What Size Brad Nails for Quarter Round? Things to Know!

Quarter rounds are decorative elements in a house and are most of the time made out of lightweight wood. Keeping these elements neat and delicate is relatively easy when you already know what size brad nails for quarter rounds you are going to use.

An 18-gauge brad nail will undoubtedly fit your elegantly-designed baseboard with quarter rounds. Make sure you don’t get confused between a 16 or 18-gauge nailer for a quarter round to avoid disastrous wood work outcomes.

What Are Brad Nails?

Brad nails are a thin kind of nails usually used for lightweight wood works, paneling, decorative trim, and other indoor applications. It is one of the types of nails for the quarter round.

Sometimes, brad nails are used to temporarily hold woods that are being glued together while waiting for it to dry. These nails are made from gauge wire and are thinner than finishing and other types of nails.

Brad nails have small heads, which make them excellent use for delicate woodwork where it almost seems invisible from far sight. You may also find headless brad nails to use for quarter round, as they are best used for frames, trims, and cabinets.

Length of Brad Nails

When it comes to using brad nails, it is essential to know what length of brad nails you will use depending on which type of woodwork you are working on. Still, it is advisable to use brad nails that are three times as long as the thickness of the wood material.

For example, suppose you are using a quarter-round wood with a ¾-inch thickness. In that case, it is recommended to use 2 ¼ inches of nail length for the quarter round.

Brad nail size ranges from ½ inch up to 2 ½ inches long. It can go deeply into the wood surface using the right tools, like a nail gun, for the quarter round.

When to Use and Not to Use Brad Nails?

Make sure to use brad nails only on thin, lightweight, or soft wood to avoid bending the nails.

This kind of nail is only used for intricate designs such as for ¾” quarter round, shoe moldings, and attaching small furniture or ornaments.

Since brad nail has less holding power than other types of nails, like finishing nails, it is not recommended to use this for thicker woods such as bed frames, wooden fences, and wooden carts.

It is also not advisable to use brad nails in exterior design since they are not galvanized. Hence, they are prone to corrosion, such as rusting.

How to Use a Brad Nail?

Driving a brad nail is quite more challenging than finishing nails and others. Its small and thin characteristic makes it prone to bending. Thus, beating it with a hammer might not work sometimes and can even result in people beating their fingers instead of the nail itself.

A nail gun may become handy if you find yourself frequently using a brad nail. Nail gun for quarter round make it easier for brad nails or finish nails to push through properly into the woodwork.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Using Brad Nails in Quarter Rounds?

Brad nails have a lot of advantages, especially when trying to achieve a neat and delicate look.They are great for decorative woods like quarter rounds as they do not leave unwanted marks on your project and are easy to conceal.

In cases where it is needed to pull out a nail, brad nails can be easily pulled out without causing the wood some damage.

Since quarter rounds are usually thin and made of lightweight wood, using brad nails will help avoid wood cracks or splitting.

However, brad nails can be easily bent due to their thinness. This, sometimes, prevents the nail from passing through the wood properly.

A 16-gauge Brad Nail and an 18-gauge: What is the Difference?

The difference between a 16 and 18-gauge brad nail is the size.

The higher the brad nail gauge size means, the smaller the size. Hence, an 18-gauge brad nail is smaller than a 16-gauge nail.

Specifically, 18-gauge nails have a thickness of 0.0475 inches, making them ideal for intricate designs and fragile or thin wood pieces without the need for sanding or filling of holes. It also has a low holding power that is great for temporarily holding parts together.

Meanwhile, since the 16-gauge is bigger and has a thickness of 0.0625 inch, it makes it a good size brad nail for trim, pieces of furniture, and fixtures. This can also reach corners because of its length and greater holding power.

Frequently Asked Question

What is a quarter round?

A quarter round is a decorative woodwork used to cover gaps in the flooring and the baseboard. It is shaped like a perfect curve representing a quarter of a circle.

These are usually made out of softwood. Hence, in order to maintain the clean and sleek look it gives to the interior design of a house, the correct nail size for quarter rounds is 18 gauge.

Due to this kind of wood, it is unlikely, yet possible, to recommend the usage of finish nails for quarter rounds for a better outcome and faster installation.

Can you use 18 gauge Brad nails for the door trim?

Yes. It is recommended to use 1” to 1 ¼” brad nails for door trims. Meanwhile, it is also possible to use the 16 or 15-gauge size of brad nail for trim, depending on the thickness of the trim being repaired or installed.

What kind of nail gun do you use for the quarter round?

A 16 or 18-gauge nailer for the quarter round is used. This is also called the gauge brad nailer.

This nail gun allows the woodworker to punch and shoot through the wood easier than beating the nails with a hammer.

It also prevents the nail from bending or breaking since it uses enough force to puncture the nails properly.

Conclusion

One of the ways to maintain a lovely home is by using decorations such as fences, carpets, shoe moldings, or quarter rounds and by keeping these with the right tools and materials.

Although it may seem irrelevant, it is significant now to know whether to use brad nails or finish nails on your woodwork to prevent further problems like wood or splitting and improper or insufficient wood and nails holding power.

It is just like knowing what size brad nails for quarter round are to be used for a better look and design quality.

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