Collated nails are nails that are loaded into a strip for use with construction equipment, typically nail guns. There are several types of nail guns which will use different types of nails and strips. It's unfortunately not one size fits all nail solution. In most cases, there are three main parts of a nail. These three parts include the head, the shank, and the point. Each of these parts serves a purpose. Driving a large nail with a light hammer will often result in bending the nail. Instead, use an appropriately sized and type of hammer: 12 ounces for light work and small nails, 16 ounces for general work, and 20 ounces or more for framing.

Depth adjustment: this feature allows you to adjust the depth at which the nails go into the material. This is useful for counter-sinking nails. Most brad nails are listed as having an 18 gauge diameter. A note on gauge: the higher the number, the smaller the nail. When driving in a panel pin, it is common practice to use a punch to drive the head below the surface of the wood. This allows more gripping strength and the ability to neatly seal over the nail. TIP: Square masonry nails are usually shaped rather than extruded like the round counterparts, so can, at times, come with an additional cost implication. Gauge Brads (Finish Nails) As aforementioned these fasteners are larger again than brad nails. The popular 16 Gauge Brad is 1.6mm in diameter. Sometimes these fasteners are referred to as a 2nd Fix Finish Nail. Finishing Nails - 15 GaFood for thought maybe?…………Less is sometimes more. Well, I could continue into the various types of nails for heavier duty nailing, but enough for now. lookout for this majestic piece of information in a future enlightening post. Here’s looking to your next Holy Grail. Sharing is Caring: Brad and finish nails may appear to have inconsequential differences; however, there isn’t much room for error when working with more delicate projects. How to Choose Between Brad and Finish Nails Flooring Nailer - Flooring nailers are used for the fast and simple laying of tongue-and-groove floor boards. Simply hold the nailer against the edge of the board and use a nylon mallet to deliver a moderate blow to the plunger. This fires the nail in at the right angle and depth every time.

Nail guns work using the power of electricity, gas or air. The gun’s magazine is loaded up with collated nails, and when the trigger is pulled, it fires the nail into the material it’s aimed at. A new nail is then automatically loaded via a spring, which pushes the magazine up. Air nail guns are linked up to an air compressor via a hose. When the trigger is pulled, a powerful burst of air drives a hammer which forces a nail out of the gun. Air nail guns are often favoured over electric models because they are safer to use in certain areas where an electric tool could pose a risk, i.e., in damp areas or where there are combustible gases. As far as materials go, most kinds of nails are steel. However, there are also nails in materials such as stainless steel, copper, iron, aluminum, or bronze. Stainless steel nails are useful since they don’t react with materials like cedar or redwood. Copper nails are useful when installing copper flashing or copper ceiling tiles. Iron nails are from years gone by, but some DIYers and craftspeople use them in their projects for a vintage flare. The length of a finish nail is important. The width of the trim or molding determines the length of your finish nail. If the width of your wood is half inch than the nail should have a length of one and half inches. All you are doing is making your nail three times the width of the wood. Since finishing nails are used in the finish work there is usually no need for a very long nail. You can still get them from a length range of one to four inches. Sinking We have covered the main types of nail guns available, but there are a few others that are essential in many trades. Here's what you need to know:

The shank is the long, thin section of the nail that stretches from the head to the point. This section is usually cylindrical, but many nails have specialized shanks that provide them with specific capabilities. Glue Collation - While not feasible on all nails because of the heads, for staples or floor cleats, glue collation is incredibly effective. Wire Weld - Wire weld collation would have one or two thin strips of wire attached to your nails in the strip. Wire weld lends itself to avoiding all the problems faced with paper and plastic collation. Imagine a two-by-four. It can easily hold a person’s weight on their long side but risk breaking when flipped to their flat side. This is similar to brad and finish nails. How to Prevent Denting or Bruising Your Wood with a Nail Gun Brad nails are also fairly easy to remove if you needed to pull them out. Though they can secure your material, they are not so permanent that you couldn’t get them out.