V-Nails in Hardwoods

[SteelCity]

What has been TG's experiances with using V-Nails designed for hardwoods? I am somewhat new to framing, but from what I gather, you're really supposed to use corrugated nails in hardwoods.. yet, companies still produce HW V-Nails..

Am I to assume that th HW V-Nails will work in softer hardwoods, but not the harder ones? I'm sure that the brand of joiner being used is a big variable too, but wanted to get some input regardless

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jeff Rodier]

Are you using a manual or pneumatic. Can't help with a manual V-nailer but I use the combination (medium/hard) in hardwoods all of the time.

For super hard such as Maple I would use the Hardwood only V-nails. DO NOT TRY TO STACK 2 V-NAILS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.

 

[SteelCity]

Jeff - I have access to both manual and pneumatic joiners. So bottom line, vnails should work as expected in hardwoods?

 

[Meghan MacMillan]

Mine do. I use a Cassese joiner, and use the hardwood nails in oak and maple frames. My experience has been that the variable with more impact on the success of the join is the set up - are the fences adjusted properly, is this the correct plunger, does this profile need (what DO you call those things that fill in the gaps? I have a rounded one and a flat one)?

 

[Jeff Rodier]

Jeff - I have access to both manual and pneumatic joiners. So bottom line, vnails should work as expected in hardwoods?

I turn up the pressure to 100psi for really hard wood from the 70psi used for most other things. Also make sure that the hold down is set closer to the top of the joint. In soft woods I usually have about a 1 1/2" of space between the hold down and the frame. On hardwoods I close that down to about 1/2-3/4".

 

[Clay Simpson]

Nails do make a difference!

What has been TG's experiances with using V-Nails designed for hardwoods?

Using the right nail for the job will make a differnce in the quality and strength of your corners.

In general terms, use hardwood or MDF nails on hardwoods (oak, ash, maple, ramin, MDF) as softwoods may actual fail as they are driven in.

Cassese recommends hardwoods nails anytime you are stacking nails also, as they go in straighter and stack more consistently.

Softwood nails give tighter corners in softwoods because it takes less resistance from the wood to force the nail into its spring-loaded form as its driven.

Too much resistance from harder woods results in crushed nails and nails that roll-over backwards and tear themselves apart. (That popping sound you hear while nailing might be the nail failing in the corner.)

Using hardwood nails on softwoods may result in a corner that is a little looser than if softwood nails are used, but if you are only going to use one type of nail, use hardwoods as loose frames are better than failed nails and broken equipment.

Clay

Clay Simpson
Active Sales Co.
www.ActiveSalesCo.com