5 Speciality Nail Options

Posted by fastenerusa on March 25th, 2021

A nail is not just a nail! Did you know there are dozens of different types of nails? It is true! If you have a project ahead of you, it is essential that you find the right kind of nail before moving forward. The nail you choose will make or break your project, maybe quite literally!

Clout nails. A clout is a relatively short, thick nail with a large, flat head used for attaching sheet material to wooden frames or sheet. A typical use is fixing roofing felt to the top of a shed, as mentioned above. This isn't their only use of course. Clouts are also used in timber fence palings. They are usually made of galvanised steel, but copper clouts are also available. Experts don't recommend the copper kind and encourage you to look for a stainless steel option.

Shank nails. This type of nail are those with ridges or spirals around the shank. Those little ridges can increase the holding power of the nail by 40 percent or more! The ridges on the ring shank nails act as little barbs or wedges that lock the nails firmly into the wood once it's driven. Just like the clout nails, be sure to choose stainless steel options. 6D stainless steel ring shank nails have been called "tenacious" by many contractors and drywall DIYers. In fact, the only downside of choosing 6D stainless steel ring shank nails is that they're a massive undertaking to get out if you accidentally put one in the wrong place!

Brad nails. These are very narrow nails that provide a neat finish. They are typically used in nail guns for fast fixing. Cordless finish nail guns that are used for carpentry, woodwork, trim and molding can shoot out about 400 nails per hour if they're using 18G stainless steel brad nails. More expensive models can fire out up to five nails per second, in both hard and soft surfaces.

Masonry nails. These are harder and thicker nails with small heads, typically made of hardened zinc. This type of metal is incredibly strong, enabling them to be driven into masonry surfaces effectively. They are often used to attach timber to stone or brick.

Double-headed nails. While masonry nails and shank nails are made to fasten two items together for a very long time, sometimes you need just the opposite. These nails are often used to secure scaffolding and other temporary structures in place. They have two heads, one a few centimeters above the other. They are driven in as far as the first head, while the top head remains above the surface, making it easy to remove.

The right nail for your project depends on what you are doing. Nails are a basic type of fastener and have been used in construction in some form for at least 3,000 years. You can bet that laborers thousands of years ago had the kind of options you have today, as well as the ability to simply order any needed supplies online!