Using Nails: The Basics

The following is excerpted from “Smalls: 18 Well-designed, Easy Projects for an Afternoon in the Workshop,” which is now available! In addition to the projects, you’ll find chapters on the techniques you need to build them (which will, of course, come in handy for all sorts of projects – not just the 18 in this pocket book).

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We used four types of nails in these projects: cut nails, square-shanked die-forged nails and nail-gun nails, both 18-gauge and 23-gauge.

The 18-gauge brads from a nail gun have rectangular heads, so the holes they make look a lot like traditional nail holes from cut nails – and they’re faster than cut nails or square-shanked nails, because no pilot holes are required. The 23-gauge pins leave just a tiny hole, and they don’t have much holding power – but for thin work that doesn’t have to hold much weight, they’re plenty strong.

Cut nails (made by Tremont, the only remaining maker of which we’re aware) come in a variety of types. We mostly used headless brads when we didn’t want the nail to show, and clout nails when we needed to hold on backs or bottoms (the large nail head keeps it from pulling through).

If you want to use nails as a design feature, though, reach for the square-shanked Rivierre nails. Not only do they hold better than the other nails discussed here, but they stand out thanks to their prominent, diamond-shaped heads.

Both cut nails and square-shanked nails require pilot holes. With cut nails, you can sometimes get away with no pilot hole…as long as you’re using white pine. But better safe than sorry; it doesn’t take that long to drill a hole.

Select a bit diameter that matches the tip of the cut nail. (For the small nails used here, that’s likely to be the smallest bit in your index, which in ours is 1/16″. If that’s too big, you can buy micro bits.

For square-shanked nails, match the bit diameter to the width of the nail about a third of the way up from the bottom of the shaft. Drill pilot holes that are two-thirds the length of the nail; you want the nail itself to cut its own path for the final third of its journey – that’s where most of the holding power will result. A pilot hole that is the length of the nail will result in a weak joint. (Note: For screws, the pilot hole should match the length of the screw.)

Always make a test joint with the pilot hole in the same material, and at the same distance from the end or edge of the top board. If your pilot hole is too small, the test joint will split. Much better to find that out and make adjustments on scrap.

A final note about those pilot holes: If you’re not confident in your ability to drill straight, set up a square or ask a friend to guide you, especially on these thinner pieces of wood. It’s all too easy to drill out of square and come out the side of the work.

For cut nails, insert the nail into the pilot hole so that the wide side of the nail is in line with the grain; if you insert it so the wide side is across the grain, you’ll split your work. You needn’t be as careful when inserting the square-shanked nails; they can go in with either the corner or flat face in line with the grain.

Drive the nails using a hammer. For smaller, lighter nails, we like an 8- to 10-ounce hammer, such as an Exeter hammer. Use the pointed end to set the nail, then use the striking face to sink it. For heavier, longer nails, a typical 16-ounce hammer is good. (We love vintage Plumb hammers – the faceted handles provide a comfy grip.)

While you don’t need pilot holes or hammers for air-driven 18-gauge brads or 23-gauge pins, if you don’t shoot straight, they can easily poke out the side of your work. (Sometimes they do that even if you do shoot straight. So if these nails are the belt to the suspenders of your glue, it’s OK to choose a slightly shorter nail if you run into trouble.) If you’re not confident, use a spotter or square here, too.

And just like it’s important to orient a cut nail properly, it helps to hold the nail gun perpendicular to the top board, so that the wide face of the nose is in line with the grain. That aligns the wider face of the nail head with the grain and cuts down on blowouts.