Wood Nails: The nail has been used since ancient times and is still the most used fastener today. Its use is maximum because of its low cost and easy use. Nails are available in different sizes of small, thin, large, thick, etc. Its basic and initial standard size is 2d, 4d. Here d means penny. The word penny is English and means a special copper coin of England.
Another meaning of a penny is the pound which indicates the weight of the nail. The penny determines the size of the nail. It says 100 nails weigh 2 pounds. At this weight, the pound size determination symbol (2d) is used. Here 2d means the thinnest and smallest nail, and 100d means the thickest and biggest nail. (d) The more the nail, the thicker and longer it will be, and the more it will grow proportionally.
Nail is used to fasten or attach two or more parts to wood at the same time. Most nails are made of mild steel. Again no nail is made with a metal sheet. Nails used for roofing or outdoor work, i.e., in contact with watery weather, are coated with zinc. The method of applying such a coating is called galvanizing. Copper or brass nails are used to build ships. Nails of different sizes and shapes are made for special purposes. The head of any nail is shaped like smooth, curved, round, small, big, medium, etc. Nails come in different sizes or lengths.
Table of Contents
Parts of a wood nails
A nail has three parts. E.g.
- Head
- Shank
- Points
The uppermost part of the nail is called the head, the lower part is called the shank, and the lowest part is called the point.
Types of wood nails
Nail sizes are usually 12 mm to 150 mm (1 “/ 4 to 6”) long and range in size from 120 to 00 gauge or 250d, 100d, etc. Nails vary according to the size of the head and the shank. E.g.
- Over Wire Nail
- Round Wire Nail
- Floor Nail
- Dry Nail
- Wood Shank Nail
- Flooring Nail
- Masonry Nail
- Roofing Nail
- Duplex Head Nail
- Clout
- Panel Pin
- Veneer Pin
- Two Side Pointed Pin
- Escutcheon Pin
- Deck Head Nail
- Fiber Board Nail
1. Oval Wire Nail
Its head is tiny, and the shank is oval. It includes finishing head nails. The wood does not crack by using this wood nail. The head and shank are almost identical, so they easily penetrate the wood and stick well.
Size: They range in size from 2 to 9, especially from 12.5 mm to 75 (1 “/ 2 to 3”).
Uses: Used in framework packing, roofing work, furniture, etc.
2. Round Wire Nail
The head of this nail is big, round, and flat. This wood nail is called common nail. Its shank is round. Due to their large head, the oval wire can stick more firmly to the wood than other nails, and this is why it is used more.
Size: It is available in sizes from 4d to 6d, from 35 mm to 150 mm (1.1 “/ 2 to 6”) in length, with different diameters.
Uses: Round wire nail is used for framework packing box, picture binding, etc.
3. Floor band
It is made of sheets of mild steel, and it is the shortest size nail. The shape of the head varies and becomes wider in width.
Size: It varies in length from 36 mm to 75 mm (1.1 “/ 2 to 6”).
Uses: It is used for decking wood.
4. Flooring Nail
Flooring nail looks like a lot of screws, but they do not have any grooves on their heads.
Size: Available in different sizes from 6D to 90D and different lengths from 50mm to 230mm (2 “to 9”).
Uses: It is especially used in floor work.
5. Dry Wall Nail
Dry Wall Nail looks like a screw, but there is no groove in the head, and the head is flat. The threads below the nail are fairly sharp.
Size: It comes in different sizes from 4d to 6d and different lengths from 25mm to 65mm.
Uses: These are not easily inserted into the wood. Nail is hard to get out of after sticking.
6. Wood Shank Nail
These nails look almost like dry wire nails, but they are thinner and longer than dry wire nails.
Size: 2d to 90d in different sizes and 12mm to 150mm (1 “/ 2 to 9”) in different lengths.
7. Masonry Nail
The shank of this wood nail has spiral grooves (from the bottom of the head to the point), and the nails are smooth.
Size: They range in size from 4D to 60D and from 25 mm to 75 mm (1 “to 3”).
Uses: Used in packing boxes, and floor work, etc.
8. Roofing Nail
These wood nails look a lot like missionary nails, but the grooves and threads are thicker, and the head is like a countersunk.
Size: It is available in different sizes, like the size of a missionary nail.
Uses: It is used in various types like missionary nails and is mostly used for roofing.
9. Duplex Head Nail
This wood nail has two heads for which becomes difficult to open after being stuck in the middle of the wood.
Size and uses: The size and use of this wood nail are almost the same as a round wire nail.
10. Clout
It will look like a round wire nail, but it is relatively small, and its head is much larger. It has anti-rust galvanizing.
Size: 10 mm to 36 mm (3 “/ 6 to 1.1” / 2) long and 13 gauge to 10 gauge.
Uses: Used for making metal sheets, wood cloth, and leather.
11. Panel pin
It is made with thin wire.
Size: 12mm to 50mm (1 “/ 2 to 2”) long and gauge no. 20 to 15 “.
Uses: It is used in plywood, plywood, dry, smooth work.
12. Veneer pin
It looks like a panel pin but has no head.
Size: It is usually 25 mm to 36 mm (3 “/ 6 to 1.1” / 2) long and gauge 13 to 16.
Uses: It can be used to set the veneer to prevent small molding.
13. Two sides pointed pin
The flattened sheet of mild steel raids it. It is pointed on both sides. This is called a barbed wire or nail.
Size: It is available in size as per requirement.
Uses: Used to make boat decks, butt joints.
14. Escutcheon Pin
These wood nails are small and made of brass or nickel coated.
15. Deck Head Nail
It is made of soft steel and tends to be galvanized.
Size: It ranges in length from 36 mm to 200 mm (2.1 “/ 2 to 6”).
Uses: Used in building decks for boats and ships.
16. Fiberboard nail
It is made of iron. It looks a lot like a veneer pin but much smaller and thinner than a veneer pin.
Size: 8mm to 20mm (1 “/ 4 to 3” / 4) tall.
Uses: Used in framing work, fiberboard sheets, and hard boards.
In addition to the above nails, there are many other types of nails whose head and point shapes are given below. These are used for special purposes in addition to general work.
The length of the nail refers to the distance from the point to the top of the head. The length of the nail is expressed in centimeters or inches.
Rules for nailing wood:
- The nail is hit with a hammer or beaten and placed on wood or any other object.
- When the head of the nail is about 15 mm (1 “/ 16) above the wood, it is necessary to hit the nail’s head with a nail punch and insert it into the wood.
- If you want to put nails on hardwood, you have to make holes smaller than the nail’s diameter. As a result, the wood does not crack during nail installation, and the nail is not likely to bend.
- If the nail is bent while inserting, it has to be removed with the help of a hammer.
