Best Staple Gun For Insulation

2 Jul

Best Staple Gun For Insulation

Is your home losing heat way too fast?

If that is the case, you may find yourself paying way more for your energy bills than is necessary.

There are measures that can be taken to improve the preservation of heat within your home. Slowing down the speed at which air travels in and out of your home will go a long way.

This can be done from all sides. The floor, the walls and the ceiling can all be insulated for heat preservation.

Perhaps it is not heat that is of concern to you. A loud noise could be the issue. Anyone learning to play a loud musical instrument in their home will know that this is something that the neighbours will not cheer on.

Being able to make sure that the sound is muffled in your home, so the neighbours can maintain their serenity is of great importance.

What is the best staple gun for insulation?

This is what this article will look to provide an answer to. We have searched the market for the top of the range and unknown staple guns to put them through their paces.

With rigorous testing and research, we have come up with some much-needed answers. At the end of this, you will be able to confidently decide on what the best staple gun is for your insulation needs.

Our Top 5 Best Staple Guns For Insulation:

1. Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

2. Stanley TRE550Z Electric Staple/Brad Nail Gun

3. WEN 61710 3/8-Inch to 1-Inch 18 Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler

4. Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter Heavy Duty Staple Gun

5. BOSTITCH EHF1838K

If you are in a hurry, we have picked some great options for you. Get one of them. Beyond the ones that are recommended here, you will get a lot of information out of our buyer’s guide.

This will let you in on the thought process that goes into picking a great product.

Are You In A Hurry?Our Test Winner After 35 + Hours Of Research:

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

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Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

Our Rating

Why It’s Our Top Pick?

The difficult task of settling for one staple gun for insulation fell on us. After all our trials and research, it has to be the Surebonder 9600B Heavy Duty Staple Gun.

It is very powerful and has a body that will last a lifetime.

In comparison to others on the market, the pricing point is quite affordable for the quality that you are getting. It allows you to switch between Hi/Lo with respect to the power that you want to use for the surface that you are tackling. There is also much less pressure required to release a staple. This means you can do more while putting in much less effort. It also affords you the flexibility of using a wide range of staple sizes.

This makes it easier to use the same gun for different surfaces and challenges.

You will find a more detailed review further down.

Click here to check the latest price and checkout the reviews

Rank

Picture

Name

Shop

No. 1

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

No. 2

Stanley TRE550 Electric Staple Brad Gun

Stanley TRE550Z Electric Staple/Brad Nail Gun

No. 3

WEN 61710 18 Gauge Narrow Stapler

WEN 61710 3/8-Inch to 1-Inch 18 Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler

No. 4

Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter

Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter Heavy Duty Staple Gun

No. 5

BOSTITCH EHF1838K Engineered Hardwood Flooring Stapler

BOSTITCH EHF1838K

Rank

Picture

Name

Shop

No. 1

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

No. 2

Stanley TRE550 Electric Staple Brad Gun

Stanley TRE550Z Electric Staple/Brad Nail Gun

No. 3

WEN 61710 18 Gauge Narrow Stapler

WEN 61710 3/8-Inch to 1-Inch 18 Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler

No. 4

Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter

Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter Heavy Duty Staple Gun

No. 5

BOSTITCH EHF1838K Engineered Hardwood Flooring Stapler

BOSTITCH EHF1838K

What Do Our Reviews Have To Say?

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

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#1. Our Overall Top Pick

Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy Duty Standard T50 Type Stapler

Our Rating

The Surebonder 9600B has been around for a few years now. It does not look like it will be going away anytime soon. This tells us about the quality of the product.

It is made with versatility at its core. This staple gun is delicate enough to handle the jobs that require steady hands. It also delivers the power and speed that insulation requires.

There is room to store up to 100 staples in the magazine. When you run out, you have a quick release, drop in refilling system that makes it very easy to quickly get back to work.

The view window means that you will not be surprised when your staples are used up. You can see how many are left in the magazine, and take appropriate action when you start to run low.

The handle is made out of a comfortable rubber grip. Your hand will have enough room to hold onto the handle and easily reach the trigger.

This is something that comes in handy when you find yourself working on a project for a prolonged period. Insulation tends to take time.

An adjustable air exhaust allows you to channel the exhaust air to any direction that you would prefer it to go.

You can use most clean, regulated, dry compressed air between 60 psi and 100 psi. As far as staples go, you have your pick of 18 crown wire gauge staples. It takes ¼”, 5/16”, ⅜”, ½”, 17/32” or 9/16”.

The manufacturer recommended ones are the Surebonder # 4, Arrow T50, or Stanley TRA700 Series Heavy Duty Staples.

It is worth noting that this does not come with an air compressor. You will have to order this separately. If you want to start the job on arrival, you may want to order it at the same time as the staple gun.

