| Size | Length, inches |
Gauge | Number in a pound |
Safe Lateral Load* | Resistance to withdrawal in pounds per inch of penetration perpendicular to the grain, into the main member, in Douglas Fir |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Required penetration. inches |
load, pounds, in Douglas Fir |
|||||
| 2d | 1 | 15 | 876 | |||
| 3d | 1¼ | 14 | 568 | |||
| 4d | 1½ | 12½ | 316 | |||
| 5d | 1¾ | 12½ | 271 | |||
| 6d | 2 | 11½ | 181 | 1 | 70 | 27 |
| 7d | 2¼ | 11½ | 161 | |||
| 8d | 2½ | 10¼ | 106 | 1¼ | 100 | 32 |
| 9d | 2¾ | 10½ | 96 | 32 | ||
| 10d | 3 | 9 | 69 | 1½ | 120 | 36 |
| 12d | 3¼ | 9 | 64 | 1 5/8 | 130 | 36 |
| 16d | 3½ | 8 | 49 | 1 5/8 | 160 | 40 |
| 20d | 4 | 6 | 31 | 2 | 190 | 48 |
| 30d | 4½ | 5 | 24 | 2¼ | 230 | 52 |
| 40d | 5 | 4 | 18 | 2 1/3 | 270 | 56 |
| 50d | 5½ | 3 | 14 | 2¾ | 310 | 61 |
| 60d | 6 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 360 | 67 |
*For nails inserted perpendicular to the grain. For nails driven parallel to the grain or toe-nailed, the load should not be more than 2/3 of the value in column 6.
A useful rule of thumb for estimating safe lateral loads for nails 12d and smaller is to take ten times the pennyweight.
