The Nails Needed for Roof Sheathing calculator computes the approximate number of nails needed to nail 4x8 sheets to trusses or rafters on a roof based on the dimensions of the roof, spacing of nails on the edges and field of the 4x8, and whether blocking or clips are use.
INSTRUCTION: Choose units and enter the following:
- (L) Ridge Length
- (S) Roof Span
- (oH) Overhang
- (P) Roof Pitch (rise over run)
- (eS) Edge Spacing of nails (see below)
- (fS) Field Spacing of nails (see below)
- (BC) Choose Blocking or Clips
Number of Nails (N): The calculator returns the number of nails needed. A typical box of nails may have 5,000 nails. If clips are used, it also provides an estimate on the number of clips needed.
Special thanks to Larry Hunt for technical guidance on this calculator.
This calculator answers the following questions:
- How many nails do I need for my pneumatic nail gun?
- How many nails do I need to put plywood or OSB on rafters or trusses?
4x8 sheets on Framing
Using the dimensions of the framing to compute the area. Then compute the number of 4x8 sheets required to cover the framing. Modern construction techniques take advantage of the time saving achieved through using pneumatic nail guns. Nail guns are used to rapidly nail sheeting to roof trusses and walls saving time and money.
Blocking or Clips
The number of nails that will be needed are determined by the pattern of nails. There are two different patterns for nails based on whether there is blocking that allows continuous edges or if clips (see picture) are used. The diagram shows the two patterns.
Gable Roof Calculators
- Gable Roof Area: This computes the surface area of a gable roof based on dimensions and pitch.
- Trusses Needed for Roof: This computes the number trusses need for a roof including gabled roof.
- 4x8 Sheathing for Gable Roof: This computes the total surface area of a roof, the number of 4x8s and framing nails needed for a gabled roof based on the length, span, pitch and overhang.
- Gable Roof Sheathing Cost: This computes the number of 4x8 sheets (32 ft² each) needed to cover a gabled roof based on the ridge length, roof span, overhang and the pitch and applies the unit cost of a 4x8.
- Nails for Gable Roof Sheathing: This computes the approximate number of nails needed to nail 4x8 sheets to trusses or rafters on a roof based on the dimensions of the roof, spacing of nails on the edges and field of the 4x8, and whether blocking or clips are use.
- Purlins for Gable Roof: This computes the total number and length of purlins for a simple gable roof based on the ridge length of the roof, the roof pitch and the span of the roof.
- Metal for Gable Roof: This estimates the metal panels and trim needed for a metal roof for a simple gabled roof based on the roof dimensions.
- Metal Screws for Gable Roof: This computes the number of special screws needed for a metal roof.
- Shingles for Gable Roof: This computes the number of shingles (bundles), underlayment, ridge shingles, starter strip, and roofing nails for a gable roof.
- Gable Roof Shingle Cost: This estimates to shingle a basic gable roof based on dimensions (length, span, pitch and overhang) and the unit price of a bundle of shingles.
- Underlayment for Gable Roof: This estimates the cost of underlayment to cover a basic gable roof based on the area of a roof computed from the dimensions (length, span, pitch and overhang) and the unit price underlayment material.
- Roofing Nails for Gable Roof: This estimates the number of roofing nails needed for a common gabled roof based on roof dimensions and wind conditions.
- Rafters for Gable Roof: This computes the total number of rafter boards (roof joists) for a gabled roof based on the ridge length, pitch and span. It also returns the length of the ridge board, and the length and number of rafter ties and collar ties.
- Rafter Length: This computes the length of the rafters based on the span, pitch and overhang.
- Gable Roof Geometries: This computes the length of rafters, pitch and cut angles, soffit and facia base widths of a gable roof.
- Weight of Snow on Roof: This computes the weight of snow on a gable roof based on roof dimensions, depth and type of snow.
Roof Types
