As many of you have probably been doing over the last 12 months, I have used a great deal of lockdown and quarantine getting some important DIY projects done around the home. This has not only been a lot of fun, but it has also been a learning experience for me and there is so much about DY and the materials used which I have discovered. Nails in particular are something which I have learned more about and whilst I used to think that they were all the same, I now know that the truth is very different indeed.
For example I have learned that galvanized dipped nails are the very best quality that you can buy, and will offer the best experience for anyone using nails. I have also learned about the different types of nails and their uses, which I want to go into today.
Gauge and Length
Before we get into the exact types of nails which you may find, firstly I want to make a point about gauge and length. When you are selecting nails for your job, the higher the gauge number, the thinner the nail. Within this, each gauge comes in a variety of lengths depending on what it is that you need. Bear this in mind before you buy the nails for your job.
Brad Nails
Brad nails are used in many crafts and they are ideal for holding pieces together which don’t require a great deal of strength. This is why these nails are often used for holding pieces in place which are glued together, to allow the glue to set. Brad nails can also be used for things like hanging pictures on the wall or for holding together pieces of thin and weak timber, such as chipboard and plywood.
Finish Nails
Finish nails are a far stronger option than brad nails and they can be used on a range of projects whereby you need to hold two pieces together which need to be rigid. As the name suggests, these nails also have a very thin head which means that they are almost unsighted once they have been hammered in. Brad nails require some painting or filling over the head, whereas finish nails do not.
Roofing Nails
Roofing nails are not exclusively used for the roof but that is an accurate description of just how these heavy duty nails can be used. This have big, round heads and they come in some very large gauges, making the perfect for a wide variety of projects.
Coiled Nails
Any of the nail types above can come in a coil and these are used specifically for a nail gun. Nail guns give you the chance to quickly and precisely but nails in, and they are ideal for projects whereby you need to add multiple nails, such as the renovation of a roof.
As you can see, there is much more to know about nails than you may have imagined.
Leave a Reply