Liam Carter
Angled finishing nailers are designed to take either FN or DA style nails. Both are made with 15-gauge wire and feature a chisel point, ideal for finishing applications. However, they have different collation angles and head shapes. While the differences may seem slight, they're enough to halt your finish nailer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Head shape | DA: round |
| FN: rectangle | |
| Collation angle | DA: 34 degrees |
| FN: 25 degrees | |
| Compatibility | DA: Senco nailers, wide variety of tools |
| FN: Bostitch nailers, Makita nailers, less common brands |
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What You'll Learn
The DA and FN styles have different head shapes
Both styles of nails are made with 15-gauge wire and feature a chisel point, ideal for finishing applications. While the differences may seem slight, they are enough to halt your finish nailer and whatever job you're working on.
Historically, DA finish nails were a Senco standard, and FN nails were a Bostitch standard. That's still somewhat the case, but both styles have flourished, and you can now find both kinds of nailers and nails readily available. Each company claims that its nails have particular advantages over those from its competitor, but in the opinion of some, the differences are largely negligible.
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The DA and FN styles have different collation angles
The different collation angles of DA and FN nails are due to the different nail guns they are designed to be used with. Historically, DA finish nails were a Senco standard, while FN nails were a Bostitch standard. Senco nail guns are designed to accept nails with a collation angle of 34 degrees, while Bostitch nail guns are designed for nails with a collation angle of 25 degrees.
While the collation angle is the main difference between DA and FN nails, there are also some other differences worth noting. For example, the shape of the nail heads differs between the two styles, with DA nails having a round head and FN nails having a rectangular head. Additionally, FN nails offer greater nail collation density, meaning you can drive in more nails without needing to refill your nailer's magazine.
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The DA style was pioneered by Senco
The DA style of finish nails was pioneered by Senco. Historically, DA finish nails were a Senco standard, while FN nails were a Bostitch standard. Both styles have flourished since then, and you can now find both kinds of nailers and nails.
The main difference between the two styles is the shape of the nail heads. DA style nails have a round head, while FN style nails have a rectangular head. However, Bostitch, the company that introduced FN style nails, says the main difference is in the nails' collation angles. FN nails have an angle of around 25 degrees, while DA nails have an angle of around 34 degrees.
The DA style nails fit a wide variety of tools, while FN style nails are compatible with Bostitch nailers, those from Makita, and perhaps one or two less common brands. FN nailers offer greater nail collation density, meaning you can potentially drive in more nails without needing to refill your nailer's magazine.
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The FN style was introduced by Bostitch
FN nails are compatible with Bostitch nailers, those from Makita, and perhaps one or two less common brands. FN nailers offer greater nail collation density, meaning you could potentially drive in more nails without needing to refill your nailer’s magazine.
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The DA style has a wider variety of compatible tools
The main difference between the two styles is the shape of the nail heads. DA style nails have a round head, whereas FN style nails have a rectangular head. However, Bostitch claims that the main difference is in the nails' collation angles. DA finish nails have an angle of around 34 degrees, whereas FN finish nails have an angle of around 25 degrees.
FN style nails were originally created by Bostitch to work with their own finishing nail guns. The label “FN” simply stands for “finish nail”.
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Frequently asked questions
FN nails have a rectangular head, while DA nails have a round head. FN nails have an angle of around 25 degrees, while DA nails have an angle of around 34 degrees.
FN stands for 'finish nail'.
DA stands for 'angled finish nails'.
The collation angle of FN nails is around 25 degrees, while the collation angle of DA nails is around 34 degrees.
No, FN and DA nails are not interchangeable.
