NAILS vs. SCREWS...Which Should You Choose?! (Pros + Cons of Nails And Screws For Your Projects!)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- Check Out Our FREE GUIDE: 25 Must-Have Carpentry Tools...Under $25 Each!
www.thehonestcarpenter.com/
AFFILIATE TOOLS/MATERIALS LINKS:
Porter Cable 20V Brad Nailer:
amzn.to/3LVAWWt
Assorted 18 ga. Brad Nails:
amzn.to/3rbhehn
Deck Plus 3" Exterior Screws:
amzn.to/3umcPKn
Deck Plus 2" Exterior Screws:
amzn.to/3KsQQqQ
5 lb. 16d Sinker Nails:
amzn.to/3DW8uk9
Hillman 2" Trim Nails:
amzn.to/3NWZdgj
Estwing 16 oz. Leather Grip Hammer:
amzn.to/3DV5i8x
(Please Note: These are Amazon Affiliate Links. We receive a small commission from eligible sales through these links, at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. We greatly appreciate the support!)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER FASTENER VIDEOS:
Pocket Screws Explained:
• Pocket Holes / Pocket ...
Best Way To Drive Nails:
• Don't Drive NAILS/SCRE...
NAILS vs. SCREWS...Which Should You Choose?! (Pros + Cons of Nails And Screws For Your Projects!)
Should you choose NAILS or SCREWS for your project? It's the eternal question! This short video from The Honest Carpenter will explain some of the most basic differences--as well as the strengths and weaknesses--of screws and nails!
When it comes to FASTENING POWER, there's not much competition--screws have vastly more fastening power than nails!
This is because screws have threads, which act as little pawls within a material. Screw threads prevent PULL-OUT and EXTRACTION forces.
Also, screws are REMOVABLE, which makes them the ideal option for any project which will need to be take apart someday.
Nails, on the other hand, are prone to losing some of their fastening power over time, especially when exposed to seasonal expansion and contraction.
However, nails have more SHEAR STRENGTH, which helps them resist the force of two objects sliding sideways across one another. Nails will bend slightly, but not break. (Screws are far more likely to break when exposed to shear forces.)
For this reason, nails of proper length are almost always required by code in nearly every framing application. This helps prevent hurricane winds and seismic vibrations from knocking houses down.
Screws are also more expensive than nails. And, they take longer to install.
For speed and strength, nails can be paired with adhesives to help overcome some of their fastening weaknesses. Even brad nails can act as temporary fasteners while wood glue is setting up. The resulting strength is comparable to that of screws.
Thanks for watching!
The Honest Carpenter - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
You avoided screwing up the video: you nailed it.
😏
lol
🤣🤣🤣
Womp womp
Lol. Witty!
You are an important figure in the transition of our craft.
Great role model for pros, diyers and clients.
Thank you!
Thank you, Daniel! 😄
What is the transition from and to?
@@danielashman1753 Well, I don't know.
It's a good question specially the "where to" part.
Woodworking in general it's changing (as always has, I guess. But now things seems to change faster), It's kinda trending right now.
More and more people are looking into diy projects, pro tips, even those weird ASMR things. I believe that skilled pros will be more appreciated.
Where will it lead?
We can speculate, and watch or try to influence it in a good way.
Always fasten-nated with your videos. Keep hammering home the info. Knowledge and Experience creates wisdom.
You make really good videos. It's perfect for someone like me, with no background in carpentry or building stuff, but who wants to learn the details and how to do it right. The fact about nails being stronger against sheering forces and safer to protect buildings from high winds, was especially interesting I thought.
Thank you, Daniel! I try to fill the channel with advice for new DIYers from a pro perspective 🙂
Screw technology has drastically changed. Love it since now I am not splitting wood like crazy when driving screws in.
If you just predrill, your wood will almost never split. These "screw enhancements" have just made screws more expensive and they are not very effective at preventing wood from splitting. In some ways, screw technology went backwards, drywall screws are cheap but incredibly brittle.
