When you are finishing a project, you can use finishing nails. These finishing nails are also known as brads. But which type of finishing nail is suitable for your finish? In this blog we will help you make your choice. To help you get started, we discuss the different types of finishing nails and their most common applications. Read on to learn more!

What are finishing nails?

Finishing nails or brads are small mounting materials that provide a neat and unobtrusive finish. Brads are especially suitable for attaching thin and fragile materials. The finishing nails are thin enough that they are less likely to split wood, but it is important to remember that they are not suitable for every project. So you cannot use them for coarser construction purposes. Use mounting material with a higher pull-out value such as nails or screws.

Different types of brads

In terms of shape, there are three types of brads: standard brads, pins and angled brads. The standard finishing nails come in straight glued strips and have a rectangular head which slightly improves the pull-out value. There are also finishing nails without heads. These are known by the English name pins. The pins are even less visible than brads, but also provide a less sturdy connection. They are often used to hold material during the gluing process.

Finally, there are also slanted brads. This does not mean that the mounting material itself is slanted, but that the strip of finishing nails is connected to each other at an angle. The strips come in 25° and 34°. To make this possible, the heads of these brads are shaped slightly differently. They have a pinched head. An advantage of angled brads is that the devices in which these brads go are more compact and it is easier to reach hard-to-reach places, such as corners, with this brad nailer.

Different brad sizes

In addition to types, finishing nails also come in different sizes. Which finishing nail is best suited for you depends on the application for which you will use it. View the overview below, where you can view the available brad and pin sizes. It is also good to know that angled brads come in two different thickness sizes: 15G and DA (1.8 mm). The DA brads also have a different point finish, so that material can be shot more neatly.

 

 

To give you an example of the various applications of these brads and pins, we have taken each American wire gauge separately:

  • 15G and 16G brads: for securing scraps and door frames
  • 18G (minibrad): for fastening skirting boards
  • 21G (microbrad): for fastening parquet floors
  • Brad 23G: mainly for applications where the mounting must be virtually invisible. An application for this brad is, for example, for attaching herringbone parquet

    Below we have an overview of the different thicknesses of brads shot into wood:

     

What are the material types for finishing nails?

In addition to the shape and thickness of the finishing nail, it is also important to consider the choice of material for the finishing nails. There are generally four material types for finishing nails, each with its own properties: galvanized, stainless steel, extra hardened and polymer. We go through each material type to tell you more about its properties and suitable applications.

Galvanized brads

The most common material choice for finishing nails is galvanized. When galvanizing steel, the surface of steel is provided with a layer of zinc using electricity. This makes it possible to apply a very thin layer of zinc to the material. It is also highly resistant to scratches and, in the event of damage, the zinc forms an extra protective layer that prevents further rusting. Galvanized finishing nails are mainly used for interior finishes.

Stainless steel brads

Stainless steel brads are well protected against rust. When exposed to certain weather conditions or, for example, salt water, we recommend choosing stainless steel finishing nails. However, a disadvantage of stainless steel is that it is considerably more expensive than galvanized steel, due to the high nickel content. Nickel is a valuable material that contributes significantly to the price of stainless steel fasteners.

Extra hardened brads

For mounting in extra hard materials, you can choose extra hardened finishing nails. These High Carbon finishing nails also come with a special point to penetrate hard materials. With these extra hardened finishing nails you can, for example, attach wood to stone, concrete, metal, hard wood types and more.

Polymer brads

We have our own range of finishing nails made of polymer. Polymer composite is the type of plastic used for this mounting material. These polymer fasteners are 100% metal-free and are made of high-quality plastic. The polymer finishing nails are therefore often used to secure CNC material, as the bit of the CNC is not damaged by the mounting material.

The polymer mounting material is mainly chosen for two main reasons:

  1. Polymer brads can be cut, shaped and sanded without damaging saw blades, planers, drill bits or sanding belts
  2. Plastic mounting material can never rust, leave stains or streaks on the material

The polymer finishing nails also have a higher pull-out value, since the material bonds with the wood grain when attached. However, the shear strength of the polymer finishing nail is less strong than steel. You also need specific tools to shoot polymer finishing nails, because polymer fasteners require more lateral support. The devices suitable for polymer mounting material therefore have an extra tight drive magazine.

Do you want more advice about finishing nails?

As you can read, there are many different types of finishing nails suitable for various applications. Would you like to be sure which finishing nails are suitable for your application? Please contact us. We always offer the best advice and answers to all your questions. Contact us via our contact form, send an email to info@bestfix.nl or call us directly at +31 (0)570 768 737.