There are many ways in which you can install new roofing shingles onto your home. While hiring a roofer is one way to do it, there is various DIY equipment that you can buy to bond shingle to the roof. Maybe you are a roofer yourself, and wonder which method of roofing is the best. In response, we will gladly show you to some of the best roofing nailers on the market today.
Roofing nailers staple shingles onto your roof with long, deep nails. Roofing nailers opposed to adhesives or other methods, provide your shingles with the best security and stability without sacrificing on appearance.
In this review, we will be looking at ten roofing nailers for DIY workers and roofing specialists. These nailers are from companies like AeroPro, Wen and Hitachi. We will show you to each nailer’s strengths and weaknesses, and then declare the best roofing nailer for you.Without further ado, here are the best-selling roofing nailers in 2021.
Best Roofing Nailer – Comparison
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Max CN445R3 Superroofer |
| Check Price |
 | PORTER-CABLE RN175B |
| Check Price |
 | AeroPro CN45N Professional |
| Check Price |
10 Best Roofing Nailers – Review
1. BOSTITCH RN46-1 3/4-Inch to 1-3/4-Inch Nailer
The first roofing nailer is made by Bostitch. This nailer accepts ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch coil. The operating pressure of this nailer is in between 70 to 120 pounds per square inch (PSI).
At a hundred PSI, this nailer can deliver around 410 inch-pounds of force. It can drive in up to a hundred nails per minute as well, making it a powerful and productive nailer. Contact trip firing makes the nailer “bounce” in-between locations, allowing you to nail across large areas swiftly and successfully.
This nailer has a zero nail lockout feature. If the nailer is empty, it will disable firing so that it doesn’t overheat or exhaust. The nailer can also load quickly with a patented side load canister.
If you repair and install roofs for a living, you are sure to get your money’s worth from this nailer. If the nailer were to fail on its own with seven whole years of ownership, you could be eligible to get another one free of charge.
The Achilles heel about this roofing nailer is that it will occasionally fire out two nails at the same time. With this in mind, this nailer is known to be wasting nails that you would realize that you would love to have back. Unfortunately, there is no way around this and it is not something that the warranty will cover.
- Fires around 100 nails a minute.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Offers contact trip firing.
- Offers a zero lockout feature.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Has side-loading for quick reloads.
- Fires two nails at once at times.
2. Hitachi NV45AB2 7/8-Inch to 1-3/4-Inch Coil Nailer
Hitachi is over 100 years old and has made nearly everything from vehicles to electronics. This Japanese giant brings us a roofing nailer that takes ⅞-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils. The operating pressure of this nailer is in between 70 to 120 PSI, the same as the previous roofing nailer from Bostitch.
This roofing nailer comes with a tool-free depth of drive adjustments so that you can flush drive and nail roofing with precision.
This is a lightweight nailer, weight less than 6 pounds. You can easily move it in rhythm across your roof. If you ever need to reload with more nails, you can fill more nails in with its side-load magazine.
This Hitachi nailer also comes with a quick drive feature that allows the nailer to activate every time you touch the roof with its nose. This makes for quick and convenient nailing where no triggers have to be pulled, and you can focus and hold the nailer easier and better.
Furthermore, there is rubber siding on the nailer that will also prevent it from rolling off your roof, so no need to chase and retrieve it.
Under specific circumstances, however, such as using ⅞-inch nails, they will end up being crooked and looking awkward into your shingles. Crooked nails are not safe to leave be, as they can break sooner and more easily than perfectly straight nails. You will end up redoing several nails here and there to ensure that your roof is perfectly intact.
- Accepts ⅞-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Fires instantly by touching nose to application.
- Has side-loading for quick reloads.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Is lightweight.
- Has rubber siding for easy placement on roof.
- Nails can sometimes come out crooked.
3. Senco Roof Pro 455XP Nailer
Similarly to the Hitachi roofing nailer, this nailer from Senco also weighs 5.5 pounds, made for easy, consistent nailing from spot to spot. You can even operate it with one hand, it the occasion arises. This nailer will also take ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch coils.
Senco’s roofing nailer comes with an adjustable depth of drive that is toof-free so that you can control nails constantly and consistently.
This roof nailer comes with its own carrying case, so you already have a place to store and carry the product. Included inside the case are also Allen wrenches, oil, and a connector.
This is very compatible with Hitachi’s roofing nailer in regards to size and weight, but this nailer is significantly less expensive.
Like with Bostitch’s roof nailer, this one will often double or triple fire nails at every 20th or 30th nail produced. This is not good if you want to use every nail that you buy. This might be an economic option, but the desired features of other roofing nails might not all be present.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Has side-loading for quick reloads.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Is lightweight.
