Nail Gauge And Doorsets

UKframer

I'm looking at installing some pre-hung 2'9"x6'6" doorsets. The doors are 4 panel clear pine. My question is are 16 gauge 2 1/2" finish nails suitable for fixing the jambs into the trimmers or is 15 gauge more appropriate?
I have a cordless Paslode finish nailer which only fires 16 gauge nails.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers.

neolitic

I use 15ga. That is really about the same Ø as a 4d finish.
When I hand nail I'd be using 8d, so 16ga seems kinda flimsy to me.

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JLTrim

I use 15 gauge also, usually with a few wood screws under the hinges. I have used my Paslode before on hollow-core doors with no problems.

embe78

I use 16 gauge i bought a 15g to give it a shot but my guys didn't like it . if you find the doors shifting or they are a solid core door you can put a 3 inch screw into the middle screw hole of each hinge

UKframer

Thanks Guys.

Hopefully I can manage without buying a new nail gun for a while which has got to be good!

Cheers

troubleseeker

I use 16 ga for all but very large mouldings, the tee heads are much easier to fill than the large 16 ga DA type heads. For solid doors, after I get them set, I remove the top hinge leaf from the jamb, drill a 3/16" clearance hole through the jamb, hit with a countersink, then drive a 3" drywall screw into the framing; the countersinking allows the head to set flush without pulling the jamb out of position. I reposition the hinge and do the same to the bottom hinge. It only takes about five minutes to locate the screws behind the hinges, and allows the use of a tough drywall screw instead of driving a long, soft brass screw directly through one of the hinge holes.

JLTrim

Yeah, plus painters have a bad habit of removing the hinges and not replacing the long screws, if you put them underneath they usually stay there.

Trimwerx

You're lucky if they replace all the screws. If they do they probably strip em all out. I try to be out of a place completely when the painting starts cause of this.

troubleseeker

That doesn't help, you will still get the calls when the doors don't work properly. Even worse than having to replace a few stripped out screws with longer ones is having to sort out twenty doors that some moron painter or floorings installer took off without labeling. As I finish each door, I identify it on the top with a black marker, or on the bottom if it is in a location where the top will be seen from above. Over the years I have learned that defending myself against the stupids is a lot less frustrating than dealing with their aftermath.

neolitic

[QUOTE=troubleseeker;316764 As I finish each door, I identify it on the top with a black marker, or on the bottom if it is in a location where the top will be seen from above. Over the years I have learned that defending myself against the stupids is a lot less frustrating than dealing with their aftermath.[/QUOTE]

Too bad that it works as often as it does.
Sad that you can rely on them not doing it right and painting the top and bottom the way they should.

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Trimwerx

I just completed a burnout that i did pretty much by my self. I had help on the demo and on the sheetrock hanging, but the rest i did myself. It was great. NObody to screw things up. I labeled all my doors and wouldn't let anyone touch them. Everything went so smooth. Except the sheetrock... Its funny how some "experienced" sheetrock guys would ever think to use a screw every 3-4 inches... Dude smelled strongly of a hamburger with onions all the time. We called him "burger" because of it. He never picked up on it.

troubleseeker

How true. But even when they do paint the tops, it is rarely more than a prime coat (especially so for the bottoms), and the marker will bleed through enough to be read.