Nails: what types exist, a brief description of the varieties

A nail is a simple fastening element, which is indispensable even in our age of information technology. Its structure is elementary: it consists of a cap and a rod with a pointed end. However, there are a great many varieties of these products. Today, in stores with building materials, you can find both quite familiar and "highly specialized" nails.

Note that the division into groups of such fasteners is very arbitrary. In general, they are divided into types according to the following criteria:

• by functional purpose;
• by material of manufacture;
• by lenght.

Let's consider each group in more detail.

By functional purpose

Each nail here has its own purpose and is used when performing specific work. Among those it is worth noting:

1. Construction nail. As they say, this is a "classic of the genre." Such a fastener can be found even in the bins of the kitchen of a lonely but self-sufficient lady. It is most often used for joining wooden parts. It has a wide head (its diameter is 3 times the diameter of a pointed rod). In addition, a construction nail can be recognized by the protruding notches near the head itself. The length of such fasteners is different, there are specimens with a rod up to 25 cm.
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2. Roofing. Such a fastener is ideal for joining large metal sheets with wooden lathing. Outwardly, it very much resembles a construction nail, but there is a significant difference between these products: the roofing one looks more solid, since it has a wider head and a thicker rod.
3. Tolevoy. Its "element" is also the roof and everything connected with it, but such a fastener is good for working with any soft materials. The cap is almost 6 times larger than the rod.
4. Slate nail. Outwardly, it looks like a construction one, but an experienced carpenter immediately sees the difference: the head of the slate fastener is galvanized. This detail is not accidental, it is designed to protect the slate from moisture.
5. Finishing. A notable distinctive feature is a small cap, which is quite a bit wider than the shaft (no more than one and a half times). It is used for fastening decorative coatings, as the narrow cap literally "falls through" into the canvas. Excellent camouflage in those places where you need everything to be perfect.
6. Plinth nail. It looks almost like a finishing one, but the difference lies in an insignificant detail: the plinth fastener is made with a small notch on the rod, thanks to which the parts are fastened more reliably.
7. Decorative nail with a carved unusual hat. This is an original piece that not only holds firmly, but also decorates the coating.
8. Finishing nail - soft and thin, made of wire coating and works great where you need it, not only fix (albeit not as reliably as we would like), but also make the appearance of the connected details. A hat, like a decorative one, is often carved.
9. Screw. It can be recognized by the spiral-shaped grooves on the rod. Thanks to this simple solution, the fastener firmly holds everything that is connected to it. It is often used for arranging a wooden floor, since the boards fastened with such fasteners will hold for quite a long time.
10. Ruffled nail. He has an interesting rod, which consists of successive truncated cones. It is believed that such a fastener connects the parts "tightly". Moreover, it is difficult to get it if necessary, and in some cases it is impossible to do this without irreversible damage to the canvas.
11. Bracket Is a U-shaped fastener with sharp points. It is used for electrical work and serves to fix and fasten cables and wires.
12. Steel nail. "A close relative" of construction, but it is completely unbending, and therefore is used to join parts from hard wood.
13. Needle. Such a fastener does not have a head, therefore it is used to fasten PVC panels.
14. With a double cap. Necessary when erecting collapsible structures, such as greenhouses. The first head fixes the fastening element in the surface of the part, and the second one facilitates dismantling.
15. Dowel - a durable element that is used for driving into walls made of brick or concrete.
16. For drywall. Special nail with a wide head. Thanks to her, the parts are not only securely fixed, but also do not collapse at the place of driving.

Important! Before starting any, even small construction work, you should decide in advance with what fasteners the parts will be connected. Otherwise (with the wrong choice without taking into account this trifle), they can be damaged so that all that remains is to throw them away.

By material of manufacture

Sometimes even experienced builders do not pay attention to such a seemingly trifle as the material from which the nails are made. Such indiscretion can backfire in the future. For example, if you drive a nail made of material that does not tolerate moisture into the outer wall of the house, then rust will appear quickly enough.

Products made of black steel, which are used in dry heated rooms, are considered universal, since rust is a frequent phenomenon for them.

By the way! Such nails are often used in the installation of pre-fabricated temporary structures. Corrosion does not have time to manifest itself in a short period of the life of such a structure.

Galvanized nails are more expensive, but more practical. They are also in demand and are suitable for both indoor and outdoor construction work. They serve faithfully for years and do not lose their attractiveness.

Materials such as copper and brass are also considered reliable. Fasteners made of them are used where the action of moisture, cold or extreme heat cannot be avoided. Note also that copper and brass are not just building materials. They have a beautiful shade that blends perfectly with the wood and is almost invisible against its background.

By lenght

There are very short nails (the length of their stem does not exceed 1 cm), standard (from 2 to 15 cm) and very impressive in size (up to 20-25 cm). The choice depends on many factors: the thickness of the parts to be fastened, the material from which they are made, etc.

In order not to be mistaken with the choice, it is important to remember a simple rule: the length of the nail should be 2–4 times greater than the width of the part to be hammered.

One of the important elements of the nail is the head. It can be hidden and visible. If the first option is safer, since the fastening element will not damage the surface of the part when driving in, then in the second case, you should be careful: sometimes when driving in such a nail, the coating (for example, the veneer that covers the MDF board) can burst.