Is 3 1/4 Framing Nails Up To Building Codes Tx

David Meiland | February 11, 2016 05:18pm | #1

To comply with the code y'all take to shoot 3-1/two" nails, but it seems to me that many framers don't, and for whatsoever reason inspectors aren't making a large deal out of it. I have a couple of Senco nailers that shoot 3-1/2" nails for that reason. Information technology would be interesting to know how much of a loss of forcefulness there is when the nail is 1/4" shorter. A related question is, when there is continuous i/2" CDX sheathing nailed on a half dozen"/12" pattern, how much of the wall's strength is derived from that. My guess is that the sheathing nails practise quite a bit to go on the studs in place, and that the missing 1/4" of shorter framing nails is not an issue.

Mike 1000 | February 11, 2016 05:32pm | #two

I know the inspectors around here aren't liable for a thing. I'm certain they just drive past the site and say information technology looks good.

David Meiland | Feb eleven, 2016 05:36pm | #three

Inspectors here are more concerned about sheathing nailing. They'll expect at it, and perhaps enquire what nails were used, but I've never been aware of a question well-nigh the framing nails.

Brad Hardie | Feb eleven, 2016 05:48pm | #4

I'm not concerned with inspectors....in fact where I live there are none! We as the home possessor or architect are responsible for ensuring that all the building processes are done to current/adopted lawmaking.

Why is it that sooo many use simply 3.25" nails? I don't want to upgrade my guns and perhaps limit the size of the nail I tin drive unless there is proficient reason to only apply up to 3.25" nails.

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Malcolm Taylor | Feb eleven, 2016 09:13pm | #5

Brad,
Canadian building codes take a more nuanced approach to nail length, specifying where yous must apply which nails. iii 1/ii" are generally reserved for ledgers on beams, toe nailing joists and trusses, bottom plates and a few other locations.
Your code writers probably just decided that, rather than telephone call out specifically where they thought them necessary, they would just say use them in every situation. Are there situations where the one/iv" makes a real deviation? For a diligent framer placing their nails advisedly I don't think it does.
That said I'd bet the principal reason for builders using three i/4' nails is the difficulty most guns have fully sinking the longer ones - specially into lvls. If you lot haven't had an consequence with your blast length in 20 years i tin can't run across whatever reason to switch.
I've establish there are situations where iii i/ii" nails are a real problem. Attaching plies on a doubled header being one of them. I started using 3" nails for those after coming home for lunch covered in blood one as well many times.

Brad Hardie | Feb 11, 2016 09:37pm | #6

Malcolm,

I just angle the nails to prevent blowouts when nailing headers, and corners, etc.. I don't have a problem with LVL's when the correct compressor and pressure is being used...either fashion I still mitt drive them anyways to ensure the plies are sandwiched tight.

I've notice it silly even ridiculous that tool manufacturers would make a gun to fire nails that don't "meet" lawmaking, and not provide for that .25" extra "required" nail length. I was hoping someone would tell me that I've got the lawmaking incorrect or show me evidence that the 3.25" nail is merely fine and shed some low-cal on why so many nail guns only go to 3.25". I hateful information technology's non like guys accept two guns laying there using x boom here and y nail there, except when nailing hangers maybe.

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Malcolm Taylor | Feb 11, 2016 09:50pm | #7

Brad,
This issue comes up on building forums quite frequently with a very similar contend of the bug and no more resolution that you've establish here. All I can think is that it isn't seen as a serious enough problem for inspectors to brand a fuss almost.

Brad Hardie | Feb 11, 2016 10:16pm | #8

Malcolm,

Thank you.....to bad someone hasn't taken information technology to the code council to change information technology since it'southward and then ridiculous, but then again, there is lots more than to worry about than .25"

Aaron Gatzke | Feb 12, 2016 01:08am | #nine

I never had any inspector question the length of the nails. The engineer specified three inch nails for all half inch sheathing since all exterior walls are considered shear walls. I asked if I could use 2.5 inch as the 3 inch could interfere with drilling for electric in five.v inch studs with half inch sheathing. No problem. I told the framers what the engineer wanted but I noticed at some point they were using two.25 inch. Some two inch were probably used in a few places as well. All the engineer looked at was the spacing. And all the inspector looked at was if the engineer had passed everything.

dswilkey | Apr 29, 2018 12:55am | #ten

In the 2015 irc tabular array 602.3(ane) nigh all framing elements have the selection to use three.25" nails.you lot just accept to use more than of them.

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