1-3/4" Coil Roofing Nails: For Tile, Cedar, and Multi-Layer Work

The 1-3/4" coil roofing nail lives in a specialized corner of the roofing world. You won't find it in big-box endcap displays the way 1" and 1-1/4" coils show up in spring. This is a contractor-counter or specialty-supplier nail, ordered by the case for specific applications: cedar shake roofing, tile underlayment battening, two-layer re-roof-overs, and any roof system where you need to bury a fastener through 5/8" or 3/4" of accumulated material before reaching the deck.

Note that 1-3/4" is generally the maximum length most coil roofing nailers can drive. Going longer typically means stepping up to a framing coil nailer or a strip nailer — different gun, different category, different price.

When to use 1-3/4" coil nails

Use 1-3/4" for: cedar shake and shingle roofing (the cedar itself eats up most of the nail length before you reach deck), concrete or clay tile underlayment over heavy ice & water shield in cold-climate jurisdictions, two-layer re-roof-overs where local code still permits them and the existing material is thicker than a single shingle, and pressure-treated battens or sleepers attached over an existing roof for radiant systems.

Don't use 1-3/4" for: standard asphalt shingle installation (massive overkill, will likely blow through 1/2" plywood and protrude into the attic), or anything you'd use a framing nail for — even though the length is similar, the head geometry on a roofing nail isn't designed for structural shear.

Cedar-specific note: cedar shake installation guides (CSSB Bulletin 1) generally call for hot-dip galvanized or stainless ring-shank in 6d (2") sizes. The 1-3/4" smooth-shank coil nail is acceptable per most manufacturer instructions for re-roof situations but stainless ring-shank is the long-life choice and worth the cost when you're already paying for cedar.

Stocking reality: 1-3/4" coils typically cost 25-35% more than 1" coils per nail and ship in lower box counts because demand is lower. Lead times from major fastener distributors can run 1-2 weeks if you're ordering stainless. Plan ahead.