What size is a 16d nail?

3 1/2 in long. A 16d common is 0.162 in in diameter, a 16d box 0.135 in and a 16d threaded nail 0.148 in, from Wood Handbook Tables 8-1 to 8-3.

What size is an 8d nail?

2 1/2 in long. An 8d common is 0.131 in in diameter and an 8d box 0.113 in. The IRC writes them as 8d common (2 1/2 in x 0.131 in) and 8d box (2 1/2 in x 0.113 in).

What size is a 10d nail?

3 in long. A 10d common is 0.148 in and a 10d box 0.128 in. The 10d box is named 26 times in IRC Table R602.3(1), more than any other penny size.

What does the d in 16d mean?

It marks the penny size. The Wood Handbook explains no more than that the penny designation should be used cautiously and is obsolete, and recommends ordering nails by length and diameter.

What is the difference between a common and a box nail?

The same length for the same penny, but a box nail is thinner: 0.135 in against 0.162 in at 16d. That is 83% of the diameter and about 69% of the steel, so it splits less and holds less.

What nails for framing?

The IRC fastening schedule, Table R602.3(1), names the nail for every framing joint. Its most common choices are 10d box, 8d and 16d commons, and 3 in x 0.131 in nailer nails.

What size roofing nails?

For asphalt shingles, IRC R905.2.5 requires at least a 12 gage (0.105 in) shank and a 3/8 in head. Roof tile needs 11 gage (0.120 in) with a 5/16 in head under R905.3.6.

What nails for drywall?

IRC Table R702.3.5 lists 4d cooler nails (1 3/8 in x 0.080 in) for 3/8 in board, 5d coolers (1 5/8 in x 0.086 in) for 1/2 in and 6d coolers (1 7/8 in x 0.092 in) for 5/8 in, or ring shank nails of 0.098 in.

Home › Framing › Nail Size Chart

Nail Size Chart

USDA Wood Handbook Tables 8-1 to 8-3, checked against IRC Table R602.3(1)

A 16d nail is 3 1/2 in long, but its diameter depends on which 16d you buy: 0.162 in for a common, 0.135 in for a box, 0.148 in for a threaded nail. The chart below is the US Forest Service's Wood Handbook tables for all three, plus the cooler nails the code lists for drywall. Every penny size the IRC nailing schedule names was checked against them. All seven match, and the nail the schedule names most often has no penny size at all.

Look up a nail

Nail type

Penny size

Pick the nail type, then the penny size.

Specification summary

Generated from on . Reopen that address to reproduce these figures exactly.

Entered

Result

Worked example

A 16d box nail against the 16d common it is often bought instead of.

Table 8-1. A 16d common is 3 1/2 in long and 0.162 in thick.
Table 8-2. A 16d box is the same length and 0.135 in thick.
The steel. 0.135 ÷ 0.162 = 0.833, and squared that is 0.694: the box nail has about 69% of the common nail's shank area.

The IRC fastening schedule reflects it: a double top plate splice takes 8 16d commons, or 12 16d box nails.

The formula

No source defines penny sizes by a formula: each is a row in a table. The pattern the handbook's rows follow:

length (in) = 2 + (penny − 6) ÷ 4, from 3d to 10d; then 12d 3 1/4, 16d 3 1/2, 20d 4, 1/2 in per 10d to 60d and 1 in per 10d to 90d

shank area: π × diameter² ÷ 4, so a nail 83% as thick carries 69% of the steel
cooler and sinker: about 1/8 in shorter than the common of the same penny, in the handbook's words

The handbook calls penny sizes obsolete and recommends specifying length and diameter, which is how the IRC writes every nail in its tables.

Where the numbers come from

The chart is the USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282, 2021), Chapter 8: Table 8-1 for bright common wire nails, Table 8-2 for smooth box nails and Table 8-3 for helically and annularly threaded nails. Lengths and diameters are printed in both inches and millimeters there, and both are reproduced here.

Then each IRC nail was checked against it. IRC 2021 Table R602.3(1), the fastening schedule, writes every nail as penny, type, length and diameter. Its seven penny sizes all match the handbook to the thousandth. Table R905.7.5(2) for wood shingles has one row that does not: the 4d box at 0.076 in, where the handbook prints 0.080. Table R702.3.5 gives the cooler nails, and each is 1/8 in shorter than the common of the same penny, exactly as the handbook says coolers are.

