Crown Moulding & Brad nailer question

[Greg Scull]

So, I am all set to install my first crown this weekend. I have prepped and pre painted all the moulding and planned out all the lengths and angles. I have yet to actually cut the boards but am planning on using the upside down methodn on my 10" Miter saw. The room is all inside corners and the moulding will be painted.

Before I started cutting I decided to research how to nail it. I marked all my studs with blue tape and was going to do a 2x4 cut to back the ceiling running parallel to the trusses.

I was planning on shooting 2" brads into the studs to hold it up and caulking to cover up all the holes and my mistakes :0.

Searches turned up that I should be using a 15ga angled nailer or 16 gauge finish nailer instead of the brads.

The moulding is 5.25" MDF.

Can the 2" brads work for this or should I put it on hold until a bigger finish nailer can be purchased?

[Rich Engelhardt]

The moulding is 5.25" MDF.
I'd personally go a 15 ga with 5.25" MDF and use a few dabs of Power Grab here and there to boot.

[John Sanford]

Wait. After you get through the crown, and through the drywall, you won't have very much small gauge wire holding that crown up. The additional 1/2" and thicker nail makes a significant difference. You can probably pick up a Finish Nailer off Craigslist for less than a $100, or if you don't anticipate using one very much, buy one from Harbor Freight or a pawn shop, again, for less (much less in the case of HF) than $100.

[Don Morris]

I've done both, I like the 15ga best. Feel a little more confident about it. I agree, that extra 1/2" will worry you...it did me. I'm not sure about the Harbor Freight idea, but he's right, I don't use my expensive 15ga angled nailer often. But when I did the whole house with crown, it sure was nice to have along with the few other projects it handles.

[Greg Scull]

Thanks for the replies. I picked up a senco 15ga SNF1 angle nailer and a box of 4000 2" nails for 40$ today. I had hoped this would solve my problems but .. Yep! More ....

I dont know about the extra half inch as I think the gun only shoots up to 2" nails but at least they are bigger than 18ga.

I also will be starting a new thread as it is not sinking the nails all the way.

[Jeff Todd]

First let me state that I have installed more trim than I would care to think about.
IMHO the 2" brads are plenty fine... the most you'll take up by molding is 1/2" Drywall another 1/2". Thats 1" of nail in the stud most likely more. If you nail every stud.. unless you plan on hanging a punching bag from it.. that trim isn't going to move. also not sure if you plan on caulking the seams where it touches wall and ceiling (I ALWAYS do on painted trim) make the trim job look 100X better and helps to take up the little imperfections in the ceiling/wall. so the caulk will hold it too. also nail holes about 1/2 the size. If you had a 15 or 16GA gun it could be used. but most of the finish carpenters I know use 2" 18Ga for everything they can. you arn't gaining as much with the larger nail as you would like to think.
JT

[Dave Zellers]

I have yet to actually cut the boards but am planning on using the upside down method on my 10" Miter saw. The room is all inside corners and the moulding will be painted.

You are going to be coping those inside corners, I hope. If not, stop everything and we'll talk you through it.

[Greg Scull]

You are going to be coping those inside corners, I hope. If not, stop everything and we'll talk you through it.

ROFL ... I thought about it but wasnt sure if it was needed since I will be painting the molding? From your response I must be mistaken.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Bear in mind - it's MDF.
MDF won't move & I've personlly not had a lot of success trying to cope MDF.
(I also suck at coping wood - but - that's a whole different problem ;) )

IMHO - if you use a nailer strip behind the crown, a 2" 15 ga will hold fine since you'll be driving into a lot of wood by going into the nailer.

Re: the 15 gauge nailer you bought. Check to see what type of fastener it uses against what you have or have looked at. Your Senco (obviously) uses Senco type - aka DA. The Bostitch type head in 2.5" won't fit it, but, the Bostitch type in shorter sizes - like 2" - may fit it fine.
I ran into that w/my 15 ga Grex. I picked up a box of Hitachi (Bostitch type) 2.5" w/out thinking and found out too late (after I opened the package) they didn't fit the Grex.