are fantastic for framing, roofing, and siding because they hold a large number of nails fed from a coil held in a magazine. This means fewer reloads during long tasks. While models vary slightly, the core loading mechanism is generally the same.

Key parts you’ll interact with during loading include:

Magazine: The long housing that holds the coil of nails.
Feed Pawl/Latch: A mechanism that holds the coil in place and allows it to advance.
Nail Channel: The path the nails travel from the coil to the firing tip.
Safety/Contact Trip: The part that needs to be depressed to fire a nail.

Familiarizing yourself with these parts will make the loading process much clearer. If you’re unsure about your specific model, a quick peek at its user manual is always a great idea! Reputable tool manufacturers like DEWALT often provide detailed manuals online for their products.

Types of Coil Nails

Before you load, make sure you have the right nails! Coil nails aren’t one-size-fits-all. They differ in shank type, head type, and material.

Shank Types:

Smooth Shank: Standard for most general construction. Offers good holding power.
Ring Shank: Provides superior holding power due to the rings gripping the wood. Ideal for framing and subflooring where vibration or movement is a concern.
Screw Shank: Twists into the wood for maximum holding power, often used in siding or applications requiring extreme grip.

Head Types:

The head is what sits flush on the surface of your material. For coil nails, you’ll commonly see:

Full Round Head: These are designed like traditional nails, offering maximum surface area for holding power. They are often required by building codes for structural framing. It’s crucial to use full round head nails for structural applications, as they meet required shear strength standards. You can find more information on building material standards from resources like the International Code Council (ICC).
Flat Head (or Offset Full Round Head): These are slightly easier to load and can sometimes fit better into tighter spaces or specific nailer magazines. They still offer good holding power adequate for many applications.

Material and Coating:

Galvanized: Coated with zinc to prevent rust. Essential for exterior use. Available in electro-galvanized (lighter duty) and hot-dipped galvanized (heavy duty).
Stainless Steel: For the most corrosive environments, like coastal areas or around certain hardwoods.
Bright (Uncoated): For interior use where moisture isn’t a factor.

Pro Tip: Always check your nailer’s specifications for the maximum nail length and diameter it can handle, and ensure your nails have the same collation angle (the angle at which the nails are bound together). Most framing coil nailers use either 15-degree or 16-degree nails.

Coiled Nails: Angle Matters

Coil nails are bound together by wire or plastic at an angle. This angle is crucial for your nailer to function correctly. The two most common angles for framing coil nailers are:

15 Degrees: Typically wire-collated.
16 Degrees: Typically plastic-collated.

Using the wrong angle will cause immediate feeding issues and jams. Inspect your nailer’s magazine opening and the angle of nails you’re trying to load. If they don’t match, don’t force it!

Tools & Materials You’ll Need

Thankfully, you usually don’t need much to load a coil nailer. However, having a few items handy makes the process smoother and safer.

Your Coil Nailer: Of course!
The Correct Coil Nails: As discussed above – right diameter, length, head type, and collation angle.
Safety Glasses: Absolutely non-negotiable. Always protect your eyes.
Work Gloves (Optional but Recommended): To protect your hands from sharp coil ends and the nailer.
Air Compressor & Hose (for Pneumatic Nailers): Ensure it’s set to the correct PSI and disconnected during loading.
Battery (for Cordless Nailers): Make sure it’s charged and properly seated.

Step-by-Step Guide: How To Load Coil Nails

Here’s the breakdown, step-by-step. Remember, safety first! Always disconnect the power source (air hose or battery) before you start loading or performing any maintenance on your nailer. This prevents accidental firing.

Step 1: Power Down and Depressurize

This is the most critical safety step. For pneumatic nailers, disconnect the air hose from the compressor or the nailer itself. For cordless models, remove the battery pack. Lay the nailer on a stable surface with the firing tip pointed away from you and others.

Step 2: Open the Nailer Magazine

Most coil nailers have a spring-loaded mechanism to access the magazine. You’ll typically need to pull back a latch or a part of the magazine housing. It might require a bit of force, so don’t be shy!

Locate the magazine latch.
Pull the latch backward or sideways (depending on the model) to release the magazine cover or track.
The magazine track should now be open, allowing you to insert the nail coil.

Refer to your nailer’s manual if you’re having trouble finding the latch. It’s usually quite prominent.

Step 3: Prepare the Nail Coil

Coil nails are often secured by a wire or plastic band. You need to free the first few nails so they can feed into the nailer.

If the nails are wire-collated, you’ll see the wires holding them together. You may need to snip the very end of the wire to free the first nail’s head. Be careful not to cut too much, just enough to allow the head to sit properly in the channel.
If they are plastic-collated, the plastic strip usually just needs to be aligned.
Ensure the nails are straight and the coil is not damaged or loose. A loose coil can cause feeding issues.

Step 4: Insert the Nail Coil

Now, slide the coil of nails into the open magazine track. The key is to ensure the nails are oriented correctly to feed into the nailer.

Place the coil into the magazine, with the heads of the nails facing the direction they will be driven (usually towards the front of the nailer).
Align the first nail’s head with the nail channel.
If there’s a spring-loaded pusher piece in the magazine, make sure it’s not obstructing the coil. You might need to compress it slightly to fit the coil in.

Step 5: Engage the Feed Mechanism

Once the coil is seated, you need to secure it and ensure the first nail is ready to fire.

