We're excited to announce the arrival of the Everwin MCN40 Joist Hanger Nailer, launched exclusively through Nail Gun Depot! Conceived with innovation and convenience in mind, this metal connector nailer is noticeably compact. But don't let its small size fool you.

Imagine a pneumatic joist nailer that weighs just 4.4 lbs and can tackle metal framing hardware with respectable power. The manufacturer is so confident in this tool's capability, Everwin calls the MCN40, a “construction nailer with an industrial tool’s core.”

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Often a make-or-break factor in roofing, pallet assembly or framing projects, nail shank type plays a critical role in U.S. building code. Using the wrong shank can leave you with a damaged roof, squeaky subfloor, or worse. The following are the most common gun nail shank types found in construction. Learn which is best for your job—and why.

Smooth Shank Nails

Let’s start with the most common nail shank type. Smooth shank nails have no threading and are the easiest to drive. This also makes them the fastest type of nail to drive. Depending on strength and makeup, they can be driven into nearly any surface, and are suitable for a wide range of everyday construction applications—from framing to finishing.

Pro Tip: Consult with building codes and material manufacturer guidelines before starting a project, to determine if you need to use a certain kind of nail or other fastener. You can also check with the International Code Council (ICC) construction-related specifications. 

As you might imagine, smooth nails are the easiest shank type to produce, and thus, among the most affordable. What smooth shank nails offer in versatility, however, they lack in optimal holding ability. So you wouldn’t use them for jobs like roofing, where greater pull-through or withdrawal resistance is needed.

Applications: Framing, Siding, Trim and Finishing, General Woodworking

Ring Shank Nails

Ring shank nails have annular (ring-shaped) threads on them that prevent them from being removed as easily as smooth shank nails. When driven, the thread creates a “locking” effect with wood fibers, which gives it greater resistance from withdrawal.

The ICC considers this and other nail shank thread types as "deformations." According to the International Staple, Nail and Tool Association (ISANTA), "The most common method to make a "deformed" shank is to start with smooth round wire that has been drawn down to the nominal diameter of the finished nail. During the manufacturing process, special machinery rolls and compresses the steel to "deform" the smooth shank into the desired shape:  ring, screw, etc."

So in other words, the term "deformation" is not a negative one. It simply describes the fact that threaded shank nails differ from smooth shank nails, which have what’s considered a "regular" formation.

If you’re driving nails into a material where expansion and contraction is an issue (such as with subfloors, or where fasteners are exposed to the changing elements), you’ll want ring shank nails. Ring shank nails are great for surfaces exposed to high winds that might pull out a common nail. They’re ideally suited for softer woods that might otherwise split when nailed.

Applications: Siding, Roof Decking, Asphalt Shingles, Underlayment, Subfloors (See Installing Subfloors: Nails Vs. Screws.) 

Screw Shank Nails

Screw shank nails combine the benefits of a nail with those of a screw. You get the ease of drive that a nail offers, and approximately the same holding power as that of a screw. The thread forces the nail to turn as it’s driven, essentially forging its own thread in the wood. As with ring shank nails, the threads create a locking effect that makes the nail more difficult to remove.

This type of nail takes more force to drive than both smooth and ring shank nails, but provides greater pull-through resistance than either. While ring nails are more suitable for softer wood species, screw shank nails are ideal for hardwoods. A longer, more complex manufacturing process (and increased holding power) means that screw shank nails are generally more expensive than smooth and ring shank nails too.

Applications: Decking, Flooring, Pallet Assembly, Siding, Fencing, Framing, Sheathing

Helical & Other Nail Shanks

Specifically designed for use with hard yet brittle materials, such as concrete or brick, masonry nails are hardened to prevent bending or breaking when they’re driven. Rather than a threading, as with ring and screw shank nails, fluted shank nails feature linear grooves that allow them to be easily driven without breaking apart the concrete. You may also see the term helical nails, which are also used for concrete and steel. 

Applications: Furring, Floor Plates, Drywall Track To Concrete, Steel Beams

There are other specialty types of nail shank, such as barbed shank, helical threaded shank, stepped-shank, knurled shank, and others—each designed for specialized applications. To further sharpen your nail knowledge, read more about nail components.

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With nature's most recent onslaughts, we're reminded of the need for fortitude in our structures, and dependability from the fasteners that secure them. Stainless steel fasteners outlast the elements better than other fasteners, and offer corrosion resistance where others don't.

In addressing 6 myths about this durable metal, we uncover the qualities that make stainless steel fasteners among the most reliable you can buy.

Myth 1. Stainless Steel Fasteners are coated.

Stainless steel is a solid material throughout. In fact, it’s a self-healing metal, which means that if the surface is scratched, the metal naturally creates a transparent, protective layer. The process is known as self-passivation, and the protective layer is chromium oxide. This outer layer keeps the metal beneath from corroding.

