Roof Nails Vs Staples

Staples cost less money.

Roof nails vs staples.

Local codes residential say that either 2 nails or staples can be used and that s for roof and wall sheathing. Staples are far less prone to jamming up in a gun than nails. We are talking nails hand or gun. From my understanding properly places staples vs properly placed 2 nails have little to no difference in holding power the argument is that staples will break easier.

Staples also offered excellent holding strength and could be installed over a larger roof area quickly. Make no mistake we are in business to make money. The preferred fastener is galvanized roofing nails with a minimum 12 gauge shank and head diameter of at least 3 8 inch. The staple will have a double prong unlike the brad meaning that it can transfix two pieces of wood at the same time.

After all it s no surprise roofers loved staples for attaching shingles to roofing. Similarly 19 32 osb roof sheathing would be 8d common box or casing nails at 6 on center at the panel edges and 12 on center in the field or 2 16 gage staples at 4 on center at the panel edges and 8 on center in the field. Mainly because they do not roof everyday. Remodelers may roof by hand because they are not willing to invest in the equipment.

Staples are the method used years ago that gave machine roofing a bad name. Although staples are allowed in some jurisdictions they do not provide the same holding power. Staples while the staple can also be used in finishing wood projects they are not nails. Click to enlarge any image.

In my experience staples have much better holding power than nails. I have never had to repair a stapled roof but the nail advocates all claim that staples are garbage. In the past when it came to the debate of roofing nails versus staples the industry was split down the middle. A roofer can hold a bunch of sticks of staples in their pocket and reload their gun very quickly.

Staples are much more compact. Theoretically staples should hold just as well as nails but with a wider coverage hold down area. Staples cost less than nails offer exceptional holding strength and cover a greater area of space with a more versatile and compact collation. For one staples cost less than nails adding to their profit per roof.

They are an accepted fastener by shingle manufacturers such as sbc and maibec. I can t see them being of any lesser quality than roofing nails. Coil nail guns are literally fed with a coil of nails and the holder for the nails makes the gun much bulkier. Hand naming will not do it.