Screw It!

From various home inspections to new construction items, I have seen more failure due to nails being used than probably anything else. I have often grown comfortable with the ease at which a nail fires through a nail gun, and fly through some nailing applications. I can see where this could easily save time, and ultimately make you more money as a builder, but some of these areas where they are being used just comes back to create more work. I am still shocked at the amount of redwood decks that are nailed. With the twisting characteristics of wood over time, there are several lifting issues with decks, and the nail is simply not constructed for this type of hold. Another area that I see a lot of nailing is in sub flooring. I know that there is adhesive applied, and that they are tongue-and-grooved, but they all seem to end up squeaking eventually. I always sister up the nails with screws whenever I have a flooring project, and the squeaks are gone, and there is no play in the flooring.

As nails are being fired at a rapid pace, and the initial bond between two pieces of wood nice and tight, make sure and ask yourself how are these two pieces of wood going to act over time, and will this fastener prevent the two from separating. Keep in mind, nails have best sheer hold, and I would never use them for any other reason. Get acquainted with your screw gun ( impact drivers are the way to go now ) and go easy on the nail guns. They have their places in construction, but don't get carried away. Do it right the first time, and save money and time down the road. As Mike Holmes loves to say, "glue it and screw it".