The types of materials used for nails are shown in the Table 3 below. The most common nails are made of low or medium carbon steels or aluminum. Medium-carbon steels are sometimes hardened by heat treating and quenching to increase toughness. Nails of copper, brass, bronze, stainless steel, monel and other special metals are available if specially ordered.

Uncoated steel nails used in areas subject to wetting will corrode and result in staining of the wood surface. In addition, the naturally occuring extractives in the cedars react with unprotected steel and with copper and blued or electro-galvenized fasteners. In such cases, hot-dip galvanized nails or stainless steel or copper nails should be used.

Sheathing Nailing

Nail popping may occur if a sheathing material is applied to lumber with a high moisture content. As the lumber shrinks, the depth of the hole in which the nail sits reduces and the nail head is pushed abovethe surface of the plywood. This tendancy can be reduced by:

• Using dry lumber whenever possible. If unseasoned lumber is used, allow time for on site drying and reseat nails which project from the sheathing.
• Using ringed nails and driving nails at a slight angle or using screws. Set all nail heads prior to laying resilient flooring.
• Using a length of fastener which gives the minimum acceptable depth of penetration in the framing member.