Paslode T250A 16 Gauge Finish Nailer

Paslode T250A 16 Gauge Angled Finish Nailer Review

Paslode has a great reputation for cordless and pneumatic nailers.

They recently send me one of their Paslode T250A-F16 16-gauge angled finish nailer to review. This pneumatic finish nailer is the only angled finish nailer on the market and has been touted to be smaller and lighter than other competing 16 gauge straight finish nailers.

I was curious if it lived up to that reputation.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I noticed that this nailer, at 3.8 lbs, felt noticeably lighter and appeared smaller than my 16 gauge straight nailer.

I also noticed that although this nailer appeared to be solidly-built, I was concerned by the amount of plastic Paslode used in it’s construction. My curiosity got me thinking of ways to test this nailer under job site conditions.

Comparing the Paslode T250A to my other finish nailers’ showed it was definitely smaller and the 20 degree angle will no doubt prove helpful fitting in those tight corners and hard to reach areas. [photo above]

The nailer has a nice soft grip and felt comfortable in my hands.

The over sized trigger is a nice feature and was easy to access, as was the ease in adjusting the depth of drive. [photo above]

The Paslode T250A Angled 16 Gauge Trim Finish Nailer uses a 16 gauge nail which is important to finish carpenters because the thinner nail produces less risk of wood splitting and results in smaller nail holes.

PASLODE T250A SPECIFICATIONS:

Paslode 16-gauge Pneumatic Angled Trim Finish Nailer drives angled finish 1-1/4- to 2 1/2-Inch nails.
Depth of drive adjustment.
Nail lock out feature.
20 degree angled magazine fits nailer into tighter spots than with straight finish tools and easier access to corners.
Comfortable soft textured grip.
Compact case.
3.8-Pounds.
90-day limited on wear parts, 6 month limited on magazine parts, 1 year limited on housing and cap parts.

TESTING THE PASLODE T250A:

I took the gun out to the job site to run it through the rigors of real life use. We’ve been testing this gun for a few weeks, here are my thoughts:

The Paslode T250A-F16 16-gauge angled finish nailer was easy to adjust and use right out of the box. It is a straightforward design and all of its features are easy to use and adjust.

Photo: Quick release to open the latch assembly

The nailer never misfired or jammed. Paslode equipped this nailer with a tool free way to get at the top latch assembly in case of a jam. To access, just flip the plastic quick clear cover up and the entire latch assembly disengages allowing you to clear nails or jambs. No tools required.

The T250A was plenty powerful in all types of wood, including mahogany 1×4 decking.

Photo: Depth of drive adjustment.

The depth gauge is easy to use and allowed me to set nails at a precise depth that I chose.

I was concerned about the exposed depth adjustment knob spring behind the adjustment knob. Job sites can be tough on tools and it’s possible that this spring could catch on something like a screw driver sticking out of a tool bag, or protruding nail and become damaged. I would like to see Paslode better protect this spring.

The Paslode T250A has a dry fire lockout feature that prevents the nailer from firing when empty. This feature prevents and protects the firing pin as well as your work surface from marring damage.

Many nailers do not have a dry fire lockout so when the nailer runs out of nails, your not aware of it. In these situations the nailers firing pin continues to leave holes in the wood fooling you into thinking that your inserting nails, when your not!

At the jobsite my initial concern about the Paslode T250A having too much plastic was quickly relieved after I droped the nailer several times off a step ladder and onto a concrete walkway. There was no visible or apparent damage from the fall.

This nailer is rugged and the plastic housing is obviously durable.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

Because of its compact size, the Paslode T250A is perfect for working above your head or in cramped spaces. It has a real nice weight and balance that plays well with finish work.

The 16 gauge nail approach come in useful when installing moldings on cabinets where splitting expensive or pre-finished stock when driving nails can be costly and is to be avoided at all costs.

My only complaints with the Paslode T250A was that removing small sections of unused nails was not easy and the carry case does not provide enough space to carry all the different boxes of finish nails I like to carry. I like to have an assortment of nails [i.e., 4d, 6, and 8d] with my nailer. This is an issue that I have with most tool manufacturers. They often provide great cases to protect the tool but do not consider how the end user will utilize the tool and store accessories.

The Paslode case this nailer comes with provides space for only two nail sizes [boxes].

Overall I was super impressed with this nailer.

It is a real nice nailer for the job site or the shop and does a nice job installing door trim, window trim, wainscoting, baseboard, casing, crown molding, and pre-finished components.

The Paslode T250A is light, powerful, and has very accurate nail placement.

It’s a nice nailer for a great price, at approximately $ 189.00. You can purchase this nailer online through Paslode site or on Amazon.com.

This review contains my opinion of a product. I take pride in providing my readers with an honest and objective information as well as a practical approach to using a product. I never accept payment in exchange for a positive review. Many of the tools and products are provided to for free by a manufacturer for review.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider commenting or subscribing to receive my future posts via email

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

About the author

Robert Robillard

Carpenter / Remodeler / Editor

Rob Robillard is “The Concord Carpenter” Rob is a builder, general contractor, carpenter, woodworker, and editor of Concord Carpenter and ToolBoxBuzz As a General Contractor and carpenter, Rob owns and operates Concord Carpenter LLC. A full-service remodeling and construction company. Rob is a recognized leader in home building best practices and a source for how-to information for building professionals. On this website, Rob covers all aspects of home construction, building science, home improvement, woodworking, remodeling, and some of the best product and tool reviews. Rob is in charge of our Tool and Product Review series - Concord Carpenter Videos where we post all of our tool reviews and video tutorials. Rob approaches remodeling and building construction with a pragmatic and problem-solving approach. He enjoys using his knowledge and experience to help and educate building professionals as well as DIYers on best practices in the construction and remodeling industry. He's a strong advocate for "raising the bar" in the construction trades and promoting the trades to youth. #BeAMentor #Green2Great Craftsmanship, quality, and pride guide his journey on this channel The Concord Carpenter's motto: "Well done is better than well said!" : Read more about Rob

Robert Robillard Carpentry @robertrobillard Facebook

All posts by Robert »