Roof Nail Coil: Sizes, Materials & How They Load
Updated April 2026 · 6 min read
Coil-fed nailers dominate roofing for one reason: you can carry a square's worth of fasteners up the ladder without stopping to reload every minute. Here's exactly what's in a roof nail coil, the sizes and shank styles that matter, and how to keep them feeding cleanly through any modern coil nailer.
What a roof nail coil actually is
A roof nail coil is 120 individual roofing nails held together by two thin steel wires, rolled into a flat disc at a 15-degree angle. The wires break apart as the nailer drives each fastener — fast, clean, and rarely a source of jams when the coils are stored properly.
Coil-fed beats stick-fed for roofing because of capacity. A coil holds roughly six times what a stick magazine holds, which means dramatically fewer reloads on a roof.
Coil sizes that matter
- 7/8": rare, mostly for cap sheet and thin underlayment work
- 1": single-layer thin shingles on a 1/2" deck
- 1-1/4": the workhorse — most new construction and re-roofs
- 1-1/2": thick architectural shingles or going over an existing layer (where allowed)
- 1-3/4": two layers of shingles or thick decks
Pick by deck thickness plus shingle thickness — see our sizing guide for the exact math.
Material options
Hot dipped galvanized (HDG)
The default for inland asphalt shingle work. Thick zinc coating, ~25-year service life, accepted by every shingle warranty.
Electro-galvanized
Cheaper but thinner zinc layer. Skip for outdoor roofing — corrodes too fast.
Stainless (304 or 316)
For coastal jobs, cedar shingles, and copper flashing. Costs 2–3x HDG but lasts the lifetime of the roof.
Smooth vs ring shank
Smooth shank is fine for most asphalt shingle work. Ring shank holds dramatically better — required by code in high-wind zones and a smart upgrade for any coastal install. We have a deeper dive on ring shank roofing nails if you're weighing the upgrade.
Are coils brand-specific?
Practically, no. Bostitch, DeWalt, MAX, Metabo HPT, and Milwaukee coil roofing nailers all accept standard 15-degree wire-collated coils. There are minor differences in collation wire gauge and head diameter, but the major brands are interchangeable for nearly all jobs. Always check the gun's spec plate before loading off-brand coils.
How they load
Open the side magazine, drop the coil flat, route the lead nail under the feeder pawl, and close the door. If the coil sits crooked or the lead nail doesn't engage the driver track, you'll feed-jam on the first shot. Walk through it slowly with our loading guide.
Storage tips that prevent jams
- Keep coils in their sealed box until use — humidity rusts the collation wire
- Don't store loose coils in a hot truck for weeks; the lubricant gums up
- Toss any coil that's visibly rusted or has loose wires — not worth the jam