Nailers, also known as nail guns, are available in coil and strip nail loading configurations.

Coil nailers, often called siding nailers, use flexible strings of nails joined by wires forming a round magazine. This type of nail gun is more compact and can fit into more places than models requiring nail strips. Coil nailers hold more nails than other models, so you can drive more nails than strip nail guns before reloading. Once you have your siding nails and nailer, you can learn how to select siding by checking out our Siding Buying Guide.

Strip nailers use nail magazines arranged on a long, slender strip or cartridge that slides into the gun. Strips of paper, plastic or wire hold the nails together. This configuration distributes the weight of the nails, making them easier to handle compared to coil nail guns. That means electric nailers requiring strips also handle easier than coil varieties.

Nailers are effective and versatile. Some models are useful in heavy-duty, high-volume applications, while others work well for small jobs.

• Framing nailers handle large projects, such as building decks, constructing room additions or framing houses.