Nail Size report
Nails are pointed hard metals. Common nail materials include steel, copper, and iron, which are used to fix wood, planks, and other objects. Hammers can drive nails into things, there are also electric nail guns, and gas nail guns are particularly popular. Nails are one of the most common and indispensable items in decoration.
Nails have different shapes due to their many uses, and common nail types include flat head nails, pins, thumbtacks, brads, spiral nails, etc. The hammer and nail is a classic combination that we can not live without. Fire-forged brass nails in Egypt date back to 3400 BCE, and nails have been a construction main-stay ever since.
Nails are used in various construction tasks for box making, furniture building, etc. Though not as tightly defined as machine screws and nuts, which must mate with one another, nail sizes are standardized to some degree, particularly those used for structural purposes. The following article lists standard nail sizes and briefly describes the available nail types.
Nail Size Guide
Although a nail may seem as simple as it gets, do you know which nail to use in every application? Nails come in various sizes and have right and wrong uses. Y should choose the right strength, size, and other design features for the different jobs. The wrong nail size can result in a weak connection or damage the wood. This section tabulates some of the standard nail sizes and dimensions below.
There is a particular classification of nail sizes in England–the Penny system. But some international vendors do not use it.
- The "penny size" (aka, pennyweight) refers to a standard nail unit, the nail length. In the past, the abbreviation for pennies was d, so nail sizes are described as 2d nails, 3d nails, etc.
- Pennyweight does not correspond exactly to nail weight, gauge, or other measurements.
- Nail gauge: The nail gauge sizes indicate the thickness or diameter of a nail. The higher the gauge number, the thinner the nail is. The smaller the gauge size, the stronger the nail.
- The shank diameter and length refer to the shaft part of the nail.
Common Nails Size Chart
| Penny Size | Gauge | Shank Diameter(Nominal) | Shank Length(Nominal) | Head Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2D | 15 | 0.072 | 1" | 3/16" |
| 2D | 14 | 0.083 | 1" | 13/64" |
| 3D | 14 | 0.083 | 1.25" | 13/64" |
| 4D | 12 | 0.109 | 1.5" | 1/4" |
| 5D | 12 | 0.109 | 1.75" | 1/4" |
| 6D | 11 | 0.12 | 2" | 17/64" |
| 8D | 10 | 0.134 | 2.5" | 9/32" |
| 10D | 9 | 0.148 | 3" | 5/16" |
| 12D | 9 | 0.148 | 3.25" | 5/16" |
| 16D | 8 | 0.165 | 3.5" | 11/32" |
| 20D | 6 | 0.203 | 4" | 13/32" |
| 30D | 5 | 0.22 | 4.5" | 7/16" |
| 40D | 4 | 0.238 | 5" | 15/32" |
| 60D | 4 | 0.238 | 6" | 17/32" |
Box Nails Size Chart
| Penny Size | Gauge | Shank Diameter(Nominal) | Shank Length(Nominal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3d | 14-1/2 | 0.076 | 1.25" |
| 4d | 14 | 0.080 | 1.5" |
| 5d | 14 | 0.080 | 1.75" |
| 6d | 12-1/2 | 0.098 | 2" |
| 7d | 12-1/2 | 0.098 | 2.25" |
| 8d | 11-1/2 | 0.113 | 2.5" |
| 10d | 10-1/2 | 0.128 | 3" |
| 16d | 10 | 0.135 | 3.5" |
| 20d | 9 | 0.148 | 4" |
Annular & Threaded Nails Size Chart
| Penny Size | Shank Diameter(Nominal) | Shank Length(Nominal) |
|---|---|---|
| 6d | 0.12 | 2" |
| 8d | 0.12 | 2.5" |
| 10d | 0.135 | 3" |
| 12d | 0.135 | 3.25" |
| 16d | 0.148 | 3.5" |
| 20d | 0.177 | 4" |
| 30d | 0.177 | 4.5" |
| 40d | 0.177 | 5" |
| 50d | 0.177 | 5.5" |
| 60d | 0.177 | 6" |
| 70d | 0.207 | 7" |
| 80d | 0.207 | 8" |
| 90d | 0.207 | 9" |
Nail Types
Nails can be made from various metals, including ordinary steel, stainless steel, brass, copper, or aluminum. Or, nails can be galvanized or plated with zinc or another metal. Most construction nails are steel, often with some surface coating. The physics of how nails work is simple. When driven into wood, the shaft of a nail pushes apart wood fibers as the point penetrates. The holding power of a nail derives from the simple friction of the displaced wood fibers gripping the nail's shaft. Nails are available in different sizes and shaft configurations to maximize their holding power in different applications. Different nail types have various features and uses. The following are common nail types in daily life.
Common Nails
Common nails are used for general construction, framing, and other structural work. They have a thick shank, a wide head, and a diamond-shaped point. Their thickness makes them strong and more likely to split wood, so some carpenters dull the nail tip to prevent splitting the wood.
Box Nails
Box nails are similar to common nails but have thinner shanks and are better suited to thinner wood materials. Box nails should not be used for structural projects because they do not have common nails' strength and holding power.
Duplex Head Nails
Duplex head nails are specialty nails useful for temporary construction, such as formwork for pouring concrete or attaching temporary cleats during roofing work. You drive the nail until the lower head is flush with the wood. When it's time to disassemble the project, you can extract the nail using the upper head and the claw of your hammer or pull bar.
Annular Ring Nails
An annular ring, also called a ring shank, nails have rings on their shanks for extra grip and additional resistance to pulling out of the wood. They are commonly used for installing subflooring, where the extra holding power can help prevent floors from squeaking. Other nails that may have rings include drywall nails or deck board nails for improved holding power.
There are slight differences in the size of different types of nails. You'd better consult with the professional salesperson when buying nails. I hope the above size charts can be helpful to your shopping.
