Learn me: Roofing nails

Hi, I have a shed that needs to be re-shingled. 288 square feet and I'm using standard 3 tab shingles. I can use the typical roofing nails and hammer them in, or I can rent a nailer. I have a decent air compressor.
What would you do?

Im a gadget guy, I'd rent a air nailer.

Two lengths of nails. Big head.

rent the nail gun. If you're anything like me, you'll find all kinds of other things that could use some support nails while you have it.

Or you could buy the coil roofing gun from harbor freight for $99 or so. Its a good nail gun

Rent or buy. I'm also a tool junky, so after hammering roofing nails into the roof of a 6' x 10' lean-to off my ex's garage - and then realizing I'd done it wrong and had to do it again - I said "berk this..." and bought a roofing nailer (a Porter Cable).

Is it something I use often? No. But I've installed shingles on 3 different projects now and I'm barely half-way through the first case of coiled nails I bought for that lean-to.

Antihero wrote: Or you could buy the coil roofing gun from harbor freight for $99 or so. Its a good nail gun

If the H-F roofing nailer is anything like their framing nailer, I am not so sure about that. I made do with their $119 framing nailer. Barely. After manually hammering home the first dozen or so nails, I wished I'd forked over the extra cash for a brand name unit.

I've used it extensively, it's been thru several thousand nails and has jammed once because of a faulty nail.

Hell I wish I could say the same for the multiple name brand guns I've owned

Never used the framing gun they make but it sounds like the depth was off or it wasn't oiled enough. It could be a gasket inside leaking making it have low pressure, but you would notice the air leaking out of....well everywhere lol

I've had great luck with my hf framing nailer and flooring nailer. I just had my Brad nailer crap out on me and that one was a hitachi, so I'll be grabbing the hf version soon unless I can find something on cl

I like the dewalt brad gun I have, it was pretty cheap new it should be very cheap used

If you rent the roofing nailer, you will have another roof to do.

If you buy the roofing nailer, you will never have to use it again.

It's like driving a British car ~and~ having a bus pass in your wallet just in case.

For that little amount I'd just use a hammer.

I'm a homeowner who owns 6 nail guns I think you know what my vote is

CL first, then pawn shops, then HF. My biggest problem with HF nailers are non-standard nails. If the coil nails at Lowes/Home Depot will work in the HF nailer then that's not a bad route.

stuart in mn wrote: For that little amount I'd just use a hammer.

Good roofing hammer is 40$ give or take. For 300sqf foot I would do it manually.

KyAllroad wrote: I'm a homeowner who owns 6 nail guns I think you know what my vote is CL first, then pawn shops, then HF. My biggest problem with HF nailers are non-standard nails. If the coil nails at Lowes/Home Depot will work in the HF nailer then that's not a bad route.

They use standard coils.

I thought the hf framing guns used 21 degree clipped head?

It's a shed, use a hammer and know how to use it correctly.

By the time you rent the nailer and by a box of nails to fit into the gun, you are going to be into it for $100. The time spent returning the gun is about how much extra time you are going to spend just pounding them in. Small roof. Don't be that guy that drags out the compressor, and 100 feet of hose to shoot in a couple of nails. There is one of those time wasters on every job site. Some guys forget how to use a hammer. Last roof I did with my dad, he put the gun in his lap to grab another shingle and shot a nail into the side of his leg.

Roofing nails: (n) an item used to affix holes in tires, tubes and feet. In the alternate they are used to affix a weather proof covering to a roof.

I did my shed (10x12) by hand. I think with my son passing shingles, it took all of 2 hours.

SVreX wrote: Use a hammer. Don't be a Bob Costas.

Nice - happy day to you too...

I guess I should be a bit more detailed in my question. Is there any advantage in hammering in shingles versus using a power tool to affix shingles to a roof surface? As with any project, correct installation is the key to success. Will one method be superior to the other? Like most have said, this is a small job. The cost of a rental would be minimal.

Thanks,

Paul

Don't care what method you use but the type of nail is important. Hot dipped Galvinized or stainless steel are what you want. Electrogalv nails have an issue with the coating being so thin and fragile that the hammer in the gun or a regular hammer will knock it off and the heads rust and fail.

I spec this stuff for a living I did not stay at a holiday inn. Roofers will try and tell you otherwise. HD nails will jamb a gun more often due to the thicker and more malleable HD coating. But this is exactly what makes them better. That is why I give them the option to go stainless it reduces gun jambs.

Easy to over drive the nails with a gun. I specify that roofers have a regulator at each gun so they can adjust it. This is particularly important when two or three guns are running off the same compressor as different guns will drive the nails differently at a given psi.

If your pressure is too high you'll actually blow the nails through or tear your shingles and leave them compromised. Otherwise its the same nail. If your roof deck is thin and bouncy its much easier to use a gun.

In our area there are several comparable "budget oriented" roofing companies that use nail guns and one high end roofer. He was trained by an old time craftsman and took over his business when he retired. He uses a hammer exclusively for shingles, no matter the size of the job. He explained why, it was valid, but I forgot what it was. Moral of the story, use a hammer.

Thanks guys, great advise. I'll stick with the hammer.

In reply to eastpark:

Pretty sure you took my comment the wrong way- it was completely meant in jest. I apologize for being unclear and inappropriate.

If you are concerned about quality, the hammer does a better job. Nailer can overdrive, under drive, misfire, etc. (Note, I own 5 roofing nail guns, so I am not in any way adverse to using them. It's just a matter of the right tool for the job- hammer wins on this one).