Both of these are Paslode gas nailers, both fire off a fuel cell and a lithium battery with no compressor or hose, and both have a near-religious following on UK sites. But they are not rivals — they do completely different jobs. Buying the wrong one is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes a carpenter or builder makes when they walk into Screwfix with a few hundred quid to spend.
The IM350+ is a first fix framing nailer for structural timber — studwork, joists, sole plates, decking subframes, fencing rails. The IM65 is a second fix finishing nailer for the trim that goes on afterwards — skirting, architrave, beading, door casings, panelling. If you try to skirt a room with an IM350+ you’ll blow the timber apart; if you try to nail a stud wall with an IM65 the brads won’t hold anything.
Here’s exactly how the two compare in 2026, what each one is genuinely good at, the nails and fuel they take, realistic UK pricing, and how to decide which one — or whether you need both.
Quick verdict
Buy the IM350+ if your day involves structural carcassing: timber framing, floor joists, noggins, sole plates, roofing battens, decking frames, feather-edge and close-board fencing. It drives 51–90 mm round-head framing nails and has the power to sink them flush into C16/C24 softwood all day.
Buy the IM65 if your work is finishing and trim: skirting boards, architrave, dado and picture rail, scotia and beading, MDF, door stops, T&G panelling and light cabinetry. It fires 16-gauge brads from 16–63 mm and leaves a small, fillable hole.
If you genuinely do both first and second fix — which most general builders and many carpenters do — you’ll end up owning both. They aren’t interchangeable, and no single Paslode covers the full nail range.
Specs at a glance
| Spec | Paslode IM65 F16 | Paslode IM350+ |
| Job type | Second fix / finishing | First fix / framing |
| Nail type | 16-gauge straight brads | 34° paper-collated framing nails |
| Nail length range | 16–63 mm | 51–90 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 2.1 kg | Approx. 3.3 kg |
| Impact force | Light — trim fixing | Approx. 82 joules |
| Firing rate | Up to 3 per second | 2–3 per second |
| Shots per fuel cell | Approx. 1,200 | Approx. 1,000 |
| Shots per battery charge | Several thousand | Up to 9,000 |
| Battery | 7.4V Li-ion | 7.4V Li-ion |
| Full charge | Approx. 1.5 hrs (2 min quick-boost) | Approx. 1.5 hrs (2 min quick-boost) |
| Typical UK kit price (2026) | Around £330–£380 inc VAT | Around £330–£400 inc VAT |
Prices vary by retailer and kit (body-only versions are cheaper) — check Screwfix and Toolstation for the live figure on the day.
What the IM350+ is really like
The IM350+ is the workhorse of the UK first fix world. It’s the gun you see on nearly every new-build timber frame site and in the back of most chippies’ vans. The lithium version replaced the old NiCd IM350 years ago, and the ‘+’ gave it better cold-weather starting and a more reliable drive.
It drives 34-degree paper-collated framing nails from 51 mm up to 90 mm, with around 82 joules of force — more than enough to sink a 90 mm ring-shank flush into treated C24 in one shot. You get roughly 1,000 shots per fuel cell and several thousand per battery charge, with a two-minute quick-boost on the charger if you’ve run flat mid-job.
Where it earns its keep is anywhere you’d otherwise be swinging a hammer all day: studwork and partition framing, floor and ceiling joists, noggins and dwangs, sole plates, roof battens, decking subframes, and fencing — feather-edge, close-board and rail work. The tool-free depth adjustment and the angled magazine make it easy to get into corners that a straight framing gun can’t reach.
The downsides are the downsides of all gas first fix guns. It’s 3.3 kg, so overhead work is tiring. The fuel cells and Paslode’s own collated nails aren’t cheap, and the running cost is the thing people underestimate. And like every gas nailer it needs the fan and combustion chamber kept clean — neglect the annual service and you’ll get misfires and the dreaded double-tap.
What the IM65 is really like
The IM65 F16 is the opposite animal: small, light at around 2.1 kg, and built for precision rather than power. It fires 16-gauge straight brads from 16 mm up to 63 mm, leaving a neat hole that fills and sands away to nothing. There’s also an angled IM65A if you need to get the nose into tighter internal corners and mitres.
This is the second fix carpenter’s gun. Skirting and architrave, scotia, dado and picture rail, door linings and stops, window boards, MDF panelling, T&G cladding, beading and light cabinet work — all of it. The no-mar tip means you can fire it against a finished, painted or veneered surface without bruising the timber.