It comes with a male quick connector, which is compatible with regulated air compressors.

Your package will contain the staple gun, 2 hex wrenches, a ¼” quick release connector and a case to carry the staple gun in.

Check our more of our Best Electric Staple Gun Reviews here.

Pros

  • Very powerful.
  • Compact and lightweight.
  • Inexpensive.
  • Compatible with Arrow t-50 staples.

Cons

  • Not as durable as some other guns.

Click here to check the latest price and checkout the reviews

Stanley TRE550 Electric Staple Brad Gun

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Stanley TRE550Z Electric Staple/Brad Nail Gun

The Stanley TRE550z Electric Stapler allows the versatility of being able to work with both staples and brad points appeals to a lot of people. Stanley has not disappointed. There is an emphasis on ease of driving the staples into the surfaces, and ease of reloading.

Using the dual power lever allows you to work on surfaces of different strength without a concern. It adjusts the force with which staples are released.

There’s also a quick jam release mechanism. You don’t want to be losing valuable time to clearing jammed staple guns.

The exit point for the staples is what Stanley has termed “flash nose”. It is designed to allow you to reach and comfortably staple in tight spots. The grip handle is contoured for extra comfort.

There is an indicator that alerts you to when you are running low on staples or brad.

Where staples are concerned, you can use the Stanley SharpShooter TRA700 Series or Arrow T-50 heavy duty staples and 1/2-inch, 9/16-inch and 5/8-inch brads. None of these is included in your package. The power cord is 8 ft long.

The manufacturing quality inspires confidence. It can certainly take a few falls, which are bound to happen while working. The safety feature helps prevent accidental release of staples on contact with the trigger.

It also includes a retractable wire guide. If you are working near electric wires, this is invaluable to have. This is certainly not a heavy duty staple gun.

The good thing is that it does not need to be heavy duty to be good for insulation. It is, however, heavyweight. This is something that you need to consider before purchasing it.

Pros

  • Low cost.
  • 8-foot power cord.
  • Very easy to use and to reload.
  • Comes with a great set of clear instructions.
  • The zip carrying case that fits the gun and accessories.

Cons

  • It is quite heavy.
  • Didn’t have as much power as I expected, but still good for insulation.

Click here to check the latest price and checkout the reviews

WEN 61710 18 Gauge Narrow Stapler

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WEN 61710 3/8-Inch to 1-Inch 18 Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler

Coming in at a weighty 4.57 pounds is the impressive air powered Wen 61710 Narrow Crown Stapler. Its magazine has enough room to store 100 staples at a time.

The operating pressure is between 60 and 100 PSI. If a sturdy body is important to you, as it should be, you will be pleased to note that this is made of die-cast aluminium.

For any of those times that you may encounter a jam, the quick release comes in handy. Jamming is resolved promptly.

You can use ¼”, ⅜” and all the way up to 1” staples in this. The narrow nose ensures that accuracy is massively improved when you staple. The width of the nose is approximately ⅝” at the tip.

Pressure adjustment has to be done on the air compressor, not the stapler. It does not have this option. The compressor has a ¼” quick connect valve.

It also comes with a carrying case that can take the staple and an accessory or two. You will also receive a nailer with each purchase.

The contact trip mechanism is a bonus safety feature. The overall design is quite compact. This, of course, leaves very little room for things to go wrong.

On the other hand, if things were to go wrong they would be very difficult to rectify.

The 1-year parts and labour warranty covers you if things were to go wrong within that period. Beyond that, would be a reasonable time to consider a replacement anyway.

If you are using this occasionally or as a one-off, you will have it for a long time. For professional use, it wouldn’t give the same durability.

Your box will come with a tiny bottle of tool oil, a pair of hex keys and instructions.

If you are doing any DIY, then a Saddle Stapler is essential – we highly recommend adding one to your tool box.

Pros

  • Unbeatable price.
  • Well built.
  • Very powerful.
  • Easy to use. Perfect for beginners.

Cons

  • There is no option to adjust depth.
  • The tool does not fit perfectly in the case provided.

Click here to check the latest price and checkout the reviews

Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter

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Stanley TR150HL SharpShooter Heavy Duty Staple Gun

Here’s another one from a brand that we have grown to trust. The Stanley TR150HL Sharpshooter has a Lo/Hi lever that allows for adjusting the power based on the surface or material you are working on.

The Hi end of the lever delivers incredible power and deep penetration. Its handle is built to be easy for squeezing to reduce fatigue and strain on your hands.

The body is made of a heavy duty aircraft aluminium. Talk about being indestructible. Durability is not in doubt. The handle is made of plastic. There have been some indications of this being problematic.

