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Home > Home and Garden > DIY > Useful Information > Screws and Nails > 2 of 2

Metric and Imperial Measurements

The Right Nail For The Job

Job	Nail
Wood sheet materials (hardboard, plywood,blockboard)	F, G, H
Plasterboard	J
Fixings to masonry	M, N
Fixing metal to wood	H
Hard roof coverings	I, K, L
Roofing felt	L
Wire to timber or brickwork	Q
Holding glass to wooden frames	P
Rough woodwork & heavy joinery	A, B, C, D, E
Light joinery & cabinet making	B, C, F
Carpet fixing	O

A. Round wire nail (or French nail). Strong fixing, large head. Good for general carpentry and carcass making.

15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm
5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in

45mm	50mm	60mm	65mm	75mm
1 3/4in	2in	2 1/4in	2 1/2in	3in

90mm	100mm	115mm	125mm	150mm
3 1/2in	4in	4 1/2in	5in	6in

180mm	200mm
7in	8in

B. Oval wire nail (oval lost or brad head). Good for joinery: won't usually split wood if section follows the grain and head can be punched into wood.

20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm	45mm
3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in	1 3/4in

50mm	60mm	65mm	75mm	90mm
2in	2 1/4in	2 1/2in	3in	3 1/2in

100mm	125mm	150mm
4in	5in	6in

C. Round lost head. Good for joinery; head can be punched below surface, leaving only a small hole.

15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm
5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in

50mm	60mm	65mm	75mm
2in	2 1/4in	2 1/2in	3in

D. Cut floor brad. All purpose nail, strong and secure.

20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm	45mm
3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in	1 3/4in

50mm	60mm	65mm	70mm	75mm
2in	2 1/4in	2 1/2in	2 3/4in	3in

90mm	100mm	115mm
3 1/2in	4in	4 1/2in

E. Cut clasp. Good all-purpose carpentry nail with strong grip.

25mm	30mm	40mm	50mm	65mm
1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in	2in	2 1/2in

75mm	90mm	100mm	115mm	125mm
3in	3 1/2in	4in	4 1/2in	5in

150mm	180mm	200mm
6in	7in	8in

F. Panel pin. Good for light joinery. Fine gauge and small head easily driven below surface.

10mm	15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm
1/2in	5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in

40mm	50mm	65mm	75mm
1 1/2in	2in	2 1/2in	3in

G. Hardboard (deep-drive or diamond point) pin. Head is self-countersinking.

20mm

3/4in

H. Screw nail. For securing sheets of ply, hardboard or metal to timber, e.g. floors.

10mm	15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm
1/2in	5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in

40mm	45mm	50mm
1 1/2in	1 3/4in	2in

I. Helical threaded nail. For corrugated sheet roofing. Helical thread gives extra-secure hold and is usually used with shaped washers.

40mm	45mm	50mm	60mm	65mm
1 1/2in	1 3/4in	2in	2 1/4in	2 1/2in

75mm	90mm	100mm	115mm	125mm
3in	3 1/2in	4in	4 1/2in	5in

150mm	180mm	200mm
6in	7in	8in

J. Plasterboard nail. Has jagged sides to help secure it.

30mm	40mm
1 1/4in	1 1/2in

K. Clout nail (slate nail). For fencing, roofing and fixing slates.

15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm
5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in

45mm	50mm	65mm	75mm	90mm
1 3/4in	2in	2 1/2in	3in	3 1/2in

100mm
4in

L. Extra large head clout (felt) nail. For securing roofing felt and external fabrics.

15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm
5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in

M. Pipe (chisel point) nail. For fixing drainpipes and gutters into masonry.

50mm	65mm	75mm	90mm	100mm
2in	2 1/2in	3in	3 1/2in	4in

N. Masonry nail. Made of hardened steel, it will penetrate masonry and concrete but must only be driven in using a hardened engineers' hammer.

20mm	25mm	30mm	40mm	45mm
3/4in	1in	1 1/4in	1 1/2in	1 3/4in

50mm	60mm	65mm	70mm	75mm
2in	2 1/4in	2 1/2in	2 3/4in	3in

90mm	100mm
3 1/2in	4in

O. Cut tack. For fixing carpets. Can also be used for upholstery.

5mm	10mm	12mm	15mm	20mm
1/4in	3/8in	1/2in	5/8in	3/4in

25mm	30mm
1in	1 1/4in

P. Sprig. A headless tack for holding glass in wooden frames.

10mm	15mm	20mm
3/8in	5/8in	3/4in

Q. Staple. Made of galvanized wire and used for fixing wire to timber. Tenterhook staples have one longer 'leg' for easy fixing.

10mm	15mm	20mm	25mm	30mm
3/8in	5/8in	3/4in	1in	1 1/4in

40mm	50mm
1 1/2in	2in

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