Common nail sizes

Bright common wire nails, Wood Handbook Table 8-1
Size	Length	Length, mm	Diameter, in	Diameter, mm	Gauge
6d	2 in	50.8	0.113	2.87	11-1/2
8d	2 1/2 in	63.5	0.131	3.33	10-1/4
10d	3 in	76.2	0.148	3.76	9
12d	3 1/4 in	82.5	0.148	3.76	9
16d	3 1/2 in	88.9	0.162	4.11	8
20d	4 in	101.6	0.192	4.88	6
30d	4 1/2 in	114.3	0.207	5.26	5
40d	5 in	127.0	0.225	5.72	4
50d	5 1/2 in	139.7	0.244	6.20	3
60d	6 in	152.4	0.262	6.65	2

The 10d and the 12d common are the same thickness, 0.148 in; only the length changes. From 20d up the nails are usually called spikes.

Box nail sizes

Smooth box nails, Wood Handbook Table 8-2
Size	Length	Length, mm	Diameter, in	Diameter, mm	Gauge
3d	1 1/4 in	31.8	0.076	1.93	14-1/2
4d	1 1/2 in	38.1	0.080	2.03	14
5d	1 3/4 in	44.4	0.080	2.03	14
6d	2 in	50.8	0.099	2.49	12-1/2
7d	2 1/4 in	57.1	0.099	2.49	12-1/2
8d	2 1/2 in	63.5	0.113	2.87	11-1/2
10d	3 in	76.2	0.128	3.25	10-1/2
16d	3 1/2 in	88.9	0.135	3.43	10
20d	4 in	101.6	0.148	3.76	9

A box nail is the same length as the common of the same penny and thinner, so it splits less wood and holds less. The 8d box is exactly as thick as a 6d common, 0.113 in.

Ring shank and spiral nail sizes

Helically and annularly threaded nails, Wood Handbook Table 8-3
Size	Length	Length, mm	Diameter, in	Diameter, mm
6d	2 in	50.8	0.120	3.05
8d	2 1/2 in	63.5	0.120	3.05
10d	3 in	76.2	0.135	3.43
12d	3 1/4 in	82.5	0.135	3.43
16d	3 1/2 in	88.9	0.148	3.76
20d	4 in	101.6	0.177	4.50
30d	4 1/2 in	114.3	0.177	4.50
40d	5 in	127.0	0.177	4.50
50d	5 1/2 in	139.7	0.177	4.50
60d	6 in	152.4	0.177	4.50
70d	7 in	177.8	0.207	5.26
80d	8 in	203.2	0.207	5.26
90d	9 in	228.6	0.207	5.26

Threaded nails are thinner than commons of the same penny from 10d up; the threads, not the shank, do the holding.

The nails the building code actually names

The IRC never writes a bare "16d". Table R602.3(1) gives the type, length and diameter every time. Counting the nails it names:

IRC 2021 Table R602.3(1), times each nail appears, against the Wood Handbook diameter
Nail	Length	IRC diameter, in	Handbook diameter, in	Times named
3 in x 0.131 in (no penny name)	3 in	0.131	-	27
10d box	3 in	0.128	0.128 (matches)	26
8d common	2 1/2 in	0.131	0.131 (matches)	18
16d common	3 1/2 in	0.162	0.162 (matches)	18
16d box	3 1/2 in	0.135	0.135 (matches)	14
8d box	2 1/2 in	0.113	0.113 (matches)	11
10d common	3 in	0.148	0.148 (matches)	4
20d common	4 in	0.192	0.192 (matches)	2

The most-named nail in the schedule is 3 in x 0.131 in: the thickness of an 8d common at the length of a 10d. It is the size framing nailers shoot, and it has no penny name in the handbook. Where the schedule allows it in place of 16d commons it asks for more of them or closer spacing: 12 against 8 at a double top plate splice, 12 in on center against 16 in from top plate to top plate. 0.131 in has 65% of the shank area of 0.162 in.

