How to Drive a Nail Without Splitting the Wood
Blunt the point of the nail with your hammer., Lubricate your nail., Avoid nailing very near the edge or end of the board., Use the smallest diameter nail which will do the job, or hold the workpieces securely., Pre-drill a hole slightly smaller...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Blunt the point of the nail with your hammer.
This is done by placing the nail on a hard surface with the point facing up, and tapping the sharp end with your hammer.
The nail will then cut its way through the wood grain, rather than wedging a pathway.
Though this puts all the material displacement along a single plain, rather than dispersing it all around the point of the nail. -
Step 2: Lubricate your nail.
For especially hard woods like oak or maple, you may have better luck if you dip the nail in petroleum jelly, which reduces the friction of the driving process, and can decrease the probability of the wood splitting. , Where end nailing is necessary, angle the nail so that it can be started farther away from the end, but the nail will still get a bite into the other board it is being nailed to. , Obviously, a 16d or 20d nail, with its larger diameter, will exert more force on the wood's grain, making the wood more likely to split. , For a 12d nail, about 3⁄32 inch (0.2 cm) will reduce the pressure of the nail penetration without decreasing the nail's grip on the board. , Very dry wood is more likely to split, since the drier the wood is, the less flexible it will be. , Douglas Fir, Southern Yellow Pine, or Lodge pole Pine are less likely to split than are Oak, Birch, or Maple. , Knots are usually formed by heartwood, which is harder and less flexible than sapwood. , A tiny crack is a sure indication the wood will split if you continue, possibly ruining a board if it is being used for trim work.
You may have to look at choosing another location for your nail, further from the end or edge of the board, or pre-drill a hole for a wood screw or other fastening method. , -
Step 3: Avoid nailing very near the edge or end of the board.
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Step 4: Use the smallest diameter nail which will do the job
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Step 5: or hold the workpieces securely.
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Step 6: Pre-drill a hole slightly smaller than the nail's shank diameter.
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Step 7: Use wood with sufficient moisture if possible.
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Step 8: Use softwoods where they are suitable for your purposes
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Step 9: rather than hardwoods.
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Step 10: Avoid nailing through
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Step 11: or very near knots in the lumber.
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Step 12: Back any nail out if a crack begins to appear while driving it.
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Step 13: Finished.
Detailed Guide
This is done by placing the nail on a hard surface with the point facing up, and tapping the sharp end with your hammer.
The nail will then cut its way through the wood grain, rather than wedging a pathway.
Though this puts all the material displacement along a single plain, rather than dispersing it all around the point of the nail.
For especially hard woods like oak or maple, you may have better luck if you dip the nail in petroleum jelly, which reduces the friction of the driving process, and can decrease the probability of the wood splitting. , Where end nailing is necessary, angle the nail so that it can be started farther away from the end, but the nail will still get a bite into the other board it is being nailed to. , Obviously, a 16d or 20d nail, with its larger diameter, will exert more force on the wood's grain, making the wood more likely to split. , For a 12d nail, about 3⁄32 inch (0.2 cm) will reduce the pressure of the nail penetration without decreasing the nail's grip on the board. , Very dry wood is more likely to split, since the drier the wood is, the less flexible it will be. , Douglas Fir, Southern Yellow Pine, or Lodge pole Pine are less likely to split than are Oak, Birch, or Maple. , Knots are usually formed by heartwood, which is harder and less flexible than sapwood. , A tiny crack is a sure indication the wood will split if you continue, possibly ruining a board if it is being used for trim work.
You may have to look at choosing another location for your nail, further from the end or edge of the board, or pre-drill a hole for a wood screw or other fastening method. ,
About the Author
Matthew Bell
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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