Carefully close the magazine by pushing the latch back into place.
You should hear or feel it click securely shut.
Slide the magazine cover or housing back into its original position until it latches.
Using the magazine pusher, push the coil forward until the first nail is seated correctly against the driver blade, ready to be fired. This often involves pushing a spring-loaded follower deep into the magazine until it catches the first nail.

Step 6: Test Fire (Safely!)

Before you start your project, it’s wise to do a quick test fire to ensure everything is loaded correctly and the nailer is functioning.

Re-attach your air hose or battery.
Ensure the nailer is pointed at a scrap piece of wood or material, NEVER at anyone or anything you don’t intend to nail.
Depress the safety at the tip of the nailer against the wood.
Squeeze the trigger.
Listen for the sound of the nailer firing and check to see if a nail was driven properly.
If it fires correctly and drives a nail flush, congratulations! You’re ready to go.
If it doesn’t fire or seems to jam, power down again and re-check your loading steps.

Troubleshooting Common Loading Issues

Even with the best intentions, you might run into a snag. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Nailer won’t fire after loading.	No power (air or battery).	Reconnect air hose securely. Ensure battery is fully charged and properly seated.
Nails are jamming immediately.	Incorrect nail collation angle.	Verify you are using the correct angle (15 or 16 degrees) for your nailer.
Nails are jammed.	Coil is loose or damaged.	Remove the coil and inspect it. Re-seat or replace if damaged.
Nails aren’t feeding from the coil.	Magazine pusher not engaged correctly.	Ensure the pusher is fully extended to seat the first nail.
Nail heads are bent or mangled.	Nails are not properly aligned in the feed channel.	Remove the coil and re-load, ensuring the first nail sits flat and straight in the channel.
Nailer fires, but no nail comes out.	Nail head is stuck on the wire/plastic collation.	Ensure the collation material (wire/plastic) is cleanly sheared or separated from the nail head feeding into the driver.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you’ve tried troubleshooting and your nailer still isn’t working correctly, it might be time to consult your nailer’s manual for more specific troubleshooting or contact the manufacturer’s support. For more complex mechanical issues, a qualified tool repair service is your best bet. Resources like ToolReviews.com often offer general maintenance tips that can be helpful.

Loading a Framing Nailer: Specific Considerations

Loading a coil nailer specifically for framing applications often involves larger, more robust nails, typically 15-degree wire-collated or 16-degree plastic-collated nails. The process is the same, but the stakes are higher for structural integrity.

Key points for framing nailer loading:

Use the Right Nails: Always use full round head nails, either smooth or ring shank, for structural framing. Ensure they meet local building codes.
Check PSI: Framing nailers often operate at higher pressures. Make sure your compressor and regulator are set to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI for framing. Too low, and your nails won’t set; too high, and you risk overdriving or damaging the wood.
Magazine Fullness: Keep your magazine as full as practical. This ensures consistent nail pressure and reduces the chance of jams when you’re in the middle of a long framing run.
Regular Maintenance: For heavy framing work, keeping your nailer clean and lubricated according to the manual’s instructions is crucial. This is especially important for air nailers, where oil helps maintain seals and moving parts.

A well-maintained and correctly loaded framing nailer is your best hammer on a framing job, making quick work of studs, joists, and rafters.

Tips for Efficient and Safe Loading

Loading shouldn’t feel like a chore. Here are some tips from my years with these tools to make it quick and safe:

Keep Spare Coils Handy: Have a fresh coil at the ready so you can swap them out quickly when the current one runs out.
Work in a Clean Area: Dirt and debris can get into the magazine and cause jams or damage.
Use Quality Nails: Cheap, poorly manufactured nails are a common cause of jams and misfires. Stick to reputable brands.
Regularly Inspect the Magazine: Check for any bent nails, debris, or damage to the feed track that could impede nail flow.
Don’t Force It: If something feels stiff or doesn’t want to move, stop. There’s probably a reason, and forcing it can cause damage.
Know Your Nailer: Spend time understanding its specific loading mechanism. Every model has its quirks.
Practice: The more you load your nailer, the faster and more intuitive it becomes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the most common mistake when loading coil nails?

A1: The most common mistake is using nails with the wrong collation angle (15 vs. 16 degrees) or the wrong head type for the specific nailer model or application. Another frequent error is not ensuring the power source (air or battery) is disconnected before loading.

Q2: Do I need to lubricate my coil nailer after loading?

A2: For pneumatic nailers, it’s recommended to use a few drops of dedicated air tool oil in the air inlet port before or after use, as per your tool’s manual. This lubricates internal moving parts. Cordless nailers typically don’t require external lubrication for their motor or battery packs, but always check your specific model’s manual.

Q3: Can I use wire-collated nails in a plastic-collated nailer, or vice-versa?

A3: No, you generally cannot. Your nailer is designed for a specific collation angle and type. Using the wrong type will almost certainly lead to jams and improper fire. Always match the nail collation to your nailer’s specifications.

Q4: How many nails are in a coil?

A4: The number of nails in a coil varies greatly depending on the nail diameter and length. Smaller, shorter nails will mean more nails per coil. A typical framing nail coil might contain anywhere from 200 to 400 nails.

Q5: My nailer is feeding, but the nails are sinking at an angle. What gives?

A5: This usually indicates that the nail coil is not properly seated in the magazine, or the nails are not sitting flat and straight in the feed channel.