FAST EASY SHED & WOODWORKING PLANS

Screws and Nails

There are many, many types and sizes of nails, pins, and screws aka woodworking fasteners. It is inevitable that over time you will amass a huge collection of fittings (hardware) and it is best to keep them sorted by size and type. When you are at the assembly stage of your latest project and find that you do not have the correct screw or nail to continue it can be quite frustrating. Making due with the wrong fastener, because it was a little too long or a little too wide, can easily ruin the piece by splitting the wood. It is best to collect small jars and cans to save and sort the different sizes and types of screws and nails.

Screws generally hold better than nails and are more useful for construction work. Screws sizes are measured by the shank size or gauge and the different sizes are denoted numerically i.e. a number 4 screw is about the smallest and a number 12 screw is about the largest. The length of the screw has no bearing on the gauge but usually a number 4 screw will also be very short as well. When using screws they should be long enough to penetrate the second component to a depth of about three-quarters of their overall length. Wrap a piece of tape around the drill to get the correct depth for screws holes when there are numerous holes in a piece. Just a few of the different types of screws are the traditional wood screw with the single slotted head and tapered shank, the round head screw the countersunk wood screw, brass screws and numerous others.

Nails and pins are a little more cut and dry. The standard wire nail is available in lengths from 19 to 150mm’s which is ¾ to 6 inches in imperial length. The standard wire nail is best used when it will be concealed because the head is hard to countersink and will be seen. Lost head nails solves the concealment problem and as the name implies they can be set flush with the surface and filled in if necessary. Oval nails are also available. The have an oval body which makes them less likely to split the wood. Wire nails, annular or ring nails, panel pins and upholstery pins are few other types of nails available.