Some stainless steel fasteners are treated to a passivation process. The can involve putting fasteners through an acid bath that removes iron from the nail's surface, followed by an oxidizer to force conversion of chromium into an oxide form. This is done to mimic the nature self-passivation process in order to immediately enhance the corrosion resistance of the fastener.

Myth 2 - Stainless Steel Doesn't Stain.

The name “Stainless Steel" is actually a bit deceiving. Grease can leave its mark, minerals like calcium carbonate can build up (think of an old shower head), and hydrochloric acid, for example, can eat away at steel.

Keep in mind that while stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, it’s not corrosion-proof (no metal is). Once it oxidizes, stainless steel does corrode, but at a much slower rate than other metals.

Myth 3. Stainless Steel is a “pure” metal.

Like many metals, including brass and bronze, steel is not an element itself. Rather, it’s an alloy or mix of metals. Regular steel consists of iron + carbon, often with other elements added to achieve desired characteristics. Steel is a strong material, but it’s also prone to rust.

In 1913, Harry Brearly discovered that adding a specific mix of chromium to steel made it resistant to the effects of certain acids. The element chromium is added (at least 10%) to regular steel to make it stain-resistant.

Myth 4. All stainless steel is the same.

There are more than 100 grades of stainless steel, each sub-classified into its own “family."

The most common kind of stainless steel is grade 304, part of the austenitic family, which contain 15 to 30% chromium. Grade 304 stainless steel contains 18% chromium, 8% nickel and a mix of other elements. This versatile material is known as 18/8 stainless, and is typically less expensive than higher-grade stainless steel, as it has less built-in chemical resistance.

You may also be familiar with the second most common type of stainless steel. Grade 316 stainless steel has a greater portion of nickel--and the addition of molybdenum. Molybdenum is resistant to chloride, making it suitable for areas with exposure to harsh chemicals, salted roadways or coastal environments.

Myth 5. Stainless Steel is stronger/weaker than regular steel.

Stainless steel has a low carbon content and can’t be hardened by heat treatment, as regular steel can. So regular, untreated steel isn't as hard as stainless. However, in its hardened state, regular, heat-treated steel is in fact harder than stainless.

Myth 6. Galvanized fasteners are just as good as stainless

Even a well-coated steel nail will corrode before a stainless one. When it corrodes, this can affect the fastener's holding power.

An added risk, there's the potential that the tool driving the fastener (or other abrasion) will chip the corrosion-resistant coating and prematurely begin the oxidation process. Furthermore, the tannins in certain woods (redwoods and cedar, specifically) and the metals used to treat lumber can react to the galvanized coating in fasteners, expediting corrosion.

In many applications, including exterior construction, and in climates with humid, marine or extreme weather conditions, stainless steel is simply the optimal choice for fastener. Stainless steel fasteners aren't just used in construction; many boat and automotive upholsterers use stainless steel staples. To learn more about the differences between galvanized and stainless steel fasteners, see our article Everything to Know About Galvanized Nails.

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Stainless Steel Nails

Why can’t I order staples for my pneumatic stapler by dimension?

Unlike nails, staples are often sold by series, which doesn't tell you much about size. Furthermore, staples are not "one-size-fits-most," contrary to most categories of collated nails. Staples are instead measured not only by leg length and wire gauge, but also by crown width.

Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble deciding on a staple gun, see “Choosing A Staple Gun For Your Project.”

Crown Size

The crown is the bridge, otherwise known as the horizontal part of a staple that joins the legs. Crown sizes are typically segmented into wide, medium and narrow designations. This can become tricky, as some manufacturers measure the inside of the crown, while others measure the outside (or exterior) of the crown.

Staple crown type can vary by application. For example, some staples come with a flat top, while others have a round or "U-shaped" crown. However, we'll take a closer look at the various crown types in a later article.

Leg Length

While a staple series is typically determined by gauge and crown (which we'll cover later in this article), leg length can vary significantly - even within the same series of staple. See the different leg lengths for the 7/16” crown staple, for example, below.

There are a couple rules of thumb with regard to staple length:

1. Leg length requirements vary by application type, as well as the base material you are driving the staple into. The staple has to be able to fully penetrate and clasp to form a tight bond.

2. The longer the staple legs, the greater the hold or withdrawal strength.

Pro Tip: Never try to force a staple into the wrong tool. Not only can this create a jam, but it could break the staple or damage the tool.

Getting To The Point

Most staples have chisel points, which taper to a point on both legs. This lets the staple legs drive directly into the base material.

Another variation is the divergent-point staple, where the tips taper to opposing points. This forces the legs to bend outward in different directions. Divergent point staples are more difficult to pull out, providing greater holding power.

