A Guide to the Types of Roofing Nails

Umbrella roofing nails are cleverly designed to help you do a better job. Though they vary greatly in material, size and type, all roofing nails share one helpful characteristic: a diamond‐shaped point. This point is expertly designed to keep the decking intact when it punctures through.

We’ll walk you through the types, sizes and materials you may choose from when picking a roofing nail. Ultimately, it is best to refer to your building codes and roofing manufacturer for more specific guidance. In your building codes and international building codes, nails may be referenced as “fasteners” along with staples and screws.

Can I Use Screws for Roofing Shingles?

You cannot use screws for roof tiles, only roof nails are approved fasteners. The screws leave a small gap in the material into which they are pushed, which may be enough to cause leakage. If you are considering using screws to improve safety, consider using ring shank nails. 

What Type of Nails Should be Used with Shingles?

For best performance, you should use ring-shaped roofing nails made of hot-dip galvanized steel. You should use size 12 or thicker. The length of the nail you use depends on the thickness of the sheath and shingles you use.

How Many Nails per Square?

Estimating your roofing materials is key to your success, so you’ll want to know how many nails you’ll use in a square. That depends on the exposure and coverage of your shingles. With higher coverage, you’ll lay down fewer shingles in a square and therefore use fewer nails. For example, when using Cambridge™ shingles, you’ll use roughly 240 nails, because of their Advantage size. If you’re installing by the High Wind Application, you’ll use two more nails a shingle, so 360 nails per square.

 

The Cost of Roofing Nails

The cost of your roofing nails will depend on a few factors, including material, type and length. Also note that nails are sold by the pound, and if you’re a professional roofer, it may benefit you to buy in bulk in order to reduce costs.

That being said, you can expect a small, 5-pound box of smooth shank galvanized steel roofing nails to cost around $10. Nails for roofing felt are also more expensive than typical nails.

If you’re estimating the cost of your nails, it’s best to head into your supplier and compare their prices yourself, as costs vary by location too.

 

What Type of Nails for Felt/Underlayment?

Roofing felt is a type of underlayment that professionals install beneath a roof’s shingles. Unlike self‐adhering underlayments, such as ice and water protector, felt underlayment needs to be fastened in place with nails. Specifically, you’ll need roofing cap nails. These have large plastic caps for heads, which help prevent water intrusion.

Don’t confuse these cap nails with gasket roofing nails. Roofing nails with gaskets are intended for metal roofs. The gasket is rubber, not plastic. You want roofing nails with plastic washers for roof underlayment.

 

What Type of Nails for Roof Flashing?

Roofers tend to use the roofing nails they already have on hand to install flashing. You don’t need to use cap nails or another special type of nail for this purpose.

What Type of Nails for Sheathing?

If you need to install new roof decking or OSB, you’ll need to nail it to the roof truss. There are fewer requirements for these nails than those used to secure shingles. Common nails, or even wood screws, may be acceptable nails for OSB roof sheathing. You should check with your building code and local bylaws to confirm.

 

Can You Reuse Umbrella Roofing Nails?

If you take off a shingle for repairs or take off the whole roof in preparation for a reroofing job, you’ll have a ton of roofing nails on hand. You may be tempted to reuse these to save on costs. That’s a bad idea. Not only is it tedious to yank these nails out, but their zinc coating will also be worn. Plus, they may have been otherwise damaged. It’s not wise to attempt to reuse them, as they may cause problems on the new roof.

 

The Importance of Nails in Roofing

Every time there is a gust of wind, we rely on the nails we’ve chosen to hold new shingles in place. Choosing the right roofing nails and driving them properly is essential for getting the best performance out of your roof. For more tips on roof installation and tools, read our article about choosing between a nail gun and a roofing hammer.