Because the brads are slim, the IM65 holds trim while the adhesive grabs rather than carrying structural load — which is exactly what second fix needs. The same Paslode gas-and-lithium convenience applies: no hose, no compressor, around 1,200 shots a cell and a quick-boost charge if you’re caught short.
Its limits are obvious — it is not a structural tool. A 63 mm brad is the longest it goes, and a 16-gauge brad will not hold a stud, a joist or a fence rail. Don’t even try. The other gripe is the same running cost issue: the fuel cells add up over a busy fortnight of second fix.
Nails and fuel — they are not shared
This is where people come unstuck. The IM350+ and IM65 take completely different consumables. The IM350+ uses 34-degree paper-collated framing nails (Paslode’s own galv-plus range is the safe bet, in 2.8 mm and 3.1 mm shanks, 51–90 mm). The IM65 uses 16-gauge straight brads, 16–63 mm. Neither gun will accept the other’s nails.
Both use a Paslode orange or grey fuel cell, but again check the pack — first fix and second fix fuel cells are specified separately and you should buy the cell matched to the gun. Buy your nails and fuel in bulk from Screwfix, Toolstation or Amazon UK and the per-shot cost comes down, but it never disappears. Factor it into any job quote.
Running cost — the bit nobody mentions in the showroom
The sticker price is only half the story with any Paslode. Every shot burns a fraction of a fuel cell, and the collated nails carry a premium over loose nails or a coil for a pneumatic gun. Over a year of steady work the consumables can quietly cost more than the tool did.
That doesn’t make Paslode the wrong choice — the time saved over a hammer, and the freedom from dragging a compressor and hose around a site, pays for itself fast on labour. But if you only fire a few hundred nails a month, a corded or battery brad nailer with cheaper consumables may work out better. If you’re firing thousands, the Paslode speed wins easily.
Which should you buy?
Buy the IM350+ if…
You’re a builder, joiner or framer doing structural timber: studwork, joists, decking frames, roofing, fencing and close-board. It’s the right tool for anything load-bearing, and the 90 mm capacity covers almost all UK first fix.
Buy the IM65 if…
You’re a second fix carpenter or a finishing trade: skirting, architrave, beading, panelling, MDF and trim. The light weight and small brad hole are exactly what finishing work needs.
Buy both if…
You run jobs from carcass to finish — most small builders and many self-employed chippies do. There’s no overlap and no single Paslode that bridges both, so the two guns live together in the van and each does its own half of the job.
Where to buy in the UK
Both guns are stocked at Screwfix and Toolstation, usually as a kit with battery, charger and case, plus body-only options if you already have Paslode batteries. Amazon UK, Toolstation and the trade counters at Selco and Travis Perkins also carry them, and it’s worth comparing kit contents as well as price — some kits bundle a starter pack of nails and fuel. Buy your ongoing nails and fuel in bulk from the same retailers to keep the running cost down.
Final verdict
This isn’t really a ‘which is better’ question, because the IM65 and IM350+ aren’t competing — they’re two halves of the same trade. The IM350+ is the first fix framing gun for structural softwood up to 90 mm; the IM65 is the second fix finishing gun for 16-gauge brads up to 63 mm. Pick by the job in front of you, and if your work spans carcass to trim, accept that you’ll own both. Whichever you choose, budget for the fuel and nails as well as the gun, and keep on top of the annual service — a clean Paslode is a reliable Paslode.
FAQs
Can the IM350+ fire the same nails as the IM65?
No. The IM350+ takes 34-degree paper-collated framing nails (51–90 mm) and the IM65 takes 16-gauge straight brads (16–63 mm). The magazines and nail types are completely different and not interchangeable.
Is the IM65 strong enough for fencing or decking frames?
No. The IM65 is a finishing nailer — its 16-gauge brads won’t hold structural timber. Use the IM350+ for fencing rails, feather-edge, close-board and decking subframes.
Do both guns use the same fuel cell?
They both use a Paslode gas cell, but first fix and second fix fuel cells are specified separately. Buy the cell matched to your gun rather than assuming one fits both.
Which is better value over a year?
Neither is cheap to run — the fuel cells and collated nails are the real cost. If you fire a lot of nails, the time saved makes either gun worth it. If you only nail occasionally, a battery brad nailer with cheaper consumables may suit second fix better.
Is there one Paslode that does both first and second fix?
No. Paslode splits the range deliberately by job. The IM350+ covers first fix, the IM65 covers second fix, and there’s no single model that bridges the full 16–90 mm nail range.
