Staplers and Accessories

Staplers, staples and brad nails at MTN Shop UK

Get the wrong staple system and the gun does not fire. Get the right system in the wrong length and the staple bends over on the surface instead of driving flush. Get the right length in the wrong finish and the staple rusts through the roofing felt within eighteen months. Stapling is a low-cost job that turns expensive when the specification is off, so the Staplers and Accessories collection at MTN Shop UK is organised around getting the right system, size and material for the work.

Staple systems: the five you need to know

Nearly every hand and electric staple gun on the UK market takes one of five staple systems. Get this bit right first, everything else follows:

• Rapid 13: the fine wire flat crown system used in Rapid hand tackers for light general work, insulation and fabric.
• Rapid 53: the medium duty system used in Rapid and compatible electric tackers, with wider crown and thicker wire for cable clipping, upholstery and site work.
• Rapid 140: the heavy duty flat crown system, also used by Tacwise as the 140 series. This is the heavy roofing felt, insulation batten and hardwood system.
• Stanley TRA (Sharpshooter): the Stanley staple system with TRA2 (light), TRA4 (medium) and TRA7 (heavy) sub-ranges. Runs in the Stanley Sharpshooter and Fatmax hand tackers.
• Arrow T50: the US-originated heavy duty staple system that Arrow T50 hand staple guns take. Widely used for upholstery, insulation, roofing felt and site fixing where the Rapid 53 or 140 system is not available.

Check the staple your gun takes before ordering refills. The gun manual, the moulded marking on the magazine, or the empty staple box will confirm it. Systems are not interchangeable: a Rapid 13 will not fire in a Stanley TRA gun, and an Arrow T50 will not fit in a Rapid tacker.

Staple sizes and finishes

Within each system, staples come in a range of leg lengths (typically 4mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm) and finishes:

• Galvanised (zinc-coated): the standard finish for general use, resistant to corrosion in dry and moderately damp conditions. Fine for interior work and covered exterior work.
• Stainless steel: the exterior specification for coastal buildings, roofing felt on unheated buildings and any long-term outdoor exposure where galvanised will eventually rust.
• Copper: the traditional specification for lead flashing, copper roofing detail and heritage work where galvanic corrosion between different metals must be avoided.

Rule of thumb for leg length: for insulation and thin material, the length should be at least twice the material thickness. For structural roofing felt, use the longest length the gun will take (typically 10mm or 12mm) to grip the timber substrate through the felt and any underlayer.

Nailers and brad nails

The nailer end of the collection covers pneumatic brad nailers, cordless brad nailers and the brad nails to feed them. Brad nails are used for finish trim work (skirting, architrave, dado rail, panelling) where a nail head would be visible and a screw would look wrong. The three common gauges:

• 18-gauge: the finest brad nail, small head, used for delicate trim, beading, glazing rails and lightweight moulding.
• 16-gauge: the standard finish nail gauge, used for skirting, architrave, dado rail and general second-fix trim.
• 15-gauge: the heaviest finish nail, angled magazine, used for door frames, structural trim and thicker joinery.

Bostitch pneumatic nailers and Tacwise cordless brad nailers are the trade references, with ForgeFix and Faithfull supplying compatible brad nail refills.

Hand tackers vs electric vs pneumatic vs cordless

• Hand tackers (staple guns): mechanical trigger, spring driven. Cheap, reliable, no power needed. Fine for insulation, cable clipping, poster fixing and low volume work. Get tiring on a full day of use.
• Electric tackers: mains-powered, faster than hand tackers, less tiring. Right for upholstery, high volume cable work and repetitive stapling.
• Cordless staplers and brad nailers: battery powered, portable, no compressor needed. Tacwise and Rapid make trade cordless ranges. Better for site work than pneumatic if you do not have a compressor set up.
• Pneumatic staplers and brad nailers: compressor driven, fastest and highest volume. Bostitch is the reference for pneumatic trade tools. Right for high volume trim work, roofing crews, upholstery workshops.

Choosing the right kit

• Insulation fixing: Rapid 13 hand tacker, 8mm to 10mm galvanised staples.
• Roofing felt on shed and outbuilding: Rapid 140 or Arrow T50 hand tacker, 10mm to 12mm galvanised, stainless for coastal.
• Upholstery and fabric: Electric or pneumatic tacker in Rapid 53 or Stanley TRA, 6mm to 10mm galvanised.
• Cable clipping (low voltage, comms): Rapid 53 electric tacker, 8mm galvanised.
• Skirting and architrave second-fix: 16-gauge brad nailer, pneumatic or cordless.
• Delicate beading and trim: 18-gauge brad nailer, 15mm to 30mm brads.
• Door frames and heavier trim: 15-gauge finish nailer, 32mm to 63mm angled brads.

Related categories

The Staplers and Accessories collection sits under our wider Bits, Blades & Accessories range, alongside bits, bits and holders, circular saw blades, cutter blades and jigsaw blades. If you need the full range of nailers and staple guns rather than just refills, see our nailers and staple guns range in the power tools category. For compressors, browse our air tools and compressors. To keep cordless kit running, browse our batteries range.

For trade quantities, roofing contract kits, upholstery workshop supplies or specific Rapid, Arrow, Tacwise, Stanley or Bostitch references, request a quote and our team will get back to you with availability.