Flooring Nails: Product Guide

Nail Finish

The finish of a nail is the coating (if any) that is applied to the surface of the whole nail (head, shank, and point). It is an important factor to consider especially when purchasing nails for use where moisture may be present and thus cause rusting, or when the nail may be visible through the surface of the floor.

Type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Mill Finish	Mill finish nails are unfinished nails that have no coating except a small amount of residual oil from the manufacturing process on the surface that helps prevent rusting.	During installation, these oils are sometimes transferred to hands and work making a mess for the installer to clean up.
Blued Finish	Blued nails are heat treated until the oil burns completely off, leaving the nail clean and easy to work with.	Because they are stripped of any coating, blued nails are prone to rusting.
Plated Finish	Nails plated with a non-oxidizing metal such as Zinc (Zinc-plated nails are called galvanized nails) create a finish that is both clean and rust resistant.	Although plated nails are becoming increasingly popular, they tend to be slightly more expensive than other finishes.