What is the procedure for driving a nail?

While driving a nail straight will hold nicely, for a better grip, drive in the nails at an angle. Nails that are hammered at an angle grip the wood better and provide greater strength and durability. This is also a good technique to use if your nails are longer than needed.

How do you drive nails into wood?

A tried and true technique is to turn the nail upside down with the head resting on a hard surface and the tip facing up. Then, lightly tap the nail tip with your hammer to slightly blunt it. A slightly blunted nail is really no more difficult to drive, and it almost never will split the wood.

How do I remove a tight spot from my nail?

Technique 1: Maximize your hammer power Ram the claw of your hammer into the nail shank and rock it sideways using the claw edge as a pivot point. Repeat the process until you pry out the nail. This technique produces maximum pulling power with little stress on the handle.

How do you hammer in tight space?

Place the flat end of a 24-in. wrecking bar on the nail head, then hammer the bar shank a few inches from the nail. It works great in tight spots.

Should I hammer nail at an angle?

Starting a nail at an angle can be tricky because it’ll tend to slide down the board and penetrate too low. Driving a toenail requires greater hammer control and precision than regular nailing. Hold the hammer at the end of the handle with a firm but relaxed grip.

How far should nail go into wood?

The accepted rule of thumb is the nail length should be 21/2 times the thickness of the wood you are nailing through. Thus, for 1-inch-thick material, you would use an 8-penny nail and for 2-inch-thick material, you’d use a 16-penny nail.

How do you hide nail heads in wood?

Hiding Finishing Nails in Wood Furniture

1. Drive the nail head slightly below the surface of the wood with a finishing nail punch and a hammer.
2. Smear some wood filler into the depression over the nail head with your finger.
3. Sand the wood filler smooth with 200-grit sandpaper.

What can I use instead of a nail set?

powder-actuated fastener makes a good substitute for a nail set.