A Guide To Staple Guns

Reviewed by David Carmichael, Solution Engineer (October 2024)

Staple guns are great tools for a range of jobs in the home and in industry. What are staple guns used for? There’s a number of types on the market, including electric and pneumatic versions, and they’re used for everything from stapling wood to stapling masonry. Read this guide if you’ve ever wondered: how do staple guns work? We’ll also explain how to use staple guns correctly and safely, and you’ll learn more about the different varieties of staple guns available.

What is a staple gun? Staple guns and staplers and riveters are powerful tools for stapling a variety of materials together. They may be a lightweight, manual type of gun, or electric or even pneumatic-powered for tougher jobs. Powered staple guns have the advantage of preventing fatigue in the hands of the person doing the stapling.

How does a staple gun work? Staple guns work in a different way to office staplers, which feature a metal anvil to support the paper during stapling and rely purely on the user’s muscle power to complete the job. Instead, the majority of staple guns feature a powerful sprung mechanism that drives the staple forcefully into the material, even wood or masonry. Rather than an anvil, staple guns work with the inertia of the material being stapled to drive the staple through the material.

You may well be wondering how to use a staple gun. When using a staple gun, the gun is gripped in one hand while the other hand grips the material to be stapled. Closing the hand squeezes the trigger and activates the spring mechanism, driving the staple. To start using the gun, hold it level with the surface you want to staple and squeeze the trigger. The amount of pressure you will have to apply varies based on the stapler type. An electric staple gun needs less pressure than a mechanical manual staple gun.

It’s important to handle a staple gun correctly to avoid injury or accidents. If you need to leave the area where you are working, do not leave a staple gun unattended. Many staple guns have a lock feature, which can be engaged to prevent accidental use. Never point a staple gun at someone else, or at yourself. When you don’t need to staple, keep your finger away from the trigger. Electric staplers should be unplugged when not in use. It’s also a good idea to wear PPE when using a staple gun. (See section on training, below.)

You’ll also be wondering how to put staples in a staple gun. When it comes to how to open a staple gun and how to refill a staple gun, the method varies based on the gun type. Staplers may be rear- or bottom-loading types. To load a rear-loading staple gun, push the rod at the back of the gun and pull it out. Put the staples in and reinsert the rod. Electric staplers tend to be bottom-loading types. To load an electric stapler, unplug the gun and put the safety lock on the trigger. Press the magazine release button to the rear of the tool. Then load the staples upside-down.

Staple gun uses include driving metal staples into materials such as plastic, wood, or plaster, and attaching cables to these materials. Staple guns are used for many different applications, including fixing upholstery, masonry, insulation, carpeting, roofing, and wiring.

Is there a requirement for staple gun training? In a word, yes. It is important to determine what level of training to use a staple gun is required for the task, to ensure safety and effectiveness. Workers using staple guns should also have been trained in the correct PPE for the job. PPE may include gloves, safety goggles, steel toed-boots, overalls, and ear protection. Workers with long hair should ensure it is tied back while using a staple gun. Rings and jewellery should also be removed.

What size staples for staple guns do I need? When it comes to staple sizes for staple guns and types of staples for staple guns, it’s important to get the right type for the job. Hammer tackers and staple guns have a wide range of staple sizes they can accommodate, which may be specially designed by the staple gun manufacturer. The appropriate size of staple for the job will depend on the type of material and the fixing you require.

Heavy-duty staples may feature particularly thick gauge wire. This helps to hold wood, insulation, and sheet materials in place. Staples for fixing cables will have an appropriate rounded back and be available in a range of diameters to suit the cable. When fastening to wood, the staple should be twice as long as the thickness of the material being attached. If you’re stapling thin materials like fabric, the staple should be 4 mm longer than the thickness of the material being stapled.

If you want to know about what constitutes fine, medium, and heavy wire staples for industrial uses, this chart provides an overview of staple gauges used by manufacturers, and types of wire. The lower the gauge, the thicker the staple.

Don’t forget that staples can be supplied with special properties. If you are working outdoors, it may be a good idea to pick up corrosion-resistant staples for all weathers. It’s also important to know how to load a staple gun and how to fix a staple gun quickly if there are jams or other problems with the mechanism.

Get these elements right, and you’ll soon be making the most of staple guns – truly a versatile tool.

RS offers a wide range of hand tools for a multitude of uses. Explore our range.