DeWalt 15 Gauge DA Style Angled Finish Nails

What these nails are and where they shine

I keep a box of DeWalt 15‑ga DA angled finish nails in the truck because they do exactly what 15‑gauge finish fasteners should: drive cleanly, hold hard, and fit tight spaces. This specific 1‑1/2 in. length is purpose‑built for interior trim work where you’re fastening to wood jambs, blocking, or other solid backing rather than shooting through drywall into studs. Think casing to jamb, crown to backing blocks, stair trim to stringers, toe kicks, returns, and face‑nailing starter/finish rows on hardwood flooring. If you’re expecting them to anchor 3/4 in. baseboard through 1/2 in. drywall into a stud, step up to a longer length; these are better used where that shorter penetration is an advantage.

These are 34‑degree DA‑style, glue‑collated strips with smooth shanks, round heads, and a chisel point. The bright (coated) finish drives easily and bites well in wood. If you need weather resistance, DeWalt offers a galvanized version separately—use that outside or anywhere moisture is a factor.

Setup and compatibility

These are DA‑style, not FN, which matters. Most 15‑gauge angled nailers on my crew are DA (including DeWalt’s cordless) and took these without drama. The 34‑degree angle feeds smoothly and makes it easier to get the nose into tight corners—crown inside corners and stair skirt returns are notably easier than with straight 16‑ga guns.

A couple of practical notes:

• Collation: Glue strips held together well, and the angle and pitch were consistent across the box.
• Strip length: The shorter “half” sticks are easy to carry in a pouch and top off the magazine without spilling nails everywhere.
• Capacity: My DA magazines ran these down to the last few nails without misreads or premature “dry fire” lockouts.

If you’re unsure whether your nailer takes DA or FN, check the nose/magazine stamping or the manual. An FN gun won’t feed DA nails.

Performance in wood

I ran them through pine, poplar, maple, oak, and MDF. Across materials, the nails drove straight with predictable depth control from both a pneumatic and a cordless 15‑ga DA nailer.

• Pine and poplar: Zero splitting when I oriented the chisel point correctly. Holes are small enough to fill quickly, yet the holding power is noticeably better than 16‑gauge in thick trim.
• MDF: Clean entry with limited “mushrooming.” The smooth shank and coating still hold adequately in MDF, but technique matters—angle your shots and don’t overdrive.
• Maple and red oak: Consistent set depth. In very dense oak, I dialed in one extra notch of drive depth on the cordless for a flush finish; no crushing or flaking around the head.

The chisel point does its job. Aim so the long axis of the chisel is perpendicular to the grain to keep the fibers from splitting—rotating your nailer a few degrees makes a real difference on thin profiles and beaded edges.

Holes, holding power, and finish quality

A 15‑gauge head leaves a slightly larger hole than 16‑gauge. If your work leans toward ultra‑delicate beaded casing or prefinished veneered moldings, you may prefer 16‑ or 18‑gauge. But for everyday interior trim, the trade‑off pays off:

• Holes: Easy to hide with a tiny dab of filler. Paint‑grade disappears; stain‑grade still looks tidy when set properly.
• Holding power: The combination of gauge and coating grips firmly. On tall baseboard and door casings, I get far less seasonal gapping than with thinner nails—when the length is appropriate.
• Removal: If you ever do need to pull one, expect a fight. That’s a positive in service, less fun in rework.

Reliability: feeding, jams, and residue

Across two boxes, I fired a few thousand fasteners. Jams were rare. The only hiccups came from a couple of strips with fractured glue near the ends—likely a packaging or handling knock—not a manufacturing defect with the nails themselves. Clearing was straightforward and didn’t repeat.

Glue residue in the driver channel was minimal. After a full day’s trim run, I wiped the nose and rails with a bit of mineral spirits and kept going. Compared to some budget nails I’ve used, these leave less brown glue dust and fewer flakes.

Length matters: choosing the right applications for 1‑1/2 in.

It’s worth reiterating: 1‑1/2 in. is not a universal trim length. Here’s where this size earns its keep, and where it doesn’t.

Best uses:
- Casing to jambs (solid wood to solid wood)
- Crown to wood backing/cleats
- Stair skirt and tread returns
- Cabinet installs into plywood carcasses
- Toe kicks and scribe moldings
- Face‑nailing flooring near walls and under toe kicks

Use a longer nail:
- Baseboard or casing through drywall into studs (2 in. or 2‑1/2 in. is safer)
- Thick, built‑up crown where you need deeper bite into framing
- Any application where you want at least 1 in. of penetration into solid framing beyond coverings

Durability and corrosion

The bright coated finish is for interior work. It resists withdrawal and drives smoothly, but it’s not corrosion‑rated for wet areas. For exterior trim, baths with frequent condensation, or unconditioned spaces, reach for the galvanized version. If you’re working in coastal environments or truly wet conditions, galvanized is the minimum—stainless (from another line) is better.

I tested a few bright nails in a shop “sweat box” and water cup for a week; the bright finish showed light surface discoloration quickly. Galvanized stayed clean in the same period.

Fit and finish of the strips

Manufacturing quality was consistent: shanks were straight, tips uniformly chiseled, and heads concentric. The strips break cleanly when you need to shorten a stick. Out of the box, I found a handful of bent nails—fewer than I typically see from bargain brands.

Packaging is adequate but not bulletproof. The cardboard trays and glue strips can get scuffed in transit, which is how I think those couple of fractured sections happened. I’ve started keeping a small rubber band around partially used sticks in my pouch to keep things tidy.

15‑ga DA vs. alternatives

• 16‑ga straight nails: Smaller hole, less holding power. Great for lighter trim and prefinished work. I still use them, but I lean 15‑ga on doors, tall base, and stair parts.
• 18‑ga brads: Almost invisible holes, minimal holding power. Ideal for delicate moldings and pre‑assembly with glue.
• Staples or pins: Specialty use. Not a substitute where withdrawal resistance matters.

If your nailer is FN‑style, equivalent nails exist, but you can’t interchange DA and FN. For those invested in DA, these DeWalt strips hit the sweet spot of feed reliability and drive consistency.

Tips for better results

• Rotate the nailer so the chisel point works with the grain to reduce splitting.
• For hardwoods, lower the sequential trigger pace a bit to ensure full set and prevent “double hits.”
• Don’t overdrive. A flush or just‑subsurface set reduces filler and prevents crushing fibers.
• For MDF, shoot at a slight angle and use more, shorter nails rather than fewer, longer ones to prevent blowouts.

The bottom line

The DeWalt 15‑ga DA nails in 1‑1/2 in. length have become a dependable part of my interior trim kit. They feed cleanly, drive straight, and hold tight across common trim species. The chisel point does its job if you orient it correctly, and the glue collation leaves minimal residue in the tool. The 34‑degree angle is practical in cramped corners, and the strips themselves are easy to carry and load.

They’re not a one‑length‑fits‑all solution. If you try to make these do the work of a 2‑1/2 in. fastener, you’ll be disappointed. And for any damp or exterior application, grab the galvanized version. My only real nitpick is packaging resilience—occasional fractured strip ends suggest the box could be tougher—but it’s a minor gripe in the field.

Recommendation: I recommend these DeWalt 15‑ga DA nails for interior trim pros and serious DIYers who need reliable, clean‑driving fasteners in the 1‑1/2 in. range. Use them for solid‑to‑solid fastening, backing blocks, cabinet work, and flooring edge tasks. Choose longer lengths for trim through drywall and the galvanized option for moisture‑prone areas. If your nailer is DA‑style, these are an easy “yes.”