What is the difference between headed and headless wire nails?

A headed (TP) nail stays proud and clamps harder; a headless (TH) nail sinks into the surface and leaves no mark. Visible surfaces, cladding and mouldings take the headless type.

Will any nail fit any nailer?

No. Nailer nails are made to a strip angle (21°, 30°, 34°), a collation (wire, plastic or paper) and a gauge; anything outside the combination the tool accepts will not feed.

What is a ring shank nail for?

The rings lock into the wood fibre and resist the nail pulling back out. In pallets, canopies and outdoor work — anywhere with withdrawal load — it holds far better than a smooth shank.

It is the gauge of the nail; the higher the number, the thinner the nail. An 18G brad is a fine, near-invisible nail used for cladding and trim.

Can nails be driven into concrete?

With a hardened grooved masonry nail and a suitable powder-actuated or impact tool. An ordinary wood nail will simply bend.

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Nails

The nail is still the fastest and cheapest fixing in formwork, pallets and rough carpentry. This page covers hand-driven and nailer nails, where headed and headless types belong, and why the angle and collation of a strip matter. The catalogue holds over 130 sizes plus Milwaukee nailer nails.

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Hand-driven nails

The common nail is the standard for formwork and rough carpentry, sized by a number that combines diameter and length. Wire nails are small and fine, and come headed (TP) or headless (TH): a headless nail leaves no mark on the face, which is why it goes into cladding, mouldings and furniture.

Clout nails have a wide head that presses thin material without crushing it; hardened grooved masonry nails are made to be driven into concrete and brick.

Nail	Where	Note
Common nail	Formwork, rough carpentry	Sized by number
Wire nail, headed (TP)	General assembly	Head stays proud
Wire nail, headless (TH)	Cladding, mouldings, furniture	Leaves no mark
Clout nail	Thin sheet, packaging	Wide head
Grooved masonry nail	Concrete, brick	Hardened

Nailer nails: collation, angle and gauge

Pneumatic and cordless nailers take nails in strips or coils rather than singly. A tool accepts only its own collation, angle and gauge: a 34° D-head strip will not feed a 21° round-head tool.

Gauge describes how fine the nail is — the higher the number, the thinner the nail. An 18G brad is fine and leaves almost no mark, for cladding and trim; ring shank nails resist withdrawal thanks to the rings on the shank and are preferred for pallets and outdoor work.

Check the angle and collation the tool accepts.
18G brad: fine, near-invisible, for cladding and trim.
Ring shank: ringed shank, high withdrawal resistance.
Box quantities are high (3,000-12,000); plan consumption accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between headed and headless wire nails?
A headed (TP) nail stays proud and clamps harder; a headless (TH) nail sinks into the surface and leaves no mark. Visible surfaces, cladding and mouldings take the headless type.
Will any nail fit any nailer?
No. Nailer nails are made to a strip angle (21°, 30°, 34°), a collation (wire, plastic or paper) and a gauge; anything outside the combination the tool accepts will not feed.
What is a ring shank nail for?
The rings lock into the wood fibre and resist the nail pulling back out. In pallets, canopies and outdoor work — anywhere with withdrawal load — it holds far better than a smooth shank.
What does 18G mean?
It is the gauge of the nail; the higher the number, the thinner the nail. An 18G brad is a fine, near-invisible nail used for cladding and trim.
Can nails be driven into concrete?
With a hardened grooved masonry nail and a suitable powder-actuated or impact tool. An ordinary wood nail will simply bend.