It also has that coveted anti-jam mechanism. Insulation does not need to be dragged on by equipment failure.

Reloading of staples could not have been made any easier. They just slide right in. You can also lock the handle for easy storage and transportation. This, of course, is another safety feature.

The staple sizes you can use are ¼” (6 mm), 5/16 (8 mm), ⅜” (10 mm) and ½”  (12 mm). Your choice should always depend on the task at hand. None of these is included in the box that you get with the staple gun.

It is worth ordering staples at the same time as the gun if your work needs to be carried out as soon as possible. The recommended ones include Stanley® SharpShooter® TRA700 series or Arrow® T-50® heavy-duty staples.

For the best results and durability, taking these recommendations seriously may help. The limited lifetime warranty does not cover products that they deem to have been misused.

The entire length of the staple gun is 178 mm, which is very compact. Where other staple guns may not be ideal for people with smaller hands, this one is all-inclusive.

A common misconception for this one is that it shoots brads. It only shoots staples.

Are you also looking for a Box & Carton Stapler? If so, we have a great guide that covers our top picks.

Pros

  • Tried and true brand.
  • Very strong body.
  • Takes various sizes of staples.
  • Affordable.

Cons

  • Will likely stop working at some point. Definitely not for industrial use.
  • The plastic handle is the weakest link.

Click here to check the latest price and checkout the reviews

BOSTITCH EHF1838K Engineered Hardwood Flooring Stapler

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BOSTITCH EHF1838K

We were a little ambitious in testing the Bostitch EHF1838K. It is clearly sold as a flooring staple gun. The range of features it has convinced us that there was no reason it would not do a great job in insulation.

The worst case scenario would be using it to insulate floors.

So, we put it through the paces.

Any staple gun that can handle flooring has no shortage of power. This one comes in at 160 inches/pounds between 70 and 120 PSI. It is pneumatic powered.

The lightweight makes it incredible for a long day’s work. It is also capable of functioning at incredibly high speed. From a practical standpoint, I don’t think it is possible to work at that speed. Unless you are some sort of ninja.

It operates oil free. Therefore, there is no risk of making a mess or spilling the oil. It is surprisingly quiet. You can also adjust the exhaust and point it in a different direction.

This is especially important when working in confined spaces.

You can also adjust the depth that you want the staples to go. There is a gauge on the staple gun that does it.

The air compressor can be utilised to provide a secondary adjustment for depth. No tools are required for this adjustment. It can go from 5/16 – 7/16 inches for solid hardwood and 1/2 – 5/8 inches for softer surfaces.

The magazine can store up to 100 staples at a time.  The tool weights close to 4 pounds. Our testing did not encounter any issues with speed and consistency.

This is obviously an important aspect of insulation. You want things to be a little as closely linked as possible. Leaving space is simply unacceptable.

The handle is over-moulded to provide enhanced comfort and allow you to manoeuvre at will. This also comes with a 7-year limited warranty.

It is honoured, provided that you have not damaged the staple gun by misuse.

While this gun isn’t manual, we do cover the Best Manual Staple Guns here.

Pros

  • Incredible versatility.
  • Affordable.
  • Rarely misfired.
  • Easy to access the magazine.
  • Easy to refill.

Cons

  • Requires constant adjustment.
  • Moves constantly. Will need to be watched.
  • Will jam here and there.

Click here to check the latest price and checkout the reviews

What Is Insulation?

Insulation is about protection. In any form that it is presented, insulation minimises the impact of adverse conditions. This ranges from thermal, fire, impact to sound. We will focus on the first two.

Thermal insulation slows down heat transfer through enclosed areas. Insulation is what keeps the heat in our homes.

Fire insulation protects our homes in the event of a fire. It ensures that the fire doesn’t spread too fast or becomes too hot to be controlled. It is often referred to as fire-proofing. Incombustible material is used to achieve this.

Sound insulation is somewhat synonymous with soundproofing. It makes sure that loud sound is contained in a place, and not allowed to freely spread and cause unnecessary disturbance. This is what you will find in most music studios.

The care and effort that goes into the job will largely be governed by the potential risk that would arise if things are not done well.

You will find that there are fewer measures in place for soundproofing than there are for fireproofing. One could land you with a noise-complaint, while the other could be the difference between life and death.

Best Staple Gun For Insulation Buyers Guide

Stapling is one of the final stages of insulation. Most of the work is done leading up to this. It may not seem that way because the stapling part is more labour intensive. This is where all the results are seen.

Preparing for insulation

There is a considerable amount of work that goes into completing an insulation project. Planning and getting the right material are part of the first step. The material you use will depend on the purpose of your insulation. Outside of soundproofing(which we won’t cover in detail in this post), there are three types of material commonly used for insulation. These are fibreglass, cellulose and rock wool.

