{"id":15352,"date":"2022-04-20T15:51:15","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T15:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rosieonthehouse.com\/?post_type=dyi&p=15352"},"modified":"2022-05-24T16:02:22","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T16:02:22","slug":"how-to-properly-safely-hammer-nails","status":"publish","type":"dyi","link":"https:\/\/rosieonthehouse.com\/diy\/how-to-properly-safely-hammer-nails\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Properly & Safely Hammer Nails"},"content":{"rendered":"

How To Properly & Safely Hammer Nails<\/h1>\n

Remember the scene in Titanic<\/em> where Rose takes two poorly placed practice swings with an ax to break the handcuffs off Jack . . . and then she actually does it? Well, that\u2019s Hollywood magic. While we aren\u2019t talking about taking ax swings here, we will discuss the proper and safe way to hammer a nail. But first, you need to know how to select the right nail and hammer for the job.<\/p>\n

Select the Right Nail<\/h2>\n

\"\"Nail length is designated by the letter “d” and is referred to as \u2018penny.\u201d A 2d (or two penny) nail is one inch long. Every additional penny represents one inch of length. For example, a 6d nail, is 4 pennies larger than a 2d nail and measures two inches. Any size over 20d (four inches) are no longer nails; they’re spikes and ordered by the inch, not the penny.<\/p>\n

For rough carpentry work such as attaching wood studs to floor plates or constructing header or corner posts, use a three-inch or “16 penny common” nail.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The term “common nail\u201d refers to the diameter of the nail shaft. It is the heftiest of the nail family. In order of decreasing size of the cross-section of the nail shaft, you’ll find the box, casing, finish, and brad nails.<\/p>\n

Nails can be made from iron, steel, bronze, aluminum, or stainless steel and can be optionally coated with zinc, cement, resin, or vinyl. Nail shafts can be smooth, serrated, or spiraled.<\/p>\n

\"\"For nailing two-by-fours together, use 16 penny vinyl-coated common sinkers. For toenailing, which is driving a nail at an angle, use 8 penny vinyl-coated box nails.<\/p>\n

There are so many types of nails. For example, for home use, you are likely to use these:<\/p>\n

Common nails<\/strong> are standard, heavy-duty nails used for wood framing and other structural work such as walls, floors, ceilings, and roofs.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Box nails<\/strong> are thinner and weaker than the common nail. They’re designed for basic wood construction.<\/p>\n

Finish nails<\/strong> are thin with small, rounded heads. They are the standard choice for all types of used for baseboards, window and door casing, and crown molding.<\/p>\n

Casing nails<\/strong> are like finishing nails, but have a slightly thicker shaft and a cone-shaped head. It is used for heavy wood where greater holding power is needed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Brad nails<\/strong> are like small finish nails. Because they are thinner and weaker, they work well for fastening thin strips of trim or for tacking together glued wood parts. They are commonly used by craft or DIY-size nail guns.<\/p>\n

Masonry nails<\/strong> are used for securing objects like decor to brick or block walls.<\/p>\n

With so many types of nails available, consult with your home improvement store salesperson when selecting nails for a particular project.<\/p>\n

Select The Right Hammer<\/h2>\n

\"\"The right nail is useless if you are pounding with the wrong hammer. There are more than 20 types of hammers. You can find one for about every job you can think of. Hang pictures, hang drywall, install roof shingles, drive stakes, form metal, or shatter stone and concrete. There’s a hammer for each of those tasks.<\/p>\n

These are the Standard types of hammers:<\/p>\n