What do roofing nails cost, and which ones do you need?
Short answer. Roofing nails are one of the least expensive parts of a roof, sold by the box or coil, and prices vary with gauge, length, galvanizing and whether they are hand-drive or collated for a nail gun. What matters more than price is the right nail: galvanized steel or other corrosion-resistant nails with at least a 3/8 inch head and a 12-gauge shank, long enough to go 3/4 inch into the deck or through it.
What drives the price
- Coating. Electro-galvanized nails are cheaper; hot-dipped galvanized nails carry a heavier zinc coating and resist corrosion better. Stainless steel costs the most.
- Length and gauge. Longer and heavier nails cost more per box.
- Packaging. Coil nails for pneumatic guns are sold in coils and boxes; hand-drive nails come loose in boxes or buckets.
- Market. Steel prices move, so check current prices at a roofing supplier or home center.
What a typical shingle roof needs
- Shingles: corrosion-resistant roofing nails, 3/8 inch head minimum, 12-gauge shank or heavier. On common 7/16 or 1/2 inch decking, a nail around 1 1/4 inches typically goes through the deck on a single new layer.
- Ridge caps over a ridge vent: longer nails so they pass through the cap, vent and into the deck.
- Underlayment: plastic cap nails for synthetics.
- Drip edge and flashing: nails compatible with the metal to avoid corrosion.
Why saving on nails is a false economy
Nails are a small fraction of a roof's cost, but they decide whether shingles stay put in a thunderstorm. Short nails, the wrong head size, staples where the manufacturer does not allow them, and nails placed outside the nailing zone are behind many blow-offs. Manufacturers also specify fastener requirements, so the wrong nail can affect warranty coverage. More in wind damage to roofs in Georgia and roofing warranties explained.