What Are the Different Sizes of Finishing Nails?
Finishing nails are very strong and perfect for applications that demand high strength and supporting power. That is why the finishing nails are used in crown molding, paneling, and cabinetry.
The high strength and supporting-ability of the finishing nails depend on 2 parameters – one is the construction material and the other is its size. Finishing nails are made of steel. You must know that steel is a very strong material that increases the strengthens of any product where it is used.
Different Sizes of Finishing Nails
The size of the finish nails is generally categorized by the thickness or gauge number. The bigger gauge number means smaller-sized nails. This means if the gauge number is smaller then the finishing nails are stronger. So, if you are looking for stronger finishing nails then I will recommend you choose the finishing nails with a smaller gauge number.
The gauge size of finishing nails ranges from 15 gauge to 10 gauge. The length of the finishing nails ranges from 1 inch to 4 inches.
You will also find another unit to express the size of the finishing nails, which is called the penny unit. When the size of the finishing nail is expressed by the penny unit the length is expressed by the letter “d”. According to this method, the length of the finishing nails ranges from 2d to 20d where 2d means 1 inch and 20d means 4 inches.
The difference between every two sizes is 0.25. For example – if the length of the 2d finish nail is 1 inch, then the length of the 3d finish nail will be 1 ¼ inch; the length of the 4d nail will be 1 ½ inch. Now if you calculate the difference between 2d and 3d nails it will be 0.25; the difference between 3d and 4d nails will also be 0.25.
But the difference between the two subsequent gauge numbers does not remain constant. Finishing nails are available in 16 ½, 15 ½, 15, 15, 13,13, 12 ½ ,12 ½, 11 ½, 11 ½, 11, and 10 gauge. Among these the 15 gauge and 16 gauge finish nailers are very popular.
Final Thought
Finishing nails are used to give the final touch to the object. So, it is necessary to maintain accurate nail depth. If you have a clear concept with the size of the finishing nails you can complete your job perfectly.
Compared to the other nails finishing nails have smaller diameters and smaller heads. When the heads of the finishing nails are driven below the surface there remain small holes. These holes do not look good and are needed to hide using putty.
