JHeyen said:

Guys,

I'm getting ready to build a railing on a new deck, and want to get a
framing nailer.
It appears that I have to make a choice between a round head and clipped
head
nailer.

What are the pro's and con's of each style? Is there one that's favored
over the other,
for general nailing. For this project I'll be toe nailing the horizontal
railing members
(2x4) to the 4x4 posts. I'm assuming the clipped head nailer will leave a
smaller
nail hole. Does that also mean it doesn't provide as much holding power?

First, a clipped head nail has the same diameter head as a round head
nail, only the edge is "clipped" - like a letter D. This generally
means the magazine holds more nails for a given length. Although some
building codes, notably California and Florida, restrict the use of
clipped head nails, independent studies have show the heads have
almost the same holding power. It seems the bigger problem is pullout
in high winds - which can be minimized by using coated and/or
ring-shank nails.

This leads to my next question - why on earth would you use nails
anywhere on a deck. Screws are far superior - use galvanized or
stainless steel. Non hot-dipped galvanized steel nails should not be
used on pressure treated lumber or in an exposed location either.

FWIW,

Greg G.