- Includes a case with goods.
- Is affordable.
- Fires two or three nails at once at times.
4. MAX CN445R2 SuperRoofer Roofing Nailer
The makers of this next roofing nailer are simply called Max. This nailer is light grey and red in color. This nailer will also take ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch coils, delivering PSI ranging between 70 to 100.
This is also a lightweight roofing nailer, weighing in at 5.2 pounds, making it even easier to carry over the previous two nailers from Hitachi and Senco.
The main feature of the tool is supposed to be its patented tar-resistant nose. The nose is designed to prevent the buildup of tar over time. And compared to your average roofing nailer, this one can last four times longer in event of tar buildup.
Depth control is regulated with a dial. This means that you are not required any tools.
A rapid-fire trigger valve means that you can hold down the trigger and it shoots out nails like an automatic firearm. It can hold up to 120 nails at a time. This is said to b the fastest roofing nailer you can buy today with minimal recoil included.
There is also an air hose that comes with this roofing nailer. When connected to this nailer, the hose can use air to eject far and other substances automatically. This is a great feature and another way that it can last longer compared to other roofing nailers.
Manufacturer defects are covered, but not wearing parts. Compared to the other nailers thus far, this is not a long time. If you are a constant roofer, you can definitely tell if you need a warranty right away, but you likely could end up having the nailer fail just past the one-year mark.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Is lightweight.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Can be easily cleaned out.
- Has a tear-resistant nose.
- Warranty is rather short; only lasts one year.
5. WEN 61782 3/4-Inch to 1-3/4-Inch Nailer
Like Hitachi, Wen is no stranger to making various types of equipment. This roofing nailer of theirs is very affordable. When it is this affordable, it usually is underwhelming in one way or another. This nailer will take ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch coils. This roofing nailer comes in one of two color schemes: yellow and blue or orange and black.
Spacing of nails to shingle is made easy with the adjustable depth control and shingle guide included with this roofing nailer. At 100 PSI, this nailer delivers up to 430 inch-pounds of force, ensuring that your shingles will not go anywhere. This nailer ranges from in between 70 to 120 PSI.
This nailer can hold up to 120 nails at a time. If you ever experience a nail jam from inside the nailer, there is a quick release to help you fix this situation.
Furthermore, this nailer includes its own carrying case, along with three hex wrenches and a can of oil. This kit makes sure that you are ready to go right away with no additional purchases necessary.
If any defects were to happen with your nailer, you have a year to identify them in order for it to be honored. We guess one year is better than nothing.
Furthermore, this roofing nailer has a habit of firing two or three nails at a time, and this is even more frequent than the other two nailers. All in all, you will be getting what you paid for.
- Includes a case with goods.
- Includes a case with goods.
- Is available in two different color schemes.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Is affordable.
- Warranty is rather short.
- Fires two or three nails at once at times.
6. BOSTITCH U/BRN175 Factory Bulldog Nailer
This is the second roofing nailer from Bostitch that we have looked at. This nailer will take ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch coils. The range of PS1 is in between 70 to 120, which is pretty much par for the course.
So far, this is the lightest roofing nailer in this review, weighing just 4.8 pounds. So light, that the scrawniest of women should be able to handle it with one hand. This is a nailer that is considered an economical option.
This roofing nailer includes a selectable trigger so that you can switch between two different firing modes: contact and sequential. Contact mode is where the gun will only fire a nail when the nose is touching the surface. Sequential triggers require the nailer’s nose to become depressed before you pull the trigger. Between the two, sequential mode is safer, as contact mode can pose twice the probability of injury.
This nailer also offers a carbide nose, the carbide helps to extend its life so that nothing deteriorates from the heat used when you operate this roofing nailer.
The dial is used to change the drive depth. This means that the nails can be installed in any kind of shingle, sans perhaps metal and slate.
Like the first Bostich roof nailer, this nailer comes with a seven-year warranty. You have more than enough time to decide if this roofing nailer is great or has a defect in it that would hamper its performance.
The bad thing about this nailer, however, is that it skips nails. There are times when you would pull the trigger and no nail would shoot out. It is as if the nail gets jammed inside. This is one thing to watch out for because this likely will not be honored in the warranty.
- Is lightweight.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Is affordable.
- Has a carbide nose.
- Offers contact trip firing.
- Includes a seven-year warranty.
- Prone to nail jams.
7. DEWALT DWFP12658 Coil Roofing Nailer
DeWalt’s roofing nailer could be as good as the rest of their power tools. It sports the trademark yellow and black color scheme, accepts coils in between ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch, and has a PSI range of 70 to 120.
