1-1/4 Inch Coil Roofing Nails

If you only stocked one size of roofing coil nail in the truck, this would be it. The 1-1/4 inch coil nail is the default for new construction asphalt shingles on either 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch sheathing. Long enough to bury into the deck, short enough not to point through the underside.

Asphalt shingle manufacturers spec a fastener that penetrates the roof deck a full 3/4 inch, or fully through the deck on thinner sheathing. With a single layer of architectural shingle plus underlayment, a 1-1/4 inch nail clears that requirement on both 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch plywood. That is why every shingle wrapper on the planet specifies 1-1/4 inch as the default.

Most 1-1/4 inch coil nails sold for residential roofing are hot-dipped galvanized. That is the right balance of corrosion resistance and price for everyday production work.

Ring shank versions cost 10 to 15 percent more and add roughly 40 percent more pull-out strength, which matters in hurricane and tornado zones. Stainless is reserved for cedar, copper, and oceanfront work where ordinary galvanized would not survive a decade.

Step up to 1-1/2 inch or 1-3/4 inch when you are nailing over an existing layer, when the decking is 3/4 inch plank or tongue and groove, when you are installing thicker presentation grade shingles, or when local code requires deeper penetration in high wind areas.

Step down to 1 inch only when you are fastening synthetic underlayment with cap nails (different tool entirely), when you are nailing 3/8 inch plywood, or when you would otherwise punch through the underside of the deck.