How do I use finish nails for my Trex fence?

The fastest way to apply finish nails to your Trex fence is with a finish nail gun. Finish nails are used to help secure pickets to the top and bottom rail and to attach the post caps to the posts. If you have a compressor, there are finish nail guns that can be attached to a hose to use the gun. Battery-operated guns like Dewalt, Ridgid, Hitachi or Ryobi are more versatile but are typically a bit more expensive. The best nails to use are 1-1/4" to 1-1/2", 16 gauge, straight brad nails (which have a very small head thereby making them virtually invisible when they are applied). Before you begin, set the pressure on your gun so the nail head sinks just slightly inside the rails. This helps to hide them without overshooting. An alternative to a finish nail is a trim head composite screw. Either one will help to complete your fence.

Pages 12 and 13 of our installation guide offers additional instructions. Additionally, our Installation Resources include videos that visually show where and how finish nails can be applied.