Materials / Roofing Nails
Roofing Nails
accessoryRoofing nails are the mechanical fasteners used to attach asphalt shingles to roof sheathing, driven through the shingle's nailing zone into structural decking. IRC Section R905.2.5 requires fasteners for asphalt shingles to be galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or copper roofing nails with a minimum 12-gauge (0.105-inch) shank and a minimum 3/8-inch-diameter head, complying with ASTM F1667, Standard Specification for Driven Fasteners: Nails, Spikes, and Staples. Nails must penetrate at least 3/4 inch into the roof sheathing, or fully through sheathing thinner than 3/4 inch. NRCA recommends ASTM F1667 Type I, Style 20 nails for steep-slope shingle application.
Category family
accessory
Slope suitability
steep
Pros
- code-recognized fastening method required under irc r905.2.5 for asphalt shingle installation
- available in galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper to match corrosion-resistance needs
- ring-shank and screw-shank variants increase pull-out resistance beyond the smooth-shank minimum
- compatible with both hand-driven and pneumatic coil-nail installation methods
Cons
- under-driven or over-driven nails are a leading cause of shingle blow-off and warranty denial
- smooth-shank nails offer less pull-out resistance than ring-shank in high-wind exposures
- incorrect nailing-zone placement can void manufacturer shingle warranties even when nail spec is met
- penetration below the code-minimum 3/4 inch into sheathing is a common field failure
Sources
- up.codes verified 2026-07-28