DeWalt 2-1/2 in. x 15-Gauge Bright Finish Angled Finish Nails (2500 Pieces)

What I used them for

I ran these DeWalt 15‑gauge angled finish nails through a full trim-out: 5-1/4 in. MDF baseboards, poplar casing on prehung doors, a couple of crown jobs, and some face-nailing on the starter and final rows of a red oak floor where the flooring nailer couldn’t reach. At 2.5 in. long (roughly an 8d finish nail), they’re exactly the size I grab when I need consistent penetration through trim, jamb, and into framing with enough bite to keep things put while glue cures.

Fit and compatibility

These are the DA‑style 34° nails, glue-collated in strips. They seated perfectly in my DeWalt 15‑ga angled nailer and an older Porter‑Cable DA‑style gun. If you’re running an FN‑style nailer, these will not fit—double-check your magazine’s callout before ordering. The strips are straight, the angles consistent, and I didn’t have to fight the follower spring to keep them aligned.

Driving performance and consistency

Across a few hundred shots in pine, poplar, MDF, and oak, the nails drove true with predictable countersinks. The shanks are smooth (as most 15‑ga finish nails are), and I had no mushrooming or bent nails, which tells me the steel and heat treatment are on spec. Head size is small and round, leaving a clean, easily filled dimple. With a moderate depth-of-drive setting, I could set them just below the surface without crushing fibers around the hole—a must on prefinished trim.

I pay attention to how nails behave at odd angles and near edges. Toe-nails into jambs at about 30–45° didn’t chatter or glance off the grain, and I didn’t see the driver blade skating off the head. The chisel point helps with entry, and the geometry kept the nails tracking straight enough that I didn’t blow out through the face of delicate moldings.

Splitting and deflection control

Chisel-point finish nails tend to drift toward the chisel’s flat side. These behave predictably in that regard. For thin returns and fragile profiles, I oriented my shots so any potential drift moved into meat rather than out a profiled edge. In poplar and pine, splitting was rare, even within 3/8 in. of a miter. MDF was unsurprisingly forgiving. In kiln-dried oak, I moved at least 3/4 in. from edges or predrilled for insurance if I had to get closer; the nails still set cleanly when I respected those limits.

Holding power

A 15‑ga smooth shank is a great balance between hole size and grip. On baseboards over drywall, two nails per stud held tight with a bead of construction adhesive. Door casing stayed flat against slightly crowned jambs. For the red oak flooring starter row, two nails per board at each joist kept the course locked until the rest of the floor tied it in. If you need extra mechanical hold in notoriously springy materials, step up fastener count or add adhesive; ring-shank isn’t typical at 15‑ga for finish work, so technique matters.

Surface quality and finish work

The bright steel leaves a clean entry. The round heads made predictable, circular fills with solvent-based wood filler and color-matched putty on stain-grade work. On painted trim, a quick pass with a 3/32 in. nail set and lightweight spackle finished the holes in one coat. No rust dust or discoloration during install, which I’ve seen with lower-grade bright fasteners that carry mill residue.

Glue-collation and gun cleanliness

Glue-collated strips can leave trace adhesive in some tools, especially in heat. With these strips, residue was minimal. After a long afternoon in a warm house, I popped the nose off to check for buildup and found only a light haze—wiped off with a rag. More importantly, the collation line didn’t fragment in the magazine under recoil, which can cause misfeeds. I had zero jams attributable to the nails in either nailer over the course of the trim-out.

Packaging and handling

Inside the brick, the strips are tightly packed. The strips themselves are a little brittle—as is common with glue-collated finish nails—so rough handling can fracture them. I keep the inner box taped and don’t toss the brick loose in a big tote. If you’re hauling them around, store the brick snugly to prevent the strips from getting jostled apart. Once on site and handled with reasonable care, the strips held together well.

Interior-only: corrosion and staining considerations

These are bright finish steel, intended for interior use. They are not for exterior work or damp environments. In bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements with moisture swings, I’d rather reach for galvanized or stainless, especially under paint where hidden rust can telegraph through. Also worth noting: in tannin-rich woods like white oak, wet conditions can produce black staining with plain steel. Keep them dry and in controlled interior conditions and you’ll be fine; for anything else, use a galvanized version.

Access and the 34° advantage

The 34° angle earns its keep in tight corners—shooting crown into a ceiling line, nailing returns, or getting behind stair skirts where a straight or low-angle magazine won’t fit. I could consistently place the nose where I needed without contorting the gun or marring the workpiece. That angle, combined with the 2.5 in. length, let me catch studs behind built-up trim without going in at extreme angles that risk blowouts.

Value and quantity

A 2500-count brick goes a long way. For a full house trim package, this size means fewer restocks and less time rationing strips across tools. The weight and footprint are reasonable for tossing in the van without dedicating a crate to fasteners.

What I’d change

• A slightly tougher collation would make the strips less prone to breaking if the brick gets jostled. It’s not a defect, more a reality of glue-collated finish nails, but a sturdier inner box would help.
• A corrosion-resistant option under the same SKU family makes sense for shops that handle both interior and semi-conditioned spaces. DeWalt offers galvanized versions separately; just make sure you grab the right box.

Best use cases and alternatives

• Use these for: door and window casing, baseboards, crown, stair skirts, built-up trim details, and face-nailing starter/finish rows on hardwood flooring.
• Consider 16‑ga or 18‑ga instead when: the trim is delicate and hole size is paramount, or you’re pinning small returns where a brad and glue are sufficient.
• Step up to galvanized or stainless when: you’re near moisture, on porch ceilings, or anywhere seasonal humidity swings are significant.

Bottom line

These DeWalt 15‑ga angled finish nails do the fundamentals right: straight strips, consistent driving, predictable holes, and solid holding power at the 2.5 in. length that most interior trim carpentry demands. The chisel point reduces splitting when you respect edge distances, the 34° angle buys access in tight spots, and the bright finish looks clean under paint or stain in dry, interior conditions. Keep the brick secured so the strips don’t fracture in transit, and they run jam-free and tidy across compatible DA‑style nailers.

Recommendation: I recommend these for interior trim, casing, base, crown, and hardwood flooring start/finish work when you’re running a DA‑style 15‑ga nailer. They’re consistent, they set cleanly, and they hold as they should. Just match the fastener to the environment—grab the galvanized variant for damp areas—and store the brick snugly so the strips stay intact.