Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [nails]

Small typically metal spikes; usually driven by hammers or nail guns, used to fasten objects together.

For more information, see Wikipedia.

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Is there a case where nails are better than screws, from an engineering/structural standpoint?

Is there a case where nails are better than screws, from a structural standpoint? For instance: Say you used screws instead of nails on a backyard deck, when the design specifically called for nails. Would the result be inferior? Could it fail…
Chris W. Rea
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How to remove nails with heads cut off?

Yes, I know I can go to the big box store and buy lumber. That is not the point of this question. I have some boards that have the nail heads removed, leaving the nail flush with the surface of the board. The boards come from pallets where…
bgoodr
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Should I use nails or screws for hanging drywall on the ceiling?

I'm replacing water-damaged drywall on my ceiling and was considering using screws. Other than cost, is there any other reason I should use nails instead? Or am I too paranoid that nails won't have enough holding power? I'd prefer the cheapest…
Doresoom
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How to drive a nail in a confined space?

I keep finding myself needing to hammer nails in places where my hammer is too long to actually make the hammer head contact the nail. This isn't a situation where I need the leverage provided by the handle - I'm choking the hammer anyway for added…
Jeremy W. Sherman
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What is this sharpened steel rod with rubber coating?

Got this at a yard sale in a bin with mostly random fasteners. Its about 3" long. It is very similar to a standard framing nail in diameter, if not slightly less. It has a tip like a nail but a dipped-looking rubberized coating. Any ideas what this…
StayOnTarget
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6 answers

Should I use nails or screws to refasten my subfloor to the joists?

My subfloor is squeaky, and there's a small window of opportunity I'll have to fasten it down before/during my carpet being replaced. I have available to me a nice corded drill, and an air-powered framing nailer. My chief concern is longevity of…
Bryan B
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How to choose a weekend warrior's finishing nail gun?

BACKGROUND I am not planning to use it with any regularity, just when maintenance projects come up. 15 residences are maintained: ranging from 20-50 years in age. My next project will involve nailing in shoe molding. Current context includes an…
gatorback
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Why do many construction projects leave so many nails behind?

I just had a significant amount of work done on my house and the contractors left lots of nails scattered around my yard. I have a two-part question: Is this typical? If it's typical, why is it the case? Is it just the cost of doing business? Or…
Jim G.
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2 answers

Is it safe to remove old rusty nails from a wooden beam?

During the renovation of our old house I uncovered a load-bearing beam which has a lot of old rusty nails just sticking out of it. By "a lot" I mean that there are around 50 nails in random places on a 2.5 meter long beam. Should I pull these nails…
Andor Polgar
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Why did they hammer nails in half way and bent them over to secure supports?

In my 1950s house they hammered nails in half way and bent them over to secure the supports to the beam. Why was this technique used?
Jay Prall
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12
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7 answers

How can I remove 16GA finish nails from hardwood boards (to reuse the boards)?

I temporarily nailed decorative 1x4 poplar boards on the ceiling of our foyer after ripping out part of the plaster between floor joists when doing a bathroom remodel above it. I put the boards up because there was a question in my mind about how to…
mr blint
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How do I fix popped nails in hardwood floors?

Two nails in my hardwood flooring keep popping up: I have knocked them back in, but because of a bit of flex in the floor, they work their way back up. What should I do about them? Is it best to just pull them?
HotDogWater
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I modified a nail-in electrical box to use screws instead of nails. Is there some code that prevents that?

Ever since I dove into the electrical side of things with my project, I've encountered a bunch of code restrictions. One thing that wouldn't surprise me if it was a violation of code is what I've done here: I did this because I have to install…
oscilatingcretin
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How can I remove large nails from cement?

I am redoing the flooring in my basement and removed a built-in toy chest. I disassembled the chest and the floor 2x4's are attached to the cement with large nails. If I had to guess on gauge I'd say around 0. I split the 2x4's and have removed…
jon3laze
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Efficient way to remove nailed-down plywood flooring in attic without damaging it?

I am trying to deal with the smell problem in my house and have decided to remove all of the existing insulation under my attic floor. The house was built in 1959 and they used high quality plywood for the attic floor so I don't want to damage it. I…
guidoism
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