by Alexey | Tools Tips Decor Workshop | Monday, July 29, 2019
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It's hard to find a DIYer who doesn't use nails in his projects. It is even more difficult to find a person who understands all types of nails and their uses. Today we want to take you one step further into the “charming world” of nails and tell you about 11 of the most common types of nails and where to use them .
Finishing nails
Used for finishing work. The barrel-shaped heads of these nails are small and can be recessed under the surface of the wood. These nails are useful for attaching lightweight decorative items, repairing small wood pieces, and other times when you need to hide the nail head.
Larger finishing nails, which have increased holding capacity, are used to attach door and window casings, baseboards and lining.
GOST 4028-80
These products are galvanized. They can be used when working inside or outside the house when assembling wooden structures. Such fasteners guarantee the strength and reliability of the connection. There are irregularities near the nail head that improve the quality of the adhesion. To produce such products, carbon steel is used, which can resist rust.
Dimensions and diameter of construction nails
Table 2 - Dimensions of construction nails
| Size | Nail diameter, mm | Nail length, mm |
| 1.2x16 | 1.2 | 16 |
| 1.2x20 | 1.2 | 20 |
| 1.2x25 | 1.2 | 25 |
| 1.4x25 | 1.4 | 25 |
| 1.6x25 | 1.6 | 25 |
| 1.6x32 | 1.6 | 32 |
| 1.6x40 | 1.6 | 40 |
| 1.6x50 | 1.6 | 50 |
| 1.8x32 | 1.8 | 32 |
| 1.8x40 | 1.8 | 40 |
| 1.8x50 | 1.8 | 50 |
| 1.8x60 | 1.8 | 60 |
| 2x40 | 2 | 40 |
| 2x50 | 2 | 50 |
| 2x60 | 2 | 60 |
| 2.5x50 | 2.5 | 50 |
| 2.5x60 | 2.5 | 60 |
| 3x70 | 3 | 70 |
| 3x80 | 3 | 80 |
| 3.5x70 | 3.5 | 70 |
| 3.5x80 | 3.5 | 80 |
| 3.5x90 | 3.5 | 90 |
| 4x100 | 4 | 100 |
| 4x120 | 4 | 120 |
| 5x100 | 5 | 100 |
| 5x120 | 5 | 120 |
| 5x150 | 5 | 150 |
| 6x150 | 6 | 150 |
| 6x200 | 6 | 200 |
| 7.6x250 | 7.6 | 250 |
| 8x250 | 8 | 250 |
| 8x300 | 8 | 300 |
| 8.8x250 | 8.8 | 250 |
| 8.8x300 | 8.8 | 300 |
Dowel-nails
This type of nail has a metal shaft with a smooth surface without threads. The fastener itself is made of metal and expands in the wall hole during driving using a specialized tool. Fastenings using a metal dowel-nail are quite difficult to dismantle, so they require a long service life.
Such nails are used when installing suspended ceilings and all kinds of metal frames.
Special types of construction nails
There are several types of construction nails with very specific uses. We are talking, for example, about roofing nails. They are a subset used primarily in the installation of insulating bituminous coverings and also for joining thin metal members and sheet metal flashing members attached to wood supporting structures.
A characteristic feature of roofing nails is a flat and wide head. Its diameter is approximately three times larger than the diameter of the pin, making fastening roofing felt or other elements easier and more efficient. The roofing nail shaft itself can be of different lengths.
- Some construction nails have a characteristic shape, determined by the specific location of application. These are mainly corner, ceiling and hanging nails.
- Ceiling nails are shaped like hooks (check out galvanized hooks) and are used to attach a variety of materials to the ceiling, perhaps a wall or wood beams.
- Loop nails are distinguished by the absence of a head, while corner nails can be used to install window corners or window sills.
Construction nails also include assembly nails, which are used, among other things, for working on load-bearing roof structures. They are twisted to form a strong bond with the material into which it is driven. They also have a conical bead at the base of the head to stabilize the nails.
Corrugated nails
The nails have special transverse notches on the metal rod, evenly applied over the entire surface. The corrugated nail is designed to increase the strength of the connection due to notches that do not allow the hardware to reverse. Designed for reliable, high-strength connections when installing wooden structures such as plywood, OSB and others.
