Choosing the correct size of brad nail are important because the size of the brad nail will determine how well the brad nail hold the trim to the wall. If the brad nail that is use is too short, the brad nail wont be able to reach the stud behind the drywall, and the trim will fall off of the wall. However, if the brad nail used is too long, the brad nail may split the woods that the trim is being secured by, or the long brad nail may puncture the trim.
In each of these cases, a person must refer to size chart for the specific project to determine the correct size of brad nail to use. The thickness of a brad nail is measured by its gauge. The gauge of the brad nail will determine the amount of damage that the brad nail will do to the wood that it is being used on.
How to Choose the Right Brad Nail
An 18-gauge brad nail are a common size for most projects since 18-gauge brad nails is thick enough to hold items like shoe molding and chair rails. However, 18 gauge brad nails may be too larger for some craft projects that use delicate wood. In these instances, a person should use a 23 gauge micro pin instead.
A 23 gauge micro pin is thinner than an 18 gauge brad nail, and will leave smaller hole in the wood. However, a 23 gauge micro pin has less holding power than an 18 gauge brad nail. Therefore, you should apply wood glue to the joints in these instances.
The type of wood that is being utilize in the project will also impact the way in which the brad nails are to be used. Woods that are soft, like pine and poplar, is easy to nail into since the fibers of the wood will naturaly close around the brad nail. Hardwoods, like oak and cherry, are difficult to nail into since the wood fiber are strong and will naturally split when a person forces a brad nail into the wood.
To avoid splitting the hardwood, a person can either use less pressure from the nail gun, or pre-drill holes into the hardwood. The material of brad nails is important due to the way that the nails will react to moisture. Bright steel brad nail are commonly used for indoor projects since bright steel brad nails are inexpensive and effective for indoor projects.
However, bright steel brad nails will rust if they are used in environment that are humid. A zinc coating protects galvanized brad nails, so they are helpful in environments like the bathroom or the porch. Stainless steel brad nails are the most resistant to moisture and salt air; however, they may be brittle if the pressure that is use with the nail gun is too high.
Therefore, the person should match the material of the nail with the environment in which the nail will be used to avoid corrosion of the metal. Lastly, the length of the brad nails should be considered in relation to the thickness of the wood that is being utilize in the project. If an individual use a long brad nail into thin plywood, the brad nail may blow out the back of the plywood.
Additionally, if an individual uses a short brad nail for heavy trim, the trim will fall from the wall due to the lack of strength in the joint. Therefore, brad nails should be placed every sixteen inches into the framing, the nails should be staggered, and wood glue should be applied to the joints prior to insert the brad nails. Using these step will allow the trim to securely attach to the framing of the wall.
