Narrow Crown Stapler Vs Brad Nailer

Fastening two things together is a common task that both the professional and the householder need to do often. Stapler and nailers both are made to do the fastening job. Stapler and nailers are pretty much similar tools with a little difference.

Among the different varieties of staplers and nailers the crown stapler and the brad nailer are very popular and today we have picked these two as today’s topic of discussion. Because of their huge similarity, people often get confused about which one to choose or which one is more suitable for their work. This confusion goes away if you have deep and clear knowledge about these two tools.

Crown Stapler

Crown staplers drive staples to fasten two items together. They are also called construction stapler or upholstery stapler.

Based on crown type, crown staplers have 3 variations. Those are – narrow crown, medium crown, and wide crown.

Narrow Crown Stapler

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Narrow crown staplers are not so wide rather narrow. Since the crown is narrower they are not very noticeable when penetrated through the surface of the object. If you need to join two items together and at the same time you do not want to do any compromise with the aesthetic of the object narrow crown stapler is the best choice for you. 

They are widely used for finish and trim applications like molding, trim, cabinets, drawers, fascias, and many more.

Medium Crown Stapler

The width of the crown of the medium crown stapler is between the narrow and wide crown stapler. If you are looking for fasteners that provide a wider range of clinch you can choose the medium crown stapler.

subflooring, pallet building, vinyl siding, furniture assembly, sheathing, and applications like these are the common application of medium crown stapler.

Wide Crown Stapler

The width of the wide crown stapler is larger than the previous two and so it is named a wide crown stapler. It is stronger than the narrow and medium crown stapler and so suitable for heavy-duty applications.

For example. truss building, house wrap, roofing, lathing are the common projects where the wide crown staplers used.

To use crown staplers one should have good knowledge about the staple type too. The staples are categorized into 3 types based on gauge. Those are fine wire, medium wire, and heavy wire crown staples. Here gauge means the thickness of the staples.

Fine Wire Staples

Fine wire crown staplers generally range from 20-22 gauge in thickness. They are suitable for light-duty applications.

Medium Wire Staples

Medium wire staples generally range from 18-19 gauge and provide more supporting power than the fine wire staples.

Heavy Wire Staples

Heavy wire staples range from 15-16 gauge. These staples are stronger than the previous two. Since the heavy wire staples provide more supporting power they are suitable for heavy-duty applications.

Brad Nailer

Brad nailers use brad nails to fasten objects together. The nails are 18 gauge in size with a small pinhead. Increased gauge size means thinner nails. So, you can understand that brad nailers use thin nails that are suitable for delicate works, not for heavy-duty works. You should not also try to use these in hardwood since the nails are thinner.

Brad nailers leave tiny holes on the surface that are not easily noticeable. If the aesthetic of the object is very important to you, I will recommend you to go for the best brad nailers.

Once you penetrate the brad nailers through the surface of the object you cannot remove it unless you separate the fastened pieces. So, it is a permanent fastener. If you are looking for a temporary fastener I will recommend you not to use the brad nailer.

The common usage of brad nailers includes attaching baseboard to drywall or finishing wood strips to furniture.

Final Thought

The holes left by crown staplers are bigger than the brad nailers. But the crown staplers offer more supporting power than the brad nailers.  Between the crown staplers and the brad nailers which one you will choose largely depends on your project.

If you are working with hardwood then crown staplers are a good choice for you. You should also be careful about the type of fastening you are intended to do. If it is temporary fastening then you should not use the brad nailers as brad nailers offer permanent fastening.