The only real positive enhancement to screws I can think of is torx and pozidriv heads that have drastically reduced cam-outs that phillips and slot screws suffer from, the rest is just expensive fluff.
I've only ever had one screw fail from shearing - it was a drywall screw that a previous owner used to hang a gutter, and it more or less rusted through before it failed.
I like screws because I ALWAYS hit my fingers while trying to place nails...(gotta get one of those nail guns). Plus I'm always taking my projects apart as I'm just learning to be a carpenter now that I'm in my 70's and my eyes aren't what they use to be. LOL You have great videos....I'm learning a lot. Thank you
I prefer screws over nails.I love what your doing with your channel
It’s getting bigger and better and the content is always informative thanks for sharing
I built my entire building out of screws and the difference is so dramatic. kneeling things together eventually they will separate and have space between them
Also in some applications it is making sense to pre-drill holes for the nails. With a pre drilled hole there is more outer surface area engaging with the wood, giving the connection much more strength. I was amazed when i heard this the first time but our structural engineer calculated it properly and it was indeed a better connection.
Sorry for my bad english. Great video though ! Greetings from germany :)
Thanks for writing in from Germany, Peter! I believe my grandfather used to pre-drill for his larger nails, and he was an utterly meticulous builder and mechanic 🙂👍
I would agree with you. Driving a nail into wood often times creates a small split, pushing the grain out of the way. Pre-drilling allows the nail to make contact with the wood in a 360 degree area without splitting the grain.
Yeah, but if you think about it, what's mainly holding the piece of wood to the other piece of wood you are attaching it to is the nail head. In many applications, you can pre drill the hole the same diameter as the nail or slightly bigger and it will hold just fine. It's really the friction of the nail into the board being attached to that is providing the holding power.
Thank you for verifying what I always thought. I see a LOT of decks, stairs, etc done with nails and wonder-WHY? Then it hit me...time! It's soooo much faster to "punch" a nail, then to screw a...well screw. However, if you want it to last, screws come out ahead EVERY TIME!!
A screw will beat a nail even in the vertical stress tests but its not due to a shear-out (fastener snapping). In every single test run (using a hydraulic press that monitors pounds of force) on a board that was attached horrizontally to vertical studs was the nail is going to pull out of the board that the tip is in which would be the studs. When you run the same test on a screw the force it took to make the screw pull out was farrrr more than the nail could hold. The test ends when either the fastener can not hold the boards together anymore and the tip is pulled out of the board and the boards seperate (pull out) or the fastener snaps (shear out) or the integrity of the board itself gives and the board snaps, or the pressure applied to the board against the nail or screw causes the nail/screw to cut through the board and eventually tears through the edge of the board (tear out). When one of those things happens the test is stopped and the force pounds are recorded. The screw beat the nail at every single test. Ive heard "nails have superior shear strength" a million times (meaning the screw is going to get snapped by vertical force) but thats not what happens first. Long before that happens the nail is going to get pulled out. People are focused on the wrong thing - shear strength. Its the other things that are going to happen long before screw is at a snapping point and by that time ithe nail had been pulled out long before that pressure point was reached.
hey barry, check out the difference between then and than
@@gg-gn3re Yeah, I see my HUUUUUGE mistake, didn't realize the grammar police were in town! It must really suck to NOT have a life....geesh!
@@barryallenflash1 It's ok, you won't go to jail this time, you're stuck sucking your no-life for now.
Always the best carpenter show. The explanations are great.
Thank you, Paul! 😄
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸..
Great job as always, Ethan. Thank you for posting consistently great and informative content.
Great content. Thanks for taking the time to create this.
Great info. Thanks! My projects keep improving because of the information you provide.
Excellent video, thanks so much. Your content is super helpful. Educational and concise.
