Nailing Through Sheet Metal

Have you ever had to drill through metal.

Nailing through sheet metal.

The correct way to fasten steel panels with nails is to drive the nail through the top of the rib so the washer is compressed securely against the metal. A socket or wrench is then used to turn the draw stud gradually pulling the punch through the sheet metal and into the die. Regardless of type self clinching fasteners install permanently in thin ductile metal sheets by being pressed into place in a properly sized drilled or punched hole and by applying sufficient squeezing force. Nail placement must be in the ribs for roofing applications to minimize the potential for roof leaks.

Once the punch is completely pulled through the hole is complete and. Use 1 1 4 inch nails to cover the outline of the roof with strips of metal eave flashing also called edging. Amazon affiliate links listed below. The wooden bread layers of the sandwich keep the sheet metal flat and prevent the drill bit from wandering as it bores through the sheet metal.

First of all don t hold the nail with your thumb if possible put it between your first two fingers with the back of your hand facing the timber. If there are gutters installed on the eaves the eave flashing should be installed to overhang the lip of the gutter by about 1 2 inch. Regardless of the material the driving point needs to be larger than the depth of the material being driven into. Drilling holes through a thin sheet of sheet metal such as that used for a roof s flashing does not require a lot of effort and will make attaching the sheet metal easier.

For clean precise holes in thin sheet metal make a wood sandwich. Mark the locations where you want to secure it. These nails are specially designed to go through sheet metal and into wood and provide a seal that is hard for water to penetrate. Place corner pieces where panels will meet bends at the edge of the roofing.

Simply sandwich the sheet metal between two pieces of wood and clamp everything down on a table or workbench. Position the sheet metal. How to nail sheet metal to wood step 1. Put your sheet metal in place on top of the wooden frame.

Over driving the nail can split the washer and dimple the metal causing leaks. Second you can put the bracket up mark a nail hole with a pencil sharpie put the bracket in your pouch and then wack a first nail hole a lot harder without the bracket to deal with. Sheet metal screws were originally designed for metal like for use in a b vent pipe but can be used for a number of other applications too they can be used with plastics rubber or plywood.