Should You Use Screws or Nails for Your Garden Project?

Both screws and nails are integral parts of all modern construction – and that includes in the garden as well, whether you are putting up fence panels, decking, or fixing some felt to your shed roof. But which is better? Here Nelson Potter, who supply nails and screws to customers across East Anglia, find that both types have their own distinct advantages.

The History of Nails and Screws

Nails – These date back to the Roman and Egyptian empires. Originally, nails were hand-wrought by smiths in a forge. This process was the commonest until the 19^th century, when it was eventually replaced by a cutting process – the nails themselves being cut out of a bar of wrought iron.

In the early 20^th century this was replaced again by using wire nails, which is still the most common method used today. Coils of wire are drawn through a series of dies to reach a specific diameter, then cut into short rods that are then formed into nails. 

Screws - Wooden screws have been around since the first century BC when they were part of the presses which were used in olive oil and winemaking. It wasn’t until the 15^th century that metal screws first appeared; and it wasn’t until mass production came along inthe 18^th century that they became a leading ‘fixer’.

Since then, there have been many developments (as with nails) in terms of their size, length and their heads. One of the most common screws in use today are Phillips screws (named after their inventor) with the distinctive crosshead shape at the top

Advantages of Screws

There’s less chance of damaging the surface if you are inserting a screw rather than hammering in a nail, particularly if the surface in question is a wooden one. When you hammer in a nail, all the force goes directly into the wood, which can easily split.

Screws also have more tensile strength than nails. This means they can withstand more pulling and stretching than nails before they, or the joint, breaks (in cases like this the force is being applied along the axis of either the nail or screw).

There’s also less chance of damaging yourself if you use a screw. If you are doing it yourself the traditional way, then hitting your hand instead of the nail head has been a problem ever since they were invented (although nail guns are an alternative these days).

Advantages of Nails

Usually nails work out cheaper to buy than screws (although it’s probably only by a matter of a few pence, given how both types are mass produced these days).

It’s much easier to apply the force needed to insert nails into wood or whatever surface it is (rather than the rotational force required with screws, unless you have a power drill). Nails also offer more shear strength than screws – this means they are less likely to break under pressure from a force applied at 90 degrees. 

They may be better for large jobs (they are still the preferred choice of large parts of the      construction industry), or when you need a lot of fasteners which perform the same function. And nails may be better for jobs where aesthetics are important – nail heads can be more unobtrusive than screw heads.

Nails and Screws in Suffolk from Nelson Potter

At Nelson Potter, we should be able to meet all your needs when it comes to nails and screws – for the former click here, and for the latter follow this link. 

We stock plenty of screws which are suitable for a specific purpose – for example, our timber olive grey screws, pictured above, are ideal for use with Durapost fence posts; while our decking screws can be used for a number of different outdoor applications (not necessarily just decking) because of their durability and anti-corrosion qualities.

The same applies to our nails which we supply across East Anglia  – for instance, our clout nails are ideal if you have any roofing felt which needs hammering in, while our galvanised round wire nails are extremely versatile.

If you aren’t sure which of our fasteners best meets your needs, then please contact either of our yards – our Woodbridge base can be reached on 01394 460199, or our Ipswich yard on 01473 311905. You can also click here and fill in the online form and we will get back to you.