I tend to always use screws for the exact reason you mentioned. I had to remove and old deck when I was youner built with nails and vowed to not follow in those foot steps. I like the you highlighted a use for the them saving cost in areas where you dont plan on deconstructing. The problem is I always at some point want to change things up
Thanks for being a true professional and keeping it simple!!
Thank You...gret videos, presentation, explantion, clarity...
So clear. So useful! Thanks a lot for your videos!
I appreciate this type of video - very informative and brief. Thanks.
I'm glad I subscribed to your channel because you give good information in an easy to understand format. The intro for each one is great. Short, sweet and engaging. Keep up the good work.
Best comparison I've seen. Thanks!
Hey great video as usual. It was very very informative for sure. The information is and will be most helpful. Thanks again for your time and knowledge.
This one was particularly useful for me! thanks! I am starting out doing paid work and I am finding your videos very insightful. THANK YOU
Great explanation, thanks! I always learn so much from you. And I’ve been a carpenter for many years!
Great video
Thanks, a very well-thought-out presentation.
Always brillient. Thankyou for putting it out
Great preso you answered my question. This was very helpful thank you so much.
I can't remember the last time I've driven a nail. Screws all the way.
This was very helpful. I agree that both have a place in construction and sometimes I have used nails and at other times screws. It really depends on what I am building. Thanks for sharing this.
We are doing a down to the studs renovation of our home. We decided early on to use screws and nails in conjunction on all the framing ,especially on load bearing walls! We added framing to all exterior and load bearing walls and whenever we drove a nail we also ran a screw next to it. We figure this way we have the best of both worlds. We initially had 2x6 walls that we increased to 2x8 ,not only for the added insulation but also for the added strength. Good video! I would amagine alot of people don't understand the that screws while being stronger at holding boards together don't have the needed shear strength needed!
BRAVO !! Awesome presentation ! YOU HIT EVERY SHOW OUT OF THE PARK ! THANK YOU !!
JAY SPARK
Good job! I would like to see videos comparing in detail different types of screws and nails. I know you covered them a bit here, but there are so many choices. Thanks.
As always, instructive and professional. Thank you
Thanks for watching!!
You nailed to explain it! Bravo
This explanation was very helpful. I love that your videos are always informative and to the point.
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ❤️❤️😔🇺🇸
You mentioned using adhesive, but not
coated nails. The coating acts as an adhesive that heats up under the friction of the hammering and helps secure the nail. I think the biggest issue is that screws tend to be more brittle as opposed to the ductility of most nails. They each have their own purposes
I want to do a whole video on nail coatings at some point Bennet, including types of galv finish. It gets crazy complicated when you start breaking down the types.
@@TheHonestCarpenter I like the idea of a nail coating video. There are so many coatings now days. 🙂
I am currently seeking proper way to attach wall blocking for baseboards. Some corner don’t have anything for which to attack molding to the wall other than drywall. (And we both know where that’s headed)
The higher areas will be getting screws but the bottom corners - well, I’d like to use a framing nail gun. Comments?
@@TheHonestCarpenter Costs are also greatly effected with finish and coatings. It drives me nuts when you cannot find cheaper interior screws because all the exterior coated (more expensive) screws are front and center at my local Lowes and Home Depot.
@@TheHonestCarpenter I look forward to it, I very much enjoy your presentations and the attitude and information you present
Informative as always, thanks for sharing your knowledge
Good Tips! Thank you for sharing
Thank you for this vid. This is very helpful and informative
Solid video. Thanks for all the info.
Love your channel. I am learning so much. Thank You. Your tool recommendations are super helpful. The Pro & Con videos on various subjects are superb as you teach me what to use when. And I really appreciate your safety tips. If possible, can you gear a few videos towards people who live in apartments & don't have a garage/workshop to do projects & store equipment. My projects would be along the lines of putting up wood shelves above doors to take advantage of dead-space for storage.
This is useful information presented perfectly.