Table 2. Theoretical mass of nails
| Nail size dxl, mm | Weight of 1000 round nails, kg | Nail size dxl, mm | Weight of 1000 round nails, kg |
| 0.8 x 8 | 0,032 | 1.8 x 60 | 1,16 |
| 0.8 x 12 | 0,051 | 2.0 x 40 | 0,949 |
| 1.0 x 16 | 0,100 | 2.0 x 50 | 1,19 |
| 1.2 x 16 | 0,147 | 2.5 x 50 | 1,87 |
| 1.2 x 20 | 0,183 | 2.5 x 60 | 2,23 |
| 1.2 x 25 | 0,219 | 3.0 x 70 | 3,77 |
| 1.4 x 25 | 0,302 | 3.0 x 80 | 4,33 |
| 1.4 x 32 | 0,385 | 3.5 x 90 | 6,6 |
| 1.4 x 40 | 0,482 | 4.0 x 100 | 9,5 |
| 1.6 x 25 | 0,397 | 4.0 x 120 | 11,5 |
| 1.6 x 40 | 0,633 | 5.0 x 120 | 17,8 |
| 1.6 x 50 | 0,791 | 5.0 x 150 | 21,9 |
| 1.8 x 32 | 0,640 | 6.0 x 150 | 32,4 |
| 1.8 x 40 | 0,787 | 6.0 x 200 | 43,1 |
| 1.8 x 50 | 0,967 | 8.0 x 250 | 96,2 |
Screw nails
It has a curved rod with edges, as if twisted along its length. Used to connect wooden surfaces with increased levels of pull-off and bending loads. This type of nails is also used in the construction of structures with high levels of humidity, for example, piers, as well as in frame house construction and for the exterior finishing of buildings with wood.
Configuration and purpose of nails
In the market of construction and fastening elements, nails are in very high demand, and all because they all have their own purpose, and their cost is acceptable and affordable.
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It is also not unimportant that this fastening material has high reliability and durability, which is also a good advantage of absolutely any type of nail.
So, let’s try to figure out where and how construction nails are used:
Slate nails
Slate nails are used in roofing work, when attaching slate sheets to the wooden frame base of a building. As a rule, a nail with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of about 100 mm is used for this purpose, while the diameter of the head of such a nail is approximately 16-20 mm.
For roofing, it is recommended to use galvanized nails, which help prevent rusting where water leaks can form, which is extremely unacceptable.
Screw nails
Screw nails are essentially like an ordinary nail, but only have the appearance of a spiral notch on its surface, in other words, it is kind of like a screw, only it needs to be driven in with a hammer. It is worth noting that this type of nails is considered very reliable in fastening.
Furniture nails
Furniture nails are intended for work in furniture production. The main feature of this type of nails is that they have a thin cross-section in diameter and are small in size. They are mainly used to fasten thin pieces of furniture, such as the back wall of a cabinet.
Decorative nails
Decorative nails, as a rule, are used in decorative works; they have a very thin diameter and their length does not exceed 1.5 cm.
The main feature of such nails is that they have a round and slightly convex head. At the same time, they have a copper or brass coating, which contributes to high exposure to external factors or bad weather.
Therefore, before you begin construction or fastening work, you need to clearly know what nails you will need and how many. However, choosing the right nails is not as easy as it might seem.
In fact, it is important to take into account various nuances, for example, the material where the nails will be used and its thickness. If you have any difficulties in choosing the right types of nails, you can familiarize yourself with the photos of nails.
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The material used to make the nails is of no small importance - this ultimately affects the reliable and durable fastening.
It is also very important to use nails for their intended purpose; it is not permissible to use nails where this should not be done. For example, when using furniture nails, you cannot use other types of nails here, for example, if you use decorative nails here.
To avoid injury, precautions must be taken when working with nails; nails should only be driven in with a hammer.
You should also strike with a hammer very carefully and carefully. If all precautions are taken, this will greatly reduce the risk of any injury.
Double head nails
A double head nail is a variation of a regular nail. It is used to create temporary structures, such as collapsible greenhouses, scaffolding, and temporary ladders. An interesting nail design, the bottom head of which holds the material in place. Subsequently, the nail can be easily pulled out without breaking the structure.
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Table 3. Wood thickness, depth of cut and permissible load on nails.
