Nails vs Screws for Framing: Which one is Better?

Framing is one of the most important parts of home construction projects. If it is not done correctly, you will have to bear a variety of problems in the long run. Amongst nails vs screws for framing, which one should you select? Selecting the right fastener for your framing is another critical decision that you need to take wisely.

In our today’s write-up, we will offer you an in-depth comparison of the nails and screws. Keep going through the below pieces of the paragraph to find your answer.

The Basic Differences Between Screws and Nails

The most fundamental difference between the screws and nails is the nails are smooth and don’t feature any threads. On the other hand, screws have shank in most parts of its body. Here are some other differences between the screws and nails.

Flexibility

Nails definitely offers you better flexibility. You can fasten them from different angles as well as bent them as required. Most of the variation of the screws cannot offer you such quality. As a result, nails are suitable for projects where flexibility is essential such as framing.  The same length of nails is more durable than the screws, and they are more capable of withstanding shear pressure.

Durability

Project Size

The nails are often required for larger projects such as the hardwood floor installation, house framing, and other projects. They are preferred for the more significant projects as they are easy to install, less expensive, and more robust. You can quickly and speedily install them using a nail gun and hammer.

The screws are usually suitable for the smaller and mid-sized projects, such as decking, woodworking, etc. The screws will offer you better control while inserting and extracting smoothly. Installing the screws is also a little hard as they require a fastening pre-drilled hole or electric tool.

Strength

While the nails offer you better flexibility, screws have better tensile strength. In case you don’t know, tensile strength is the strength of a material to resist breaking under high pressure. As the screws arrive with better tensile strength, they are suitable for the project, which requires pressure or bears heavyweights.

Gripping Power

As the screws have threading on its body, it offers better gripping power than the nails. However, you can use the hybrid pins called ring shank nails for superior gripping power. They combine the flexible strength of the nails and the gripping power of the screws. They can enhance gripping power by up to 40%.

You may want to use the ring shank nails on the softer woods like shingles, plywood, etc. for a permanent and tighter grip than the common nails. They are also suitable for framing as well as installing drywall and subflooring.

Convenience

Nails are suitable for creating structural joints such as framing walls because of the flexibility under pressure. They are also ideal for securing plywood sheathing for installing hardwood floors, exterior walls, and attaching roofing and siding. The usual nails are used for framing, carpentry, and construction as the first choice.

As the box nails arrive with a thinner shaft, they can prevent the wood from splitting during fastening. The brad and finishing nails are an excellent choice for door jambs, molding, and baseboards. 

Screws are more preferred for the temporary jobs as they offer tight bonds and can be easily removed when required. The screws can be used for building jigs or temporary structures for consistent work on smaller projects.

They are also great for mounting hardware, joining furniture parts, constructing cabinets, attaching tabletop, and others. They are also suitable for delicate materials such as drywall and plaster as they produce less vibration and don’t split.

Main Difference Between Nails and screws for Framing?

In the comparison of the nails and screws, the main difference is grip strength and shear strength. The grip strength is the capability of the fastener to hold into the wood. As the screws arrive with a threaded body, they become more challenging to remove from the wood.

On the other hand, shear strength is the pin’s capability to handle the load on it from slides. In this case, the nails have better shear strength or elasticity than the screws. When compared with the nails, the screw has a very little shearing strength.

An excellent video demonstrating the difference between screws and nails can be found here:

What to use for framing?

Considering the two fasteners’ properties, you should select the nails instead of the screws for framing. They can be easily fastened into your walls without splitting the surface. They can also offer a smoother finishing. However, as there are different variations of the nails, you must select the right varieties that are suitable for framing.

Usually, there are two types of nails suitable for framing: 16D sinker and common nails. The common nails come with a smooth head when the other variation features a textured head for preventing slipping of the hammer while installing. The common nails have 0.162 inches diameter, and the sinkers are 0.148 inches. The sinkers are better for framing because of the size and have an epoxy or vinyl coating for comfortable installing.

You will also need the 8d nails for furring strips, subfloor, sheathing, and other materials. These tasks require smaller nails and the 8d common nails are suitable for this purpose. There are also vinyl-coated 8d nails that you may use for better performance.

We hope that after viewing the above pieces of the paragraph, you can easily understand the diversities between the nails and screws.