DeWalt 1-1/2 in. x 16-Gauge Plastic Collated Straight Nails (2500 per Box)

What I used and where I used it

I ran a full box of DeWalt 1-1/2 in. 16-gauge finish nails through a straight 16-gauge finish nailer across a typical mix of trim jobs: new baseboard in a hallway, poplar window casing, MDF crown returns, and a few oak thresholds that needed shoe molding. The nails are plastic-collated strips with a smooth shank and a chisel point—about as standard as it gets for this category. At 1-1/2 inches, they’re sized for light to medium interior trim where you want solid hold without leaving craters to fill.

Compatibility and setup

These are straight 16-gauge strips, so they drop into any compatible straight 16-gauge finish nailer. I used them primarily in a DeWalt gun but also checked feed and firing in an older Porter-Cable straight nailer without issue. Strips were consistent length and sat flat in both magazines. Collation is plastic/glue; the strips stayed intact in the box and didn’t crumble or shed excessively during loading, even after some time bouncing around the van.

One note on air setup: at 90–105 PSI, I got clean, flush drives in pine, poplar, and MDF. In denser oak and at door jambs where you may hit doubled-up framing, I needed closer to 110 PSI to bury the heads without overdriving. As always, set your depth-of-drive so the head sits just below the surface—16-gauge can crush fibers if you’re too aggressive.

Driving performance

Day to day, drivability was predictable. The smooth shank and chisel point combination sailed through softwoods and MDF with minimal resistance. In poplar casing, I could run a steady rhythm in sequential mode without a single partial drive. In oak, nail behavior gets more interesting—as it does with most 16-gauge finish nails. When I skewed the nose slightly or crossed a pin knot, I saw the occasional nail deflect or track with the grain. That’s a function of the chisel point more than the steel itself; orienting the chisel so the flat faces across the grain (not with it) reduced deflection and helped prevent edge splits.

I had two jams in roughly a thousand shots. Both were traceable to me trying to work too fast in bump fire while moving across varied material density (MDF into pine backing), and both cleared quickly. Feed was steady, and the driver blade didn’t chew the strip.

Plastic collation and debris

Plastic-collated nails typically shed a little at the muzzle when fired. These were no different: you’ll see small plastic fragments with high-rate firing, particularly in warmer temperatures where the collation softens slightly. It’s nothing unusual, but it’s worth noting for cleanup and eye protection. I didn’t experience any melted glue buildup in the nose, though I make it a habit to blow out the magazine after a long run.

Holes, surface quality, and fill

For interior trim, the head and shank profile left predictable, easy-to-fill holes. In primed MDF and poplar, a skim of lightweight spackle or wax fill took care of the holes. In stained oak, a touch of tinted filler blended acceptably, though 16-gauge will always leave a larger mark than 18-gauge brads. If you’re working delicate profiles, I’d step down to 18-gauge; for baseboard, casing, jamb extensions, and most crown, 16-gauge is the right call.

I didn’t see any notable tearing or mushrooming around the head in MDF once the depth-of-drive was set correctly. Overdrive can crater the surface with a 16-gauge fastener, so dial it in and resist the urge to crank up PSI to “speed things up.”

Holding power

Smooth-shank 16-gauge nails have good holding power in trim work, especially when paired with construction adhesive or wood glue at joints. On 3/4-in. poplar casing into SPF studs, the nails held tight with no spring-back. For tall baseboards (5-1/4 in. and up) or those going over uneven plaster, I prefer a longer nail (2 in. or 2-1/2 in.) in conjunction with adhesive. The 1-1/2-in. length is ideal for lighter profiles, narrow casing, and shoe molding, or when you’re fastening into a plywood backer rather than a stud.

If you need extra resistance to pull-out—stair skirts or scribe-heavy situations—ring-shank finish nails offer more bite, but you’ll trade off easier patching. For general interior trim, these hit the sweet spot.

Behavior in different materials

• Pine and SPF framing: Clean, straight drives with low air pressure. Very low split risk thanks to the chisel point.
• Poplar and primed finger-jointed trim: Consistent, minimal surface damage; easy fill.
• MDF: Reliable penetration; set your depth carefully to avoid “mushrooming” around the head.
• Oak and other hardwoods: Occasional deflection at knots or severe grain transitions. A slower sequential pace, proper nose alignment, and chisel orientation reduce problems. If you’re frequently trimming in hardwood, consider stepping to 2 in. length for better embedment.

Durability and consistency

Across the box, nail consistency was solid. Shaft straightness looked good, plating was uniform, and strips didn’t vary in stiffness. I didn’t encounter brittle breaks or odd bends coming out of the magazine, which sometimes crop up with bargain nails. The occasional bent nail I did see was clearly the result of hitting old fasteners hidden in the wall or catching a knot at a bad angle.

On finish, you’ll typically find bright steel versions suited for dry interior work and hot-dip galvanized options for higher humidity or light exterior exposures. For bathrooms, laundry rooms, or anywhere moisture might be a factor, I’d reach for galvanized to avoid rust bleed-through under paint. For standard interiors, bright steel is fine and leaves a cleaner hole.

Value and packaging

A 2,500-count box is a practical quantity for a small trim job or two, and the price-to-performance ratio is good given the consistency and low jam rate I experienced. The strips came bagged inside the box, which helped keep dust and moisture off. Weight and box size are manageable for tossing in a tote without exploding into a mess of loose nails.

Tips for best results

• Set PSI around 90–105 for softwoods/MDF and 105–110 for dense hardwoods; rely on your depth-of-drive for final tuning.
• Align the chisel so the flat is perpendicular to the wood grain to reduce deflection and splitting near edges.
• Use sequential fire for precise placement and to minimize magazine bounce and misfires.
• Avoid knots and existing fasteners; if you can’t, angle slightly to increase your odds of a clean drive.
• Pair with adhesive for tall base or wavy walls; the nails will clamp while the glue does the long-term holding.
• Clean out the magazine and nose periodically to keep plastic debris from accumulating.

Where these nails fit—and where they don’t

These DeWalt 1-1/2-in. 16-gauge nails are right at home on baseboard up to standard heights, door and window casing, shoe, and cabinet scribe strips—especially in pine, poplar, and MDF. They’re also useful for light carpentry tasks like tacking jamb extensions before screwing off. If you’re trimming in very hard woods regularly, or you need deeper penetration into studs behind layered substrates, step up in length. And if you’re doing exterior or wet-area work, choose the hot-dip galvanized version instead of bright steel.

They won’t work in angled 16-gauge nailers, and they’re overkill for delicate profiles where an 18-gauge brad is a better aesthetic match.

Recommendation

I recommend these nails for interior trim carpenters and serious DIYers who run straight 16-gauge finish nailers and need a reliable, consistent 1-1/2 in. fastener. They feed smoothly, drive predictably across common trim materials, and leave clean, patchable holes. While you’ll see the occasional deflection in dense hardwood or over knots—that’s true of most 16-gauge chisel-point nails—it’s manageable with correct chisel orientation, air settings, and firing technique. For the price, pack size, and overall consistency, they’re an easy choice for day-in, day-out trim work inside the house. If you need longer length, angled strips, or exterior corrosion resistance, choose accordingly; otherwise, these get the job done without fuss.