Nails or Screws? When And How To Use Them Correctly?

Nails or Screws

Nails are not only used in the industrial and automotive settings. Even for home projects and home improvement, nails and screws are needed. But nails and screws are totally different from each other. Each of them has its own uses. That is why it is still important that you understand how each of them is used and how to utilize them correctly before you start purchasing from fasteners manufacturers in India.

When To Use Nails?

Among the two fasteners, nails are the more popular and much familiar option. For larger projects, nails are usually more preferred. Nails are used in house framing as well as installing the hardwood floors. Nails have smooth heads and shafts making it easy to use with a hammer or a nail gun in a timely manner. They are also stronger and are less expensive compared to screws.

fasteners manufacturers

And when laying down hardwood floorboards, nails can be the fastener of choice. Because of its thinner shaft, it prevents wood from splitting when hammered.  Nails are also a bit flexible which allows the material to expand and contract naturally without going loose. Common nails are used for framing, construction, as well as other carpentry tasks. Box nails are perfect for wood projects. Finishing nails on the other hand are used for detail work such as door jambs, securing a molding, as well as for baseboards.

When to Use Screws?

Screws are used for small to mid-sized projects like decking or woodworking. They can be controlled easier especially when inserting or extracting. This fastener is typically preferred by woodworkers because they can be used to build jigs and other smaller projects. For mounting any hardware, or constructing cabinets, as well as joining parts of the furniture, screws are the better choice. Because of how it’s designed, screws cause less potential damage while being inserted especially when working with more delicate materials like drywall and plaster.

When installing drywall or subflooring, nails can be used but screws are much preferred. Simply because this fastener tends to hold tighter. Even when installing subfloors, screws work much better since they are less likely to loosen up in the long run. And to avoid squeaky floors, screws are used because this can create tighter joints.

Nails and Screws

When To Use Both Nails and Screws?

For some projects, there are instances where screws and nails can be interchangeable. There are projects where you will find yourself using both fasteners. For example, when working on a deck, you can use nails to attach the joist to the deck frame. But the screws work better to fasten the deck itself. Also, screws can be used to repair and prevent a head pop out of the framing which nails tend to do.

Knowing whether to use nails or screws on a certain project is essential. This way, you can avoid dealing with problems in the future. So before you work on a project, make sure that you know what fasteners to use. You can check building codes because this can give you an idea which fastener works best on certain building material.