Fibreglass is on the cheaper end. It is made to slow down the airflow. This means heat leaves slowly, and cold air will also take a while to get in. The newer generations of fibreglass have done away with the issues of lung diseases that it used to cause. It is also much kinder to your skin than it used to be.

Cellulose is a product of recycled paper. It is also made to slow down the airflow. Cellulose is also treated to resist fire. So, if you are insulating against fire, this is the right one.

Rock wool is a fibre that is woven from molten material. A combination of basalt rock and recycled slag make up this material. It is heat resistant and slows down airflow. There is a school of thought that says that rock wool is not environmentally friendly. This is down to the fact that it does not degenerate. Which is what you need for insulation, is it not?

Our preferred method of insulation is the blanket insulation. It is better suited for insulating open spaces. For DIY projects, this is probably the easier one to execute on your own. It also does not require the sort of equipment that is required for loose-fill insulation.

Clear out any previous insulation, especially if it was poorly installed or is in bad shape. It is always best to start afresh, you can see things clearer.

Be sure to allow some room for any heat generating items. Chimneys, central heating, hobs and heat producing fans should not come into contact with your insulation. Failing this creates a hazard. If it cannot be avoided, make use of metal barriers or use rock wool as a heat barrier.

Moisture is another thing to consider. If you are working in a space where there are pipes that will likely sweat and release moisture into the atmosphere, make sure you have measures in place to handle it. Condensation will lead to your insulated material becoming mouldy, which will adversely affect its efficiency and durability. Clothing your pipes with foam sleeves to solve this potential problem.

Always keep some fillers handy to place in the tiny spaces where you cannot use any other material. These are either a result of some errors during measurement or a shape that will not allow easy access to some areas.

Sound Proofing

There are two ways to consider soundproofing. It is either considered as a barrier or a facilitator. As a barrier, it is put in place for the sole purpose of stopping the sound from leaving an area. This can be achieved by increasing the distance that the sound has to travel, using anti-noise sound generators, or using sound baffles and other damping structures.

As a facilitator, it is more intricate. There is an increased emphasis on how the soundproofing affects what is happening in the place where the sound is occurring. This is more important for music studios. Acoustics and other factors may be thrown off by the presence of some material being used as an aid. We will not cover this in too much detail.

Brad Point or staples for insulation

Brad points are a no-go for insulation. When you are buying your staple gun, they should not be factored in. Unless, of course, you plan to use the gun for other non-insulation projects afterwards. Staples are the best choice. They have two pointed ends, which makes them more reliable for holding the insulation material down. This is an important factor. Leaving space allows air to escape. No matter what sort of insulation you are doing, leaving spaces will never bring the desired results.

Electric or Non-Electric Staple Gun?

You can use both electric staple guns and non-electric staple guns for insulation. Power and safety are the key factors to be considered in this case. If your manual staple gun produces enough power, there is no reason it shouldn’t be utilised for the job. Pneumatic guns and electric guns will most definitely produce the required amount of power.

From a safety point of view. Consider the surface that you will be working on. If there is a chance that you may come into contact with electric wires, pneumatic and electric staple guns are better suited to deal with this. They are both made with handles that would protect you from resulting current flow.

Newer manual staples are also built with adequate handles. If your stapler is all metal or you are not sure, do not use it.

If you are using an electric staple gun, it is advisable that you always use a residual current device (RCD). In the event of an electric fault, power will be cut. This is the sort of feature you don’t realise you need until you are in a situation that requires it. It is better to have it and not need it. To need it and not have it can have some dire consequences.

Staple Sizes

There is no universal way to choose staple sizes when it comes to insulation. They should be considered on a case by case basis. The purpose of staples is to hold down whatever material you are using to insulate. To ensure that you have the right ones, you need staples that are long enough to go through the insulating material and into the surface that you want them affixed to.

You will also want to make sure that your staples can penetrate the surface that you need them to. Most of this will rest with the power that is generated by the staple gun. Having the right length and chisel pointed staples will make the job that little bit easier.

Final Words

This best staple gun for insulation review and buyer’s guide will guide you in picking the right staple gun for your insulation.

The five that we have picked all have their merits.

It is down to you to evaluate them and decide which is most suited to your personal needs and project. The buyer’s guide section is geared to answer some of the questions that you will have about insulation.

Having read it, you should be in a position to go out and find a staple gun that works for you.

Read on site:

  1. Best Staplers for 50 Pages (2024)
  2. Bostitch Electric Stapler: Impulse 25 No-Jam Review

ByChuck H

Chuck is from Durango, CO and he is a carpenter with 20 years of experience. ​He has a passion for tools, especially hand tools, and how they should be used and maintained.

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