8 common nails

All DIYers and professional carpenters need nails to get the job done correctly. The range of sizes, shapes, and materials can seem overwhelming, so in this article we’ll provide an overview of eight of the most used nail types and explain how and when to use them.

Brad Nails: A Closer Look

Brad nails are commonplace for woodworking projects and carpentry tasks, easily recognized by their slim cylindrical build and miniature flat heads fashioned from steel. The nails are often chosen when a discreet fastener is needed or as a lightweight solution for affixing thin elements like moulding, trimming, and decorative accents.

Finalize Your Nailing

The somewhat daunting task of fastening heavier materials like baseboards and framing requires the use of heavier and more secure finish nails. These nails come in the form of steel cylinders, are thicker and larger than brads nails, and capped off with a round head that leaves a more reliable hold. It is this combination of factors that gives them the strength needed to hold heavier materials in place.

3. Essential Nails

Steel-made and touted for their strength, common nails reign supreme among the basic range of nails. Their size is notable with their thick shaft and large, flat head. Such features make them the preferred tool for robust assembling efforts and other heavy-duty construction jobs.

Securing Your Construction Projects: Box Nails

When completing light construction tasks, such as auxiliary siding and trim applications, box nails may be the preferred choice. Distinguishing from common nails, these fasteners have a slimmer shaft and a more petite head.

Double-Headed Trouble: Duplex Nails

Duplex nails, often crafted with steel, are a common connection tool for affixing two objects together. Featuring both a petite domed head and a more expansive flat head, they are frequently implemented in tasks such as attaching trims and other minor components.

Fastening with Concrete Nails

Steel-constructed concrete nails boast a thick, cylindrical body and a larger, flat head. This type of fastener is suitable for attachment of materials onto concrete and masonry surfaces.

Securing Your Space: The Power of Roofing Nails

For purposes of installing roofing materials, nails boasting a heavy cylindrical frame and broad flat head are indispensible. Crafted out of galvanized steel, these fastening staples are suited for everything from interlacing shingles to binding tar paper.

Fastening Shoes with Iron: All About Horseshoe Nails

Steel horseshoe nails feature a flat head and a robust, cylindrical body, making them ideal to secure metal or plastic parts to wood. As such, they are routinely used in the attaching of small components such as braces.

After familiarizing yourself with the eight most customary styles of nails, you are prepared to make a wise selection. When it comes to differentiating between one nail and another, keep in mind the material you are fastening and how strong of an anchor it needs. If you select the right nail, you can be sure that your outcome is exactly what you desire.

Nails are a commonplace item throughout the globe, from carpentry to the most intricate of art forms. There is a multitude of sizes, shapes and materials that serve a range of applications. Let us look at some of the most frequently used nails today.

1. Thinner than Your Average Nails: When it comes to sprucing up the look of your living space, few nails fit the bill like finishing nails. These trim pieces sport slim heads and are mostly used for various carpentry applications such as cabinetry molding and decorative trimwork. They range in size, ranging from half an inch to a full three inches long.

When heavier carpentry work, such as framing, siding, and decking needs to be completed, common nails should be used. In comparison to finishing nails, common nails are more substantial in size and come in lengths of 1-1/2 inches to 3-1/2 inches.

For lighter carpentry tasks, such as trim and molding, brad nails are the go-to. Stretching in size from half to one and a half inches, these short nails provide strength when used with glue for added reinforcement.

Encompassing a variety of sizes from 1-1/2 inches to 4 inches, Box Nails are specially formulated to be compatible with hardwoods like maple and oak. When constructing frames, siding, and decks, these nails usually feature a head that is notably thicker than the average.

Constructed from hardened steel, masonry nails are the perfect tool for securing wood components to physical structures such as masonry or concrete. Ranging from small 1-1/2 inch nails to long 6 inches ones, they come in a variety of sizes so you can use them for whatever job needs doing.

6. Nails for Concrete Structures: For anchoring projects into concrete, concrete nails are the ideal choice. Ranging in length from an inch and a half to six inches, the steel nails offer superior hold compared to their counterparts.

For attachment of roofing material to either wood or substrate, hardened steel nails of sizes ranging from 1-1/2 inches to 6 inches stand out as the preferred option. The roofing nails used for such purposes offer stability and stern anchoring durability, proving to be aptly suited for the installation of any roofing material.

Small yet powerful, upholstery nails are used to securely fasten fabric, such as on furniture. They consist of a flat head that ranges in size, with lengths varying from 12 mm to 38 mm.

From common to specialty nails, there is a vast selection of different nail types available for today’s carpentry and construction projects. Taking the time to learn which particular type of nail works best for each job will go a long way towards making sure that your project is finished with quality craftsmanship. The 8 common nails highlighted here are only the tip of the iceberg!

Related Product