Pneumatic Fasteners

By: Terry Kastner

Screw fastening metal-backed gypsum shear board, or even plywood shear panels to 16-gauge framing, can be a slow and tedious process. Thankfully the fastening industry has developed pneumatic fasteners that can make the installation much more efficient than using a screw gun and can also minimize or even prevent shoulder and arm injuries to the applicator.

There are a number of different manufacturers of pneumatic fasteners and most if not all have an ICC Evaluation Report to confirm that their fasteners can be used to attach gypsum-based sheathing to cold-formed metal framing to resist transverse loads. The ICC reports will provide a general description of the fastener, the types of sheathing that may be used, and the types of framing materials. The report will also provide direction on the proper installation and the conditions of use.

Pneumatic fasteners are very rarely included in the specifications, which means that if you plan to use them, you have to file a substitution request. The ICC report will assist you in this and provide most, if not all, of the backup information necessary.

The one caveat that you must be aware of is the use of pneumatic fasteners in fire-rated partitions. We are all aware that the GA-600 Fire Resistance Design Manual allows for screw fasteners to be substituted for the prescribed nails provided the length and head diameter are exceed those of the nails and that spacing complies with the fire tested system. But does the GA-600 permit a pneumatic fastener to be substituted for a nail or screw?

The short answer is an emphatic no. If the partition is non-rated, there should not be a problem, but if the partition is fire-rated, than the specific tested assembly must indicate that the specific fastener you are planning to use is allowed. If the pneumatic fastener is not mentioned in the tested assembly information, it cannot be used.

One other note of caution: When planning to substitute pneumatic fasteners for screws or nails, the highest fire-rating I have discovered is only 45 minutes. If a manufacturer claims that their fastener can be used in a fire-rated partition, confirm that claim by having the manufacturer provide you with unequivocal written documentation that the fastener is approved for use in your designated one or two hour fire-rated assembly.

The very last thing you want is to have the building inspector discover that you have used an unapproved fastener to attach your sheathing to a fire-rated exterior wall.

Terry Kastner is the technical consultant for the Northwest Wall & Ceiling Bureau.