The DeWalt roofing nailer has an over-molded grip, which makes it comfortable to hold and a delight to use. It’s got a compact design and controlling it from nail to nail is a cinch. However, there is a little more weight to this nailer compared to the others, with six and a quarter pounds of heft.
The adjustable shingle guide makes it so that your shingles are perfectly placed every time. You can also switch between contact and sequential mode, so you can choose the one you prefer or the one that works better in the scenario given.
This is also a resilient and durable roofing nailer, with skid resistant pads so that it doesn’t fall off your roof when you place it down. It also comes with wear guards so that if it ever does fall off your roof, it won’t be damaged or broken if it falls on an asphalt road or concrete driveway.
As for the warranty, DeWalt gives you three years, which is not the best, but definitely not the worst.
This roofing nailer however often gets jammed, and the nails inside will not come out. This could be a nuisance and is especially not what we expect considering the name on the package. DeWalt has a great track record, but this is not the first time that their products were not the best.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Offers contact trip firing.
- Has a comfortable handle.
- Has rubber siding for easy placement on the roof.
- Prone to nail jams.
8. Max CN445R3 Superroofer Roofing Coil Nailer
This is the second roofing nailer from Max, with a red, light grey and black color scheme. It drives wired roofing ¾-inch to 1 ¾-inch roofing nails. This nailer weighs just 5.2 pounds.
Swivel fitting helps to make nailing more flexible. If you arelooking to nail shingles in at joints or bends on your roof, you can easily do so without stopping and starting over.
The nose of this roofing nailer is magnetic, and why this is is so that you can work without worrying about any jammed nails inside. The nails flow through straight and evenly. The nose is also resistant to tar, making it last long without any signs of slowing on down.
The trigger on this nailer is a rapid-fire one, with little recoil. You can buy a sequential trigger kit, but it is sold separately.
This roofing nailer comes with a five-year warranty. You have five years to find something wrong with it so that you can possibly get a new nailer that is sure to have the mistakes corrected.
- Has a magnetic nose.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Has a tear-resistant nose.
- Includes a five-year warranty.
- Offers contact trip firing.
- Includes swivel fitting.
- Is lightweight.
- Sequential fitting kit sold separately.
9. PORTER-CABLE RN175B Roofing Nailer
Porter Cable is also a contender in the power tool department. This nailer has a silver and black color scheme. This nailer weighs 5.7 pounds, and it accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
The depth of drive is quick, making for safe and precise shingle placement. You shingles will always come out accurately, so the only possible mistakes are made from human error.
Reloading is also quick and easy with its double door magazine. You can easily switch sets of nails so you can get back to nailing your roof down in a flash.
Setting this nailer down on a slanted roof is also not a problem. With skid-free padding, you can rest assure that the nailer does not go anywhere.
The dual carbide inserts on this roofing nailer ensure that it is guarded from wear and tear. The warranty for this roofing nailer lasts a total of three years. Also included is a 90-day money back guarantee.
The nails seem to be crooked on this one. Even when you set this to contact type, the placement and angle of the nail into the shingle will not be quite right. If you want a perfect roofing job, you might want to look elsewhere.
- Includes a money back guarantee.
- Includes a three-year warranty.
- Has rubber siding for easy placement on the roof.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Nails can sometimes come out crooked.
10. AeroPro CN45N Professional Roofing Nailer
Last but not least, here is AeroPro’s nailer. This nailer has an all black body with red accents. This nailer weighs 5.5 pounds, and it accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils. It ranges in PSI from 70 to 120.
You can have 120 nails at a time. Reloading is fast and easy with a side-loading magazine, and an easy flow of nails every time.
The chance for recoil on this nailer is very low, thanks to its mobile cylinder engine. The housing around this nailer is also made of heat treated aluminum.
The drive depth of this roofing nailer is also adjustable, with no tools necessary. You can also change from sequential mode to contact mode.
Despite all that this nailer offers, there is no warranty information to be found. If something were to go wrong, we aren’t really sure what to do, if there is a way to have some sort of warranty honored.
- Has tool-free depth of drive adjustments.
- Has side-loading for quick reloads.
- Accepts ¾-inch or 1 ¾-inch coils.
- Made with a durable exterior.
- Warranty information a mystery.
Final Verdict:
The roofing nailer that we have decided on for which is the best for you is the Hitachi NV45AB2 7/8-Inch to 1-3/4-Inch Coil Roofing Nailer.
These nailers are all great to use, and most of them have reasonable warranties. However, we just felt the most confident using this nailer out of all the other nailers in this review. This nailer comes from a very trusted brand, it has all the useful features that every roofer needs, and it can stop itself from sliding off the roof. Simply put, this is a very professionally made roofing nailer that should not be overlooked.