| Nail sizes, dxl, mm | Minimum wood thickness, mm | Minimum face depth, mm | Permissible shear load N1, N | ||||
| without pre-drilling | with pre-drilling | 12d | 8d | for coniferous wood | for oak and beech | ||
| without pre-drilling | with pre-drilling | always with pre-drilling | |||||
| 2.2 x 45 2.2 x 50 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 18 | 200 | 250 | 300 |
| 2.5 x 55 2.5 x 60 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 20 | 250 | 310 | 375 |
| 2.8 x 65 | 24 | 24 | 34 | 23 | 300 | 375 | 450 |
| 3.1 x 65 3.1 x 70 3.1 x 80 | 24 | 24 | 38 | 25 | 375 | 460 | 560 |
| 3.4 x 90 3.8 x 100 4.2 x 110 4.6 x 130 | 24 24 26 30 | 24 24 26 28 | 41 46 51 56 | 27 30 34 37 | 430 525 625 725 | 540 650 775 905 | 650 780 930 1090 |
| 5.5 x 140 5.5 x 160 | 40 | 35 | 66 | 44 | 975 | 1220 | 1460 |
| 6.0 x 180 7.0 x 210 7.6 x 230 8.8 x 260 | 50 60 70 88 | 35 45 46 53 | 72 84 91 106 | 48 56 61 70 | 1120 1450 1640 2060 | 1400 1800 2050 2575 | 1680 2170 2460 3090 |
Anchors
The anchor nail is designed for connections using mounting plates. The tapered head gives a strong and non-playing connection. The working part has a notch, which increases the fastening force. The length of the nail is influenced by the required joint strength and the thickness of the material. Dimensions: 40x4.0 / 50x4.0 / 60x4.0 / 75x4.0 and 100x4.0.
Drywall hardware
To fasten plasterboard sheets, a special type of screw nail with a relatively large head is used. The hardware has a threaded knurl, so it is not driven in, but screwed into the material.
Depending on the thickness of the metal profile to which the sheet is attached, different types of products are used. Thus, when fixing to a profile with a thickness of less than 0.7 mm, ordinary pointed nails are used. And when attaching to a profile of 0.7–2.2 mm - products with a drill.
The choice is also limited by the frame material. Options for metal and wood differ in thread pitch.
- When attaching anything to a wall or to drywall, the best option would be numerous and varied dowel nails: butterfly, molly, driva, and so on.
- If the fastening is carried out on the wall and involves a small load - embroidery in a frame, a small painting, then drywall nails can be used as fasteners.
- It is permissible to use only dowels on the ceiling.
To fasten plasterboard sheets, a special type of screw nail is used, which will be discussed in the video below:
Advantages of using fasteners when carrying out various works
By looking at the proposed photos of nails, you can visually evaluate their characteristics and choose the best fastening option for independent use.
In addition, when choosing the necessary accessories for connecting different elements and constructing structures, it is necessary to take into account the advantages of their use:
- universal fastening of homogeneous or different materials in the process of carrying out all kinds of work;
- correctly selected nails for their intended purpose can withstand different types of loads during operation;
- a wide range of fasteners offered, suitable for performing various work processes and procedures;
- ease of use and ease of installation with the ability to use not only a hammer, but also other tools;
- long service life of the connected structures and the fasteners themselves, provided they are chosen correctly.
Using a gun to secure fasteners
The most common type of fastener is construction nails, which come in different types according to the degree of protection:
- black nails without a protective layer;
- galvanized, coated with a layer of zinc;
- copper-plated, protected from water and steam;
- brass plated, absolutely resistant to corrosion;
- chrome plated, characterized by optimal cost.
To increase productivity and speed of nailing, construction guns are used to help automate the installation process. In this case, it is necessary to select the correct mode of operation of the device and ensure full compliance with safety measures.
Products for bituminous materials
A roofing or roofing nail has a very large head compared to the diameter of the rod - 8–12 mm. The length is small - from 25 to 40 mm. The large diameter cap allows you to hold soft material - bitumen shingles, roofing felt, other types of flooring, and prevent their deformation.
Only galvanized products can be used, since the roof is constantly in contact with rain and snow.
Bituminous material is attached to wood, fiberboards, etc., so there is no need for a spacer here. Installation is the most common - hammering.
Special types of fasteners are in fact no less common than universal ones. In addition, it is special nails that have the best balance of performance and durability, since they are designed for operation under very specific conditions.
Description and possibilities of using fasteners
The price of nails set by manufacturers and sellers depends on their economic purpose and intended use. Such fasteners belong to metal products, as one of the most common hardware used in different stages of household work to connect different elements together.
In appearance, nails are a simple structure consisting of a head and a leg, necessary for connecting materials.
The main features of the practical use of the fastening element remain strong fixation and ease of installation during use.
Using a hammer, the nail is simply driven into the body of the materials and holds them in a fixed position due to the physical force of natural friction.
Products for mesh
A specific and highly specialized type of fastener. Mesh nails are U-shaped with points on both ends. A fastener is used to secure the mesh and cables. Easily dismantled.
Both black and galvanized hardware are available. The latter are used for external work. The most common sizes: 25*2, 30*3, 35*3, 45*3 and 50*4.2 mm.
Plaster dowel-nail for mesh
