Which Fasteners to Use on Home Projects
When you are deciding whether to use nails or screws in a home project, it’s important to think about how the fasteners are applied and how they hold up in the long run. You can use hand tools for both or you can use faster, easier power tools for both.
Nails can be easily hammered in, although if you are not experienced with a hammer, you’ll bend a few nails and you may even whack the fingers that are holding the nails. The obvious power alternative to the old hammer is a nail gun. You can get nail guns that run on compressed air, which means buying a compressor and a hose, or you can get nail guns that run on gas cartridges. If you plan to do a lot of nailing, the compressor ends up being the cheapest alternative. The gas cartridge nail gun is more expensive because of the cartridges but handier as far as not needing to haul a hose around.
Screws these days come in many varieties, from the old-fashioned slotted type to Phillips head and now many other head configurations. The point of all these different varieties is to make driving the screw (and unscrewing it) easier. Be sure you have the correct screw driving tip for the screws you decide to use.
If you decide to use the old-fashioned screw driver, don’t just buy the cheapest set you see. Poorly-made screw drivers are harder to use and more frustrating. They can mess up the head of the screw and make it useless. Keep a little soap on hand when using the old-fashioned screw driver; soap makes a screw go in more easily.
The alternative to the old-fashioned screw driver is the electric screw driver. You can buy two types. One is just an electric screw driver. The other is a drill that can also hold screw driver tips. The drill is probably the better deal because it is more powerful and can do more than one job. A cordless drill with a 14 volt battery and the right screw driver tips is probably as powerful a tool as you would need. Lower voltages cannot do heavier jobs and higher voltages tend to be overkill for most homeowner needs.
As to choosing between a screw and a nail, here’s what you need to know: if you plan to take the item apart, screws are your best bet. They are made for that purpose. Also, nails may pull out because of their smooth shank unless you buy the ringed nails for a nail gun. Screws will not pull out as easily. Nails, particularly when using a nail gun, are faster and will work better for larger jobs where pull out is not an issue. It’s a good idea to build a deck floor with nails but to put together a bookshelf with screws.
Finally, both types of fasteners are made of a range of materials. If you are making something that will be used outdoors, get nails or screws that can handle the weather which are, unfortunately, somewhat more expensive.