Can You Use Galvanized Nails In Cedar

Employ Hot-Dipped Galvanized, Aluminum or Stainless Steel

Hot-Dipped galvanized, aluminum and stainless steel nails are all corrosion-resistant and all can be used to nail Western Red Cedar. Other types of nails are not recommended. They can rust and atomize and react adversely with the natural preservative oils present in cedar resulting in stains and streaks. Copper nails also react with cedar and should not exist used.

Stainless steel nails are the best choice, particularly if the siding is to exist finished with transparent stain. Use No.304 stainless for general siding applications and No.316 for seacoast exposures.

Nails: Type, Size and Spacing

For best results use "splitless" siding nails. These have thin shanks and blunt points to reduce splitting. For greater holding power, nails with ring threaded or spiral threaded shanks are suggested.

Nails with textured heads can be used to reduce glossy spots at the nails when finishing (see Figure ii for boom types).

Nails should exist driven with intendance. Heavy naili ng distorts the wood and may cause splitting.
At mitered corners, well-nigh edges and near ends, nail holes may besides need to be pre-drilled to avoid splitting.

The size of the nails to use depends on the type and thickness of siding. Skilful edifice practise is to utilize nails long plenty to go through underlying materials, such as sheathing and insulation, and penetrate at least 1-1/two in. into solid wood or 1-1/4 in. if using ring or spiral shank nails. See Tabular array iii for recommended nail lengths for diverse thicknesses of siding.

Siding should be fastened to each stud or furring strip with nails spaced at a maximum of 24 in. on heart. Nail placement depends on the siding pattern and width. The central is to fasten the siding securely without preventing it from moving in response to the moisture content in the air.

In general, each piece of siding must be nailed independently. Nailing overlapping pieces together restricts the natural movement of each piece and will cause splitting.

Table 3. Minimum recommended boom lengths for Cedar siding over wood sheathing (nailed at studs)

Siding Type	Siding Thickness	Blast Blazon and Length
Siding Type	Siding Thickness	Smooth Shank	Ring or Spiral Shank
Bevel	1/2	two-one/4 (7d)	two (6d)
	five/viii	2-1/4 (7d)	2 (6d)
	3/4	two-1/2 (8d)	2-1/four (7d)
	7/8 to xv/16	3 (10d)	3 (10d)
	five/4 rabbeted	3 (10d)	iii (10d)
Boards, T&Grand and Channel	five/8	two-1/4 (7d)	2 (6d)
	3/4	2-1/four (7d)	2 (6d)
	7/8	ii-one/two (8d)	ii-1/iv (7d)
Battens for Board and Batten	3/4	3-1/four (12d)	three (10d)

It has been determined that not-corrosive stainless steel nails are the best for exterior apply or for loftier moisture interior uses. Conduct Creek Lumber recommends these types of fasteners.

Beneath: images of a projection were Alaskan Yellow Cedar was used as siding and the contractor installed the natural language and groove siding with regular nails. Even though it'south blind nailed, the siding shows black corrosion streaks throughout. We are including these pictures in the Western Scarlet Cedar page considering you should expect the same kind of streaking with Cherry Cedar.