Best Nails For Asphalt Shingles

Size length and gauge of nails.

Best nails for asphalt shingles.

The screw shank nails. Use proper nailing technique. Nails used to secure asphalt shingles must be intended for the purpose. Galvanized roofing nails are steel nails that are zinc coated.

Galvanized roofing nails tend to resist rust formation and they are a suitable option for asphalt shingles. For instance if you live in a coastal area where your home is exposed to salt stainless steel roofing nails may be a good choice. Another kind of classification for roofing nails is by size. Fasteners for asphalt shingles shall be galvanized steel stainless steel aluminum or copper roofing nails minimum 12 gage 0 105 inch 3 mm shank with a minimum 3 8 inch 10 mm diameter head astm f 1667 of a length to penetrate through the roofing materials and a minimum of 3 4 inch 19 mm into the roof sheathing.

Where the roof sheathing is less than 3 4 inch 19 mm thick the fasteners shall penetrate through the sheathing. Standard lengths are between 1 and 2 inches 2 and 5 centimeters but they are also available at lengths of up to 6 inches 15 centimeters. As we state in our companion article asphalt shingle installation best practices the preferred fastener is galvanized roofing nails with a minimum 12 gauge shank and head diameter of at least 3 8 inch. When the nails are overdriven the heads of the nails punch right through the mat of the shingle.

The preferred attachment nails are galvanized steel or corrosion resistant roofing nails. They hold up better against rust and they can also be used for asphalt shingles. These are often used for projects with asphalt shingles. When the pressure is set too high the nails simply get driven into the shingles too far.

Owens corning requires using either galvanized steel stainless steel or aluminum nails to affix shingles. Galvanized nails are steel nails that have been coated in a layer of zinc. Before you go shopping for roofing nails you need to have an idea of what you are looking for. A guide to buying the right roofing nails for your project.

Although staples are allowed in some jurisdictions they do not provide the same holding power. Many roofers use pneumatic nail guns to nail down the shingles. When installing asphalt shingles on felt only to any grade decking you should use 1 inch long roofing nails. Galvanized nails are excellent at withstanding rust.