Nails

Nails for timber cladding and fencing

The right nail keeps cladding tight and avoids the rust streaks that spoil a finished wall. For exterior timber, the nail material matters more than its length, because acidic woods such as oak, western red cedar and larch react with ordinary steel and leave black staining around the head.

Choosing a nail

• Stainless steel is the best choice for external cladding, particularly on cedar, larch and oak.
• Galvanised nails are acceptable for general fencing and some treated softwood, but may stain over time.
• Annular ring shank nails grip better than smooth shank and resist pulling out as the boards move.

Length and spacing

As a rule of thumb, choose a nail that goes at least twice the board thickness into the batten or frame. For 20mm boards that is roughly 50mm or longer. Use two nails per board at each support for wide boards, or one for narrow boards, and keep them back from the ends to avoid splitting. Pre-drilling helps with dense timbers and hardwoods.

Which profile you are fixing

Nails suit featheredge, ship lap and square board profiles where the head is visible or hidden by the next board. For a nail-free face on grooved boards, look at our secret fixing clips instead. The timber cladding guide shows typical fixing positions for each style.

Ordering

Count the boards, multiply by the number of supports, and add around 10% for bent or lost nails. You can see the full range under screws, nails and accessories. If you are unsure which length suits your boards, call 0161 504 0011.