Tremont Cut Nail, Cut Spike 8", Hot-Dip Galvanized

Tremont makes cut nails in the traditional way in many types. Some common choices:

Common nail – framing, rough carpentry and face-nailing floors and panelling
Flooring nail – hardened, for blind-nailing tongue-and-groove hardwood floors
Rosehead nail – a button-shaped head, for furniture, cabinets, panelling, doors and wide floorboards
Fine finish nail and brad – a small, discreet head, for mouldings and joinery
Boat nail – hot-dip galvanized, for boat building
Masonry nail – hardened, for fixing into mortar

All Tremont nails are sold individually, so you can buy exactly the number you need.

The finish decides where the Tremont nail fits:

Hot-dip galvanized – rust-protected and recommended for all outdoor use
Black oxide – a dark finish with an antique look, for exposed nailing indoors
Plain – for indoor use, where it develops a natural patina over time

Black oxide and plain nails can rust in damp conditions and stain tannin-rich woods such as oak, so choose galvanized outdoors.

A cut nail is wedge-shaped with a blunt tip that cuts the fibres instead of wedging them apart. It holds well and is less likely to split the wood, if you orient it correctly:

Place the wider face of the nail parallel to the grain, so the wedge shape does not push the fibres apart
Pre-drill in hard wood and near ends and edges, with a hole slightly smaller than the nail's thickness
Do not nail too close to end grain

Rosehead nails are soft enough to be clenched, that is, bent over on the back, for extra holding power.

Cut nails are wedge-shaped nails cut from steel plate. The wedge profile pushes the wood fibres apart instead of splitting them, so they hold very well. Cut nails are used when restoring older houses and furniture, for floors and joinery, and wherever a traditional look is wanted.

Orienting the nail correctly to the grain reduces the risk of splitting. The guide tells you more.

Read the guide here