Nails are the most common fasteners used in construction.

Up to the end of the Colonial period, all nails used in the United States were handmade. They were forged on an anvil from nail rods, which were sold in bundles. These nail rods were prepared either by rolling iron into small bars of the required thickness or by the much more common practice of cutting plate iron into strips by means of rolling shears.Read more...

Nails are the carpenter’s most useful fastener. Many nail types and sizes are available to meet the demands of the industry. On any kind of construction work, an important consideration is the type and size of nails to use.

An important factor in selecting nails is size. Long, thin nails will break at the joints of the lumber. Short, thick nails will work loose quickly. The kind of wood is a big factor in determining the size of nail to use.

Wood screws are often used in carpentry because of their advantage over nails in strength. They are used in installing various types of building hardware because of their great resistance to pulling out and because they are more or less readily removed in case of repairs or alterations.Read more...

As minor as they might seem, nails are what hold much of a house together. Only galvanized nails should be used on exposed materials, both inside and out. Unless the house is roofed over immediately, a sudden downpour could cause regular steel nails to rust and streak the surfaces in just one night.

If your walls will have studs with 24-inch o.c. (on center) placements instead of 16-inch o.c. as recommended, nailers will have to be installed so drywall or plaster lathing can be securely attached. Nailers are small 2- by 4-inch or 2- by 6-inch blocks attached perpendicular to the studs, in between pairs of studs. The nailers will also give extra support and stiffness to the walls and will act as a fireblock to discourage flames from spreading throughout a wall. Read more...