Wire Gauge

As with nails, staples are categorized by different wire gauges or thicknesses. Gauge is determined by the wire diameter, a standard set in the early half of the 20th century by American Wire Gauge standards. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the thinner the wire, the higher the gauge number. The smallest gauge staple wire we carry here at Nail Gun Depot is a 23-gauge staple for upholstery applications, while the largest is 9 gauge for wire fence building.

Generally speaking, the thicker the wire gauge, the more rugged the application. For finer applications, like fastening upholstery to a furniture frame, a thinner gauge staple is preferable.

What’s In A Staple Series?

Finally, let’s talk staple series. Is there a rhyme or reason for the different series numbers?

In short, yes, it’s true that tool manufacturers want you to use their staples -- and they do make proprietary fasteners to drive the point. Most staple series are determined by the staple's crown size (width) and gauge (thickness).

One way many manufacturers make staple shopping easier, they may designate a particular "series" of staple that is compatible with their tool. Each staple series makes it easier to find the exact staple you need, without having to know all of the dimensions—or how the crown is measured.

In order to consistently get the right staples for your tool, rely on the staple gun itself. More often than not, staple dimensions are printed on a staple gun's magazine.

Finding The Right Fasteners

To help you find the right series, we’ve created the Fastener Finder tool on Nail Gun Depot. Just choose your stapler brand/model from the drop-down menu, and we'll do the rest.  Even if you’re using an older model of air stapler, we can help identify the correct staples for your tool.

Have other questions? Contact us here.

~ The Nail Gun Depot Team

Rebar, or reinforcing bar, is the backbone of concrete work. While concrete is strong in some ways (compression strength), it’s weak in others (tensile strength). In simpler terms, it means concrete can stand to be pushed more than it can to be pulled.

That’s where steel rebar comes in. Steel has a high tensile strength and is added to concrete structures to give the needed strength to support buildings, roads, retaining walls and the like. Before concrete is poured and set, steelworkers lay the rebar according to specified building and construction codes.

Rebar comes in a range of coatings and gauges, depending upon application. The rods must be connected by corresponding ties, a tedious yet important process, to keep the rebar from moving while the concrete is poured.

From Manual to Power Tiers

To save costs, materials and manpower, it was only a matter of time before a powered rebar tying tool was created. Tying rebar is tough on the body, mainly the wrist, shoulder and back. For a rodman, or rodbuster, repeatedly twisting metal wire can be permanently damaging over the long-term. A NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) study in 2005 revealed the potential health hazards and suggestions for making a safer work environment. If a worker is tying rebar for more than an hour per day, NIOSH recommends providing a cordless tying tool and a tying tool extension arm.

Purchasing a cordless rebar tier is truly an investment. Looking for a strong lithium ion battery that holds a decent charge is key, as is a balanced tool that prevents fatigue and potential injury. Before you buy, make sure the tier is not only fast, but makes a strong, secure tie.

The MAX Effect

Without a doubt, one of the most familiar names in rebar tying tools is MAX USA Corp. They’ve been perfecting power tools for more than 20 years. MAX created the first battery-powered rebar tying tool, the RB262 (which used a nickel cadmium battery) in 1993. In 1998, power tiers became available to the American market, and the rest was history.

Currently, the cordless MAX RB398 is among the most popular tiers at Nail Gun Depot. Weighing a mere 5 lbs. and delivering more than 2,500 ties per battery charge—that’s 5x faster than manual tying—the RB398 can hold its own. Plus, it eliminates the need to disperse and cut rebar wire, saving on materials waste.

But just when you thought they were done, MAX once again improves on their already bullet proof design.

Dual Wire, Dual Savings

New to the market for 2018, the MAX RB441T TwinTier offers an incredible output of 4,000 ties per battery charge. That’s a 200% increase from the previous models. The TwinTier also creates a highly secure connection thanks to a dual-wire feeding system, which dispenses two 19-gauge wires at once to form a tie. The tie is 50% tighter to boot.

Like most rebar tiers, the RB441T comes in three tie wire options: regular or annealed steel, the most commonly used; galvanized with a zinc coating, which adds 40 times more corrosion resistance and is used for moist or marine environments; and polyester-coated wire, which is abrasion-resistant and at least 70 times more corrosion-resistant than annealed steel. The tie wire rolls are changed out in about half a second, an improvement compared to previous models.

Due to the TwinTier’s patent-pending wire bending mechanism, the tie it creates has a 50% shorter height than the projecting “rabbit ears” produced by older cordless models. What does this mean to the concrete construction job overall? It means less concrete is needed to cover the tie, which further saves on materials. Check out this video from MAX, taking a closer look at the new RB441T. Hear what professionals in the field have to say.

Not only does the rebar tying tool save on materials and time, but labor. Fewer tiers are required per job, and an ironworker doesn't need the advanced tying skills and speed of years past. The tedious, wrist-twisting work is done for you - no strings attached.

Need more? Ask one of our skilled customer service specialists about MAX USA rebar tiers and tie wire.

~ The Nail Gun Depot Team