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Does anyone know the relative holding power of a 8d common (0.131 shank, 2-3/8″ long)nail vs a 10d “short” (0.148 shank, 2-1/4″long)? I need to do some sheer walling and I’m having a hard time finding 8d common nails that will fit my gun. Most everything out there around here is a 8d box with a .113 shank. Does the larger shank of the 10d overcome the loss of 1/8″ in length over the 8d? If so, by how much?
Andrew
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It is simple just to calculate the surface area of each nail and compare. It couldn't be just that straight forward could it?
*The 10d short is going to be superior in shear because of a larger diameter. (This is a shear wall isn't it?) There are essentially no withdrawal loads on the wall and what little there are will be overcome by the excess number of nails needed for the shear loads. The shorter nails are actually less prone to being forced out of the wood do to seasonal moisture migration in and out of the framing members since there is less penetration. Building inspectors may not understand this, but they won't pull nails to see how long they are. However, they are clever and will notice any nails on the floor/ground. Cleaning up before the inspection is a good idea anyway, since inspectors appreciate a clean site.