Framing (stud wall) nails??

[BotusBuild]

We'll be creating stud walls soon. All the timber is 38mm thick of various widths and lengths.

What diameter and length of nails should I be using as a minimum? Going to be hiring a first fix framing nailgun and the hire company has available:

1. 2.9x50mm

2. 2.9x65

3. 3.1x60

4. 3.1x76

5. 3.1x90

I think I probably need option 4 or 5, unless someone can advise otherwise.

[Russell griffiths]

You will want 1-4-5. 
depending on what you are doing. 
1 for fixing osb to wall if you are adding racking boards or just a stiffening for plasterboard. 
4 for nailing 38 to 38

and 5 for most stud to sole plate, top plate stuff. 

[dpmiller]

^ this, and likely ring shanks at that.

[Nickfromwales]

Ring shank only really necessary for fixing the racking boards for structural strength, or fixing deck boards down onto joists. ‘Bright’ nails ( plain shanks ) have a glue sprayed onto them which melts with the heat from the friction of being sent in at speed, so try one and then try pulling one out. You’ll see how good the glue is when you get a miss-fire and try to hammer the nail in the last 20mm. At first it wont want to budge, and some you’ll bend the nail over before you can send it home.

Best advice is to get some good speed clamps, with rubber jaw covers, to help you line the wood up before firing the nail. You;‘lol see why when you get going  . Just because its easy to fire a nail, don’t go mental until you’ve pinned top and bottom, then have checked the middle of the timber is still lined up nicely, before nailing the middle and then fill in the gaps. 

You’ll also need a recip saw with a long fine metal blade to cut through nails installed in error.

Buy yourself one of these LINK as they’re a great bit of kit. The pointy ‘claw’ is designed to be hammered in under the head of a set nail to go hunt it out for extraction. Used @Russell griffiths one and then went straight to the tool shop to get one. Cracking little addition to the toolbox.

[BotusBuild]

25 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

recip saw

= reciprocating saw? I presume you mean something like THIS, or a power tool equivalent?

[Thorfun]

35 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

Buy yourself one of these LINK as they’re a great bit of kit. The pointy ‘claw’ is designed to be hammered in under the head of a set nail to go hunt it out for extraction.

+1 to this! an invaluable tool

[andyscotland]

12 hours ago, BotusBuild said:

 Going to be hiring a first fix framing nailgun and the hire company has available:

 

You may have already, but I'd suggest double checking the hire company pricing on the nails : I've often found getting consumables with the hire can work out more expensive than getting them from Screwfix/Toolstation/online/etc.

 

Depends on how many you need of course, especially if the hire co will supply (or sale & return) quantities smaller than a full box as gun nails tend to come in quite big packs.

[Nickfromwales]

4 hours ago, BotusBuild said:

= reciprocating saw? I presume you mean something like THIS, or a power tool equivalent?

Power tool lol. You’d be there for a week with that hand tool  

 

[Nickfromwales]

3 hours ago, andyscotland said:

 

You may have already, but I'd suggest double checking the hire company pricing on the nails : I've often found getting consumables with the hire can work out more expensive than getting them from Screwfix/Toolstation/online/etc.

 

Depends on how many you need of course, especially if the hire co will supply (or sale & return) quantities smaller than a full box as gun nails tend to come in quite big packs.

Usually no sale or return due to the dates on the gas, so what you have left over is pretty much dead and goes on gumtree or marketplace here.