Got a big fencing project planned for next month and considering getting a nail gun. The pneumatic ones seem cheaper but I don't have a compressor, so wondering if battery-powered is worth the extra cost.
Battery-powered is definitely the move for your fencing project. You'd be looking at $300-500 minimum just for a decent compressor, then another $150+ for the pneumatic gun itself, so you're already past what most decent cordless models cost. Plus you're stuck dragging an air hose around your yard for hours, which gets old fast.
One thing nobody mentioned though - battery runtime. You'll want to seriously consider getting a second battery or even two extras if you're doing a big fencing job. A single charge on most 20v systems will get you maybe a few hours of continuous nailing depending on the brand and battery capacity, and there's nothing worse than getting momentum going only to have your tool die halfway through a section. I'd grab at least a pair of batteries and rotate them so one's always charging while you work. Also double-check your chosen gun's nail capacity - some of the cheaper electric models have frustratingly small magazines that need reloading constantly, which kills productivity on a project like fencing where you're driving tons of nails.
The other huge advantage is noise and convenience. No compressor running in the background all day, no air leaks to troubleshoot, and you can work early or late without annoying neighbors as much. The cordless setup just ends up being way less hassle for residential work.
For a fencing project electric is the way to go if you don't already have a compressor. yeah pneumatics are cheaper upfront but you'd need to buy the compressor too which kills that savings. modern brushless cordless guns are plenty powerful for fence nailing and way more convenient - no hose dragging around, and you can work without worrying about air pressure drops.
The previous answer nails it - for fencing you'll be out there for hours and a cordless electric or battery model gives you way more freedom without needing to lug around an air hose and compressor setup.
Plus modern lithium batteries hold up pretty well, and you can grab a second battery to swap out if one dies mid-project, which beats being tethered to a cord or dealing with hose management on a fence line.
As someone who's done plenty of work on job sites, I'd definitely go electric for a fencing project - the freedom of movement without an air hose is huge, plus you avoid dropping several hundred on a compressor you might never use again. Battery-powered nail guns have gotten really solid over the past few years and honestly they'll pay for themselves in convenience alone on a project that size.
How much fencing are we talking here - like a few hundred feet or a massive property line job?
I'd push back a bit on the "electric is obviously the answer" thing. Don't get me wrong, battery tools are solid for most stuff, but here's what people aren't always considering: fence nailing is genuinely repetitive work. If you're doing a real fence, you're talking thousands of nails. A cordless gun will drain its battery faster than you'd think, and then you're stuck waiting for it to charge or buying extra batteries which gets expensive quick. The other thing is that nail guns vary a lot in power depending on the tool - some electrics just don't have the driving force that pneumatics do, especially if you're working with denser wood or slightly thicker stock.
That said, pneumatic does require buying a compressor upfront, which is a real chunk of money if you don't already own one. But here's the angle nobody mentioned: you can rent a compressor pretty cheaply for a day or weekend. That might actually be your best move. Rent a decent pneumatic setup for maybe $40-60 for the day, get it done fast with proper driving power, and walk away without dropping a grand on a cordless drill or dealing with battery anxiety. If it's truly a massive project spanning weeks though, then yeah, cordless makes sense because you'll amortize that cost over time. But for a month-long project that's probably concentrated work? Rental compressor and pneumatic might be your sweet spot price-wise and performance-wise.
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