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Selecting the Right Nail for the Job




Box Nail

 

  • Lighter and smaller than common nails with a larger head.
  • Used for framing and applications where shifting is minimal, such as nailing subfloor to floor joists and attaching roof base to rafters.

    • Duplex Nail

     

  • Has a double head to allow for easy removal in temporary construction applications.
  • Used for concrete forming and scaffolding.

    • Casing Nail

     

  • Similar in appearance to a finishing nail, but is thicker and has a flat head.
  • Used to secure case molding

    • Common Nail

     

  • Used in general carpentry and wood framing.
  • Available in most sizes and finishes
  • Use with harder woods.
  • Applications include house foundation, floor joists, rafters and internal studding.

    • Capped Nail

     

  • Has a plastic or metal flat cap at the head.
  • Used for installing foam insulation to exterior surfaces.
  • Some types are made for hammering into masonry.

    • Cut Flooring Nail

     

  • Has a blunt tip to prevent splitting of flooring.
  • Used to attach wood to concrete.

    • Drywall Nail

     

  • Ring-shanked nail used for attaching sheets of drywall gypsum board to interior wood wall studs.
  • Flat, slightly countersunk head permits driving just below the surface, forming a depression that can be covered with drywall joint compound or spackling.

    • Finish Nail

     

  • Used around windows, finishing areas, trim and paneling where nails cannot show.
  • Small head size allows the nail to be driven beneath the wood surface so the hole can be filled and finished.
  • Similar to a casing nail, but the casing nail is heavier.

    • Flooring Nail

     

  • Screw-shanked.
  • Used for laying tongue-and-groove hardwood flooring.

    • Masonry Nail

     

  • Made of hardened and tempered steel.
  • Shank comes round, flat, fluted or square.
  • Often used to fasten framing parts such as sills, furring strips, window and door trim to masonry and concrete.

    • Roofing Nail

     

  • Has large heads and diamond points
  • Galvanized to resist corrosion.
  • Barbed shank for greater holding power.
  • Nails for a new roof are typically 7/8” long with 7/16” head.
  • Carefully choose size to match the thickness of the roofing.
  • Sealing roofing nails have a plastic or rubber washer under the nail head for watertight seal.

    • Siding Nail

     

  • Galvanized or with some other non-staining finish
  • For applying residential wood lap siding to plywood or fiberboard sheathing. Underlayment Nail

    • Underlayment Nail

     

  • Bright-finished, ring-shanked.
  • For laying plywood or composition subflooring over existing wood floors or floor joists.

    • Upholstery Nail

     

  • Has ornamental or colored heads.
  • Used to fasten upholstery where nails will show.

    • Wire Brad & Tacks


  • Used for household jobs requiring small fasteners where heads will be concealed.
    • Courtesy of NRHA.org



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    updated by shifasaw
    January 3, 2010