What are Tongue Nails?
Tongue nails are used to hold together the roofing shingles and other materials which have been nailed into place with nails. They may be made from any type of wood, but they usually consist of a piece of hardwood such as oak, pine or cedar. The nails themselves are typically square, but they may be round, oval or hexagonal. Most often the nails are notched so that they will go through the shingle better.
Some types of tongue and grooves have no nails at all; these roofs are called “open” roofs.
The most common size of tongue and groove nail is a ¾ inch (1 cm) square one. There are also smaller sizes available, such as ½ inch (1.27 cm).
Types of Tongue Nail Types
There are two main types of tongue and groove nails: flat and round. Flat nails work well for most applications because they don’t require too much effort to drive them into the shingles. Round nails tend to be stronger than flat ones, but they’re harder to get in tight places like between the studs.
The most common way of holding the nail is with a nail set. This is a small metal rod which is used to hit the head of the nail until it goes below the surface. Nail sets are excellent tools for driving nails below the surface when they can’t be seen, like in roofing or siding installations.
How to Buy Tongue and Groove Nails
Tongue and groove nails are very simple to buy. They’re relatively cheap, and standard. The only thing which matters is that the nails you buy for your project are the right length and size. It doesn’t really matter what type of head or shape they are, as long as they fit the nail gun you’re using.
If you want to buy nails for a roofing project, you can get all of the supplies you need at Lowes or Home Depot. Usually, you can get them even cheaper online. One place which sells them online is Amazon.
How to Use Tongue and Groove Nails
Tongue and groove nails are quite easy to use. You only need two things to use them: a pneumatic nail gun, and some knowledge of construction. First, you need to decide how long you want the nails to go into the wood. If you want them to go in very far, do several shallow shots.
You can also do one or two deep shots if needed.
Once you’ve determined how far you want the nails to go in, place the gun so that the tip of the nail will be placed properly. Next, take a nail and load it into the gun. Now, aim at the wood and pull the trigger.
If you’re using a pneumatic nail gun, you’ll need to “charge” it with air by using a compressor. This is relatively easy; most nail guns use the same connectors as airtools from a hardware store, so you can buy one of those and just buy a hose connector that will fit your gun.
Once you’ve charged the gun, you’re ready to start nailing down your wood!
Things to Consider When Nailing Down Wood
If you’re nailing down wood, there are a few things to keep in mind. You should always use the right kind of nail for the right job. Some kinds of wood work better with certain nails. You should try to use the same kind of wood when you can.
Also, the size and shape of the nail should resemble the kind of wood you’re using. If you’re using wide, thick wood, you should use wide, thick nails. If you’re using thin wood, you should use thin nails.
You should also keep in mind where you’re nailing. If the wood you’re nailing is under a lot of tension (like a beam), you need to use nails which are shaped in a way to handle that tension. You don’t want the nail to snap because you used the wrong kind of nail!
As you can see, there’s quite a bit to learn about nailing wood down. If you’re a carpenter, you need to know an awful lot about nails. If you’re just a weekend warrior who likes to build stuff, it’s still good to know a thing or two. Learning about the different kinds of nails and how they work will help keep your projects looking nice and professional.
Nailing wood is a great way to keep your projects looking good and holding together. Knowing about the different kinds of nails and what they’re used for will help you keep your projects looking professional. If you’re looking for some wood to work with, check out the link below.
Thanks for reading!
You can find Tongue and Groove Nails here .
Sources & references used in this article:
- Board of the tongue and groove type (FW Cherry – US Patent 2,004,193, 1935 – Google Patents)
- Saw and method for tongue and groove joints (B Adolf – US Patent 2,974,692, 1961 – Google Patents)
- Locating and positioning fixture for nailing machines (EM Gehl, FB Adamson – US Patent 3,360,176, 1967 – Google Patents)
- Siding tool (R Milo – US Patent 2,438,766, 1948 – Google Patents)
- Body assembly (R Schaefer – US Patent 4,376,593, 1983 – Google Patents)