Roofing, siding and drywall nails

Nails specified by size in IRC 2021
Use	Nail	Section
Asphalt shingles	12 gage (0.105 in) shank, 3/8 in head minimum	R905.2.5
Concrete and clay roof tile	11 gage (0.120 in), 5/16 in head	R905.3.6
Wood shingles 16 and 18 in	3d box, 1 1/4 in x 0.076 in	Table R905.7.5(2)
Wood shingles 24 in	4d box, 1 1/2 in x 0.076 in	Table R905.7.5(2)
Shakes, straight and taper split	5d box, 1 3/4 in x 0.080 in	Table R905.7.5(2)
Shakes, handsplit, resawn, tapersawn	6d box, 2 in x 0.099 in	Table R905.7.5(2)
Vinyl siding	0.120 in shank, 0.313 in head	R703.11.1.1
3/8 in drywall	4d cooler, 1 3/8 in x 0.080 in, 7/32 in head	Table R702.3.5
1/2 in drywall	5d cooler, 1 5/8 in x 0.086 in, 15/64 in head	Table R702.3.5
5/8 in drywall	6d cooler, 1 7/8 in x 0.092 in, 1/4 in head	Table R702.3.5

Roofing nails are sold by gauge rather than penny. 12 gage at 0.105 in sits between the handbook's 11-1/2 gauge (0.113 in) and 12-1/2 gauge (0.099 in), so the code's figures and the handbook's run on the same wire scale. The gauge size chart compares that scale with sheet metal gauges.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a 16d nail?: 3 1/2 in long. A 16d common is 0.162 in in diameter, a 16d box 0.135 in and a 16d threaded nail 0.148 in, from Wood Handbook Tables 8-1 to 8-3.
What size is an 8d nail?: 2 1/2 in long. An 8d common is 0.131 in in diameter and an 8d box 0.113 in. The IRC writes them as 8d common (2 1/2 in x 0.131 in) and 8d box (2 1/2 in x 0.113 in).
What size is a 10d nail?: 3 in long. A 10d common is 0.148 in and a 10d box 0.128 in. The 10d box is named 26 times in IRC Table R602.3(1), more than any other penny size.
What does the d in 16d mean?: It marks the penny size. The Wood Handbook explains no more than that the penny designation should be used cautiously and is obsolete, and recommends ordering nails by length and diameter.
What is the difference between a common and a box nail?: The same length for the same penny, but a box nail is thinner: 0.135 in against 0.162 in at 16d. That is 83% of the diameter and about 69% of the steel, so it splits less and holds less.
What nails for framing?: The IRC fastening schedule, Table R602.3(1), names the nail for every framing joint. Its most common choices are 10d box, 8d and 16d commons, and 3 in x 0.131 in nailer nails.
What size roofing nails?: For asphalt shingles, IRC R905.2.5 requires at least a 12 gage (0.105 in) shank and a 3/8 in head. Roof tile needs 11 gage (0.120 in) with a 5/16 in head under R905.3.6.
What nails for drywall?: IRC Table R702.3.5 lists 4d cooler nails (1 3/8 in x 0.080 in) for 3/8 in board, 5d coolers (1 5/8 in x 0.086 in) for 1/2 in and 6d coolers (1 7/8 in x 0.092 in) for 5/8 in, or ring shank nails of 0.098 in.

Check these numbers yourself

USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook, Chapter 8 Fastenings (FPL-GTR-282)Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-282, USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 2021. Chapter 8, pages 8-2 to 8-13. A US government publication in the public domain. Read 2026-10-02.
Utah Residential Code 2021, Chapter 6 Wall Construction, Table R602.3(1)IRC 2021 as adopted in Utah, read through UpCodes. Table R602.3(1) Fastening Schedule and its footnotes. Read 2026-10-02.
Utah Residential Code 2021, Chapter 9 Roof AssembliesSections R905.2.5 and R905.3.6 and Table R905.7.5(2). Read 2026-10-02.
Utah Residential Code 2021, Chapter 7 Wall CoveringTable R702.3.5 (gypsum board nails) and Section R703.11.1.1 (vinyl siding fasteners). Read 2026-10-02.

How every figure here is verified: Sources & Method. Who builds this: Lucas Pradella, and the method is on About. Found something wrong? Tell us and it gets fixed or removed.

Figures on this page last checked against the source documents on 2026-10-02. Codes are amended locally; confirm against the edition your jurisdiction enforces.

Related calculators

Bright steel nails from the handbook tables. Imported and coated nails can differ from these dimensions, as the handbook warns; the box label and the code row are what an inspector reads.