Buying a used bostitch air nailer

Q: I’m looking at buying a used Bostitch air nailer. Would it be better to buy one that shots staples or nails? Is there any advantage of one over the other?

A: I wouldn’t buy a used one unless you only want to use it for a few installations. They can only be rebuilt a couple of times. I prefer cleats to staples. The holding power of staples is more than adequate. Staples more so. The problem with this is that if there is a moisture issue in the home the staples hold so well they don’t stretch out and allow movement and are likely to break the tongues off the planks.