Toenailing Joