What Is a Brad Nail?
Brad nails are useful for those occasions that call for a small fastener. These occasions include hanging paneling, installing base boards, door trim and window trim, and many other projects around the home, office and shop.
-
Brad Nails
-
Brad nails are small nails of varying lengths that are made of varying gauges, or diameters, of metal. These nails can be installed with a hammer, or they can be loaded into a pneumatic nailer and shot into place.
Installing Brad Nails
-
Brad nails and finish nails are easy to tap into place with a tack hammer or a claw hammer. Tack hammers are specially designed to handle small nails and are perfect for working with brads. Claw hammers are much bigger and bulkier than tack hammers, so you have to be careful not to bend the nails as you pound them into place.
Covert Finishing
-
Brad nails have small heads that are designed to be slightly countersunk into the material. The hole that is left behind is then filled with a wood putty or nail-hole filler, depending on the type of material being installed. Fill the nail hole with the putty, allow it to dry, and finish with paint or wood stain according to the directions on the packaging.
Other Installation Methods
-
Brad nails are available in a wide assortment of lengths for a number of different fastening tools. Among these tools are the pneumatic nailer, the electric nailer and the manual nailer. These tools are limited by the fastener length, gauge and group style. Some brad nails are glued together in straight sticks, and others are glued together in angled sticks. Remember to use the style that is intended for use in your fastening tool.
Nail Size
-
When choosing the length of the brad to use for a project, choose one that is at least three times the thickness of the material you are nailing through. If you are installing crown molding and the thickness of the material you are nailing through is 1/2-inch thick, choose a brad nail that is at least 1 1/2-inch thick.
-
