Roof Nails Vs Staples

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Roof nails vs staples.

Theoretically staples should hold just as well as nails but with a wider coverage hold down area. Staples are the method used years ago that gave machine roofing a bad name. In the past when it came to the debate of roofing nails versus staples the industry was split down the middle. Roofing staple guns were light and easy to use over the newer and heavier roofing nail guns that were coming onto the market.

Local codes residential say that either 2 nails or staples can be used and that s for roof and wall sheathing. Staples cost less than nails offer exceptional holding strength and cover a greater area of space with a more versatile and compact collation. Remodelers may roof by hand because they are not willing to invest in the equipment. I have never had to repair a stapled roof but the nail advocates all claim that staples are garbage.

The preferred fastener is galvanized roofing nails with a minimum 12 gauge shank and head diameter of at least 3 8 inch. In my experience staples have much better holding power than nails. Staples are far less prone to jamming up in a gun than nails. A roofer can hold a bunch of sticks of staples in their pocket and reload their gun very quickly.

Hand naming will not do it. From my understanding properly places staples vs properly placed 2 nails have little to no difference in holding power the argument is that staples will break easier. The staple will have a double prong unlike the brad meaning that it can transfix two pieces of wood at the same time. Although staples are allowed in some jurisdictions they do not provide the same holding power.

I can t see them being of any lesser quality than roofing nails. Mainly because they do not roof everyday. Coil nail guns are literally fed with a coil of nails and the holder for the nails makes the gun much bulkier. Similarly 19 32 osb roof sheathing would be 8d common box or casing nails at 6 on center at the panel edges and 12 on center in the field or 2 16 gage staples at 4 on center at the panel edges and 8 on center in the field.

For one staples cost less than nails adding to their profit per roof. We are talking nails hand or gun. They are an accepted fastener by shingle manufacturers such as sbc and maibec. Staples also offered excellent holding strength and could be installed over a larger roof area quickly.

Staples while the staple can also be used in finishing wood projects they are not nails. When properly installed a staple grabs and holds more material than the small head nail could ever hope to. Staples cost less money. Click to enlarge any image.