Roof Nails Vs Staples

Staples are the method used years ago that gave machine roofing a bad name.

Roof nails vs staples.

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. After all it s no surprise roofers loved staples for attaching shingles to roofing. The staple will have a double prong unlike the brad meaning that it can transfix two pieces of wood at the same time. Staples are much more compact.

Staples are far less prone to jamming up in a gun than nails. 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. Make no mistake we are in business to make money. Staples cost less money.

Remodelers may roof by hand because they are not willing to invest in the equipment. Note the differences in the specification and length of the fasteners as well as the nail staple patterns. Mainly because they do not roof everyday. Although staples are allowed in some jurisdictions they do not provide the same holding power.

In the past when it came to the debate of roofing nails versus staples the industry was split down the middle. Click to enlarge any image. Roofing staple guns were light and easy to use over the newer and heavier roofing nail guns that were coming onto the market. They are an accepted fastener by shingle manufacturers such as sbc and maibec.

Theoretically staples should hold just as well as nails but with a wider coverage hold down area. Local codes residential say that either 2 nails or staples can be used and that s for roof and wall sheathing. The preferred fastener is galvanized roofing nails with a minimum 12 gauge shank and head diameter of at least 3 8 inch. When properly installed a staple grabs and holds more material than the small head nail could ever hope to.

I have never had to repair a stapled roof but the nail advocates all claim that staples are garbage. In my experience staples have much better holding power than nails. We are talking nails hand or gun. Staples while the staple can also be used in finishing wood projects they are not nails.

For one staples cost less than nails adding to their profit per roof. A roofer can hold a bunch of sticks of staples in their pocket and reload their gun very quickly. I can t see them being of any lesser quality than roofing nails. Hand naming will not do it.