Thank you.
I'm glad I'm subscribed.
Thank you, citron! 😄
I'm currently converting a vintage travel trailer to another mobile coffee shop. I've noticed that all the framing has been nailed together, not screwed. Makes perfect sense considering it was made to be mobile. The nails in the framing are giving those walls a chance to flex and move a little in transit. Great video!
As a beginner I have learned a lot of the basics from you videos. Just building a project that will experience shear so going with nails and construction adhesive.
Thank you
excellent comparison
Thanks Ethan
Thanks for helping me out
I building a 10 x 12 shed
Planned on screws
But now will use individual nails
I used to that
Watched from Alberta Canada
I always use screws or the brad/wood glue approaches on my projects. I've never considered the shear strength between screws and nails though. You learn something new everyday! Thanks for the video! 👍
very educational, thanks!
Sooo informative! thanks
Great break down. Solid knowledge! How about a follow up on the benefit of spike nails, in comparison to t-screws. I recently built the Mrs a garden box, I used both. I honestly liked the spike nails better.
That's an excellent tip. I will go with screws for my piece of panel that has come loose. Thanks.
Awesome!
Thanks especially for showing a case where nails are preferable.
Have you made one about when to use a flat top screw vs. a flat bottom screw yet?
Interesting video. Thanks for sharing
I love working with deck screws for most projects.
Nice video. Thanks for sharing
Having taken apart a few pallets recently, I can attest to the efficacy of Ring Shank Nails. They're like the missing link between nails and screws. I imagine they're much quicker to install than screws, but a REAL pain to remove. Thanks as ever for the vid. Cheers from the UK.
Thank you sir for your knowledge 👍
Thanks for the great info man!!!!!
I have always fought with the decision on which to use and when. Well, now I know. Such a great, helpful video!!! Thanks so much!
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ❤️❤️
Good one....no one is talking about it. Thanks
Excellent video. Interesting and informative. Thanks
Thanks Michael!
I think this is a great video. There is a lot more to say on the topic and maybe a few ways to use nails that you didn’t mention. It doesn’t always work, but depending on the situation you can drive nails in at alternating angles as well as clench them. Clenching works especially well when the wood is relatively thin and there isn’t enough thickness for a screw to bite. I have had great success with these two additional methods.
If you want to prevent nail pop but want the shear strength, use both.
Im remodeling a 1950's house and after demolition and any reframing I might need to do, I shoot a screw or two where there is nail pop. Then I drive the nail back in.
You can also do this with new framing. I shoot one screw through the top and bottom plates into the studs and then come back and shoot two nails. Makes assembling a bit easier when driving nails with a hammer too.
PS
I like both and if used properly the both serve their purpose.
Holy Crap?!?!?! Who Knew?!?! Thank you again!!! Nice job!
Great video.. I always go for screws.
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ❤️❤️
Interesting as always!
Awesome videos as always
I am now a believer in screws - even in the vertical stress applications. A screw is far superior even in the vertical stress applications where you would think the nail would win. A test was done that fastened 2 x lumber together in various ways. In each test, one used screws and the other used ring shank nails. A hydraulic press was used that monitors the pounds of pressure applied to one of the boards fastened and the test ends when either the boards separate ("pull out"), or the fastener snaps ("shear out") or the integrity of the board gives and the board breaks, or the fastener cuts through the wood and comes out the edge ("tear out"). In every single test run, it never made it to the shear out point where the fastener snaps. One test i remember was a board run horizontally that was attaching to vertical studs. The hydraulic press applied downward pressure to the horizontal board that was attached to the vertical studs. This was a case where I thought the nail would for sure win because "nails have superior shear strength." It never makes it to the point of shear out. The nail is going to pull out of the board long before it snaps. The screw won in the test where I thought the screw would win but it also won all of the tests where i thought the nail would win. Not only did it beat the nail at literally ever single test, it beat it by a huge amount. The nails worst problem is pull out and thats where it fails. The screw was never snapped. One of the other things happened before the screw was snapped. Nails are preferred by contractors b/c they're cheaper and can be applied with a nail gun much faster than screws can be driven with an imapct. There would be a lot more man hours required to build a home if screws were used, thats why contractors and home owners dont want to use them. The cost of 1000 nails is much lower than the cost of 1000 screws. So nails win in the financial appeal in every way. Building code approves both screws and nails to use but you hardly ever see screws used b/c of the financial downside to them. But in no way are the nails structurally superior. To the contrary, screws are far superior structurally. Once you put a nail and a screw into wood, shear out is not where you should be focused.
