09/27/2022
It’s time to settle an age-old debate: nails vs. screws. Both are a form of ancient wood-fastening technology that still get the job done today. But how do you know which one to use for any given project?
Let’s start by saying that both nails and screws are excellent wood fasteners when they’re sized correctly and installed properly. And in many cases, you can use either a nail or a screw for a strong, lasting connection. The right choice often comes down to the tool used to drive in the fastener, the dimensions of the wood pieces being fastened together, and whether you’re constructing a house or building a woodworking project.
When deciding between nails and screws, keep in mind that nails are less brittle, so they provide greater shear strength. They may bend under pressure, but they seldom snap.
Screws, on the other hand, may not be as forgiving, but their threaded shafts hold better in wood and draw boards together much more tightly and they have greater tensile strength. Screws also do a better job of holding tight during wood’s natural expansion and contraction.
In many cases, nails can be stronger and less expensive—a bonus for any home builder.
Generally speaking, nails are popular for general carpentry jobs, such as:
Framing walls and roofs
Securing plywood sheathing
Putting down hardwood floors
Installing siding and roofing
Small-diameter nails, including finishing nails and brads, are ideal for:
Nailing up interior moldings, such as baseboard, chair rail and window and door casings
Installing exterior house trim, including rake boards, fascia, frieze and corner boards
Attaching stiles and rails to cabinets
Solid-wood edging to plywood shelves
Anywhere you don’t want to mar the wood’s surface with the head of a screw
As mentioned earlier, both nails and screws are excellent fasteners and you can often use them interchangeably, depending on the job at hand.
Screws are preferred for such tasks as:
Hanging drywall
Attaching ledger boards
Installing cabinets
Fastening wood decking
Fabricating cabinets, wooden toys, bookcases, and other woodworking projects
For any wood-to-wood connection that you may need to take apart.