Sheeting with staples or 8d's - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

newbuilder · 10-09-2009, 03:37 PM

Hello guys I am a trim carpenter and painter by trade and am broading my horizons into framing. I have framed houses for awhile and have pondered the question over sheeting. I am new to TX and have always wondered the holding power differences of round shank and chipped head nails. I have seen some data but in practice nails overpenetrate OSB and the small difference of a clipped head vs. full round head seems to be negated. I have both stapled(in KS) sheeting and nailed and the stapelin if done right seems to hold better to me. I do agree that nails have more sheer strength but if it's halfway through the sheeting where as a staple has the staple to grab more surface area of the OSB. I know the IRC and IBC have crunch plenty of numbers but I would like to see real world walls under stresses of tornadic or hurricane winds and see the difference. I mean if both can take a F5 tornado but the house is 50ft in the air whats the point?
I know I stirred up an hornets nest here but if someone has some common sence data i can find somewhere that would be great.

**framerman** · 10-09-2009, 03:59 PM

You didn't stir up anything. This has been discussed many times before.

There is a big difference between full round head nails and clipped head nails.

Turn your air pressure down, problem solved.

jeffaah · 10-09-2009, 04:45 PM

Honestly, I've never seen the difference in using clipped vs full head nails while framing. Both hold very well, but the code in mass says to use full head, so thats what I use. I actually still have a few boxes of 8d, 12d and 16d bostitch clipped heads. I use those for misc. extra blocking etc..

When using OSB either turn down the pressure or adjust the guns nose so the nail doesn't penetrate too far.

Funny...I have never heard the term "sheeting" around here. "Sheathing" is the terminology around here.

newbuilder · 10-09-2009, 05:07 PM

Thanks for the quick replys guys. Ya sorry bout the sheathing, we call it all sorts of things on site. I forget I'm talking to guys who know the technical terms, excuse me if I confuse you let me know and I'll explain it.
I just like to stoke the fire when I'm told to build like this because it's code. I have no doubt a nail has more sheer strength than a staple I'm wondering the big picture. What is the sheer strength of an OSB wall with 8d round head ring shank compared to a 7/16 stapled wall. Then what is the strength of that wall to it's connections to the rest of the structure. That wall constructed either way may be able to take a hurricane but what about those ties holding the wall down. I'd just like to know what goes first, if you would have sheathing fly off or wall panels flying in the air.
IRC and IBC does all the testing and I can't understand some of the numbers they throw at us, I know how they want it built. I just want to know more.
I also hear what you are saying about turing down the air pressure but often we are doing more than one thing at a time where we need full pressure at a couple guns and less pressure at others(sheathing).

**framerman** · 10-09-2009, 06:35 PM

I put mini regulators on the guns. Take off the gauge and plug the hole. When you need to turn it down, it's right there, no messing around. Others can go full pressure while yours is lower.

It's "shear" BTW, not to be spelling police

I think you are worrying about things that really need not be worrying about. I understand, you want to educate yourself. That's a good thing. Build it better than what they say, but don't over do it. Staples will be fine, you just have more to put in. But this also depends on your local codes. They may not accept these.

Best advice is cover your ass and then cover it again. Read advice from the APA or Huber on their products and what they recommend. They will give you details about all your questions. Same with Simpson for hurricane and tornadic situations.

newbuilder · 10-09-2009, 07:15 PM

Man you would think this was an english comp class! I think it's funny. I can't spell

.
I like all the Duke profiles as well. Some old school fans here, another plus.
I like the individual regulators idea, good point out, never thought of that.
There are some good people on here, have't been around such knowledgable people for awhile, thats why I am getting into more framing. I can't find a decent framer around here, I'd rather be trimming but you gotta do what cha gotta do!
I don't have a problem either way nailing or stapling, you gota watch your guys to make sure they do it right either way(nailing too deep or not the proper nailing schedule).
I am anal about doing things right and I do like to know everything possible. I was just wandering if we were overbuilding walls to take stresses that are overlooked else where. Thanks for all the insight.
I was in Manhattan, KS where clipped head was all you needed and staples were encouraged. I am now in Austin, TX where things are a little different. It's a mess to say the least. Still figuring out the market and how things work.

woodworkbykirk · 10-09-2009, 07:17 PM

run into this issue on site a couple years ago, framing for a high end builder we had the stapler going to sheath when the project manager showed up he told us to get rid of the stapler and nail off the osb,

as for overdriven nails where im working now we run a coil framer on a seperate compressor running at a lower pressure as we cant seem to set the depth anymore on the hitachi.

on the topic of clipped head or full head, in my region inspectors dont really say much if we do use clipped head which is rare most of the time we use senco gun nails which our building supply only carries full head

**Gus Dering** · 10-09-2009, 07:45 PM

In earthquake country you won't find a staple gun in a framer's tool box.

You will find a lot of nailing schedules on the plans that will point you in the direction of how things go. Sometimes you'll have 10d's @ 2" oc on the edges. 3x studs and sole plates to handle them. No countersunk heads allowed. Along with a hold down at each end of the panel.

I have not seen a framer with a staple gun since I left NY in 83.