Very helpful. I always wondered the application.
Thank you, Hal! 🙂
Awesome information.. Thanks
Thanks, I think you nailed it.
Thanks, Harry! 😆
Ethan James, you are just an amazing carpenter and a tutor as well, I Binge watched your whole channel in less than two weeks, so keep on doing what you love, cause you are doing it better than anyone.
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ..
Thank you!
Thanks for the comparison video. I needed this. 😎👍
You’re welcome, Bats! I’m aiming to get all the fundamentals covered on the channel over time 🙂
Very helpfu
Great tutorial. Definitely learned something!
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️
Agreed on all points !!!! I always frame with screws.
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ 😍❤️😍
That is very dumb
thanks for the info.
Brad nails and glue is the best way I've found to put together DIY cabinetry. The rest of the time I'm using screws.
Great video. I now know which is useful for what task!
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Nice job explaining
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ❤️❤️
Removing rusted deck screws is difficult when the head shears off leaving the body in the wood or when the Phillips head rounds off. Easier to pry up the wood deck if nails are used.
Good information, thanks
Thanks, David!
Another well done and worthwhile video. Thanks.
Obviously, this left a lot of material about screws vs nails behind. For example, there are times when nails are used over screws because they make teardown and reassembly more practical, like in trim/molding applications. Finish nails allow for the removal and replacement of trim without completely destroying the origianal material. The nail's head is shaped to allow it to be pulled through the wood with little damage.
Great video. Thanks.
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ❤️❤️
Thank you for the informative video HC.
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Great video, agree with all of it. Love your channel!
Great videos
Excellent, very instructive, thanks...
Thanks for watching, Juan!
I liked the explanation of why nails are used when they are. Didn’t know the reason. I always just thought it was a cost factor. Thanks for the knowledge.
Tough as a nail. That’s its strength. They don’t break. They bend.
Screws hold better and more secure in any scenario I've ever seen, renovated over 10 homes here...... idk where this magical shearing screw comes from, wish it was that easy to remove screws in renovations lol
25 years ago, I used SS square drive 3" and 3.5" deck screws to hold my deck together including the standard deck boards. Not a single issue, no broken screws, no rusting in PT wood. These screws have a cutting tip, so really no predrilling except maybe board ends. They can be reused. Maybe 5 years of life though on my FIL deck using standard coated deck screws. Many of them snapped off. They did that cause the wood decking was not finished, like mine. The wood moisture cycles and expands and contracts over and over, and all that movement of the wood caused those coated steel screws to break. So, the SS screws can bend a lot, even more than steel nails and not break, they hold great and do not rust.
Timely appearance of this video in my timeline--was pondering this question yesterday, wondering if nails were now fairly obsolete. Appreciate the analysis of the benefits of each.
But what if one doesn't have a nail gun and suitable air compressor? Then it seems screws win even more ground.
More great info. Thanx!
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️
Project farm did a cool video showing the data on nail holding strength you just anecdotally provided, as you said, all nails were blown away by even cheap drywall screws, what was cool was the other types of nails with spiral shank, that actually were lower than a standard nail, and ring shank nails which improved holding power slightly
👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼...™️!!!!
Hit me up
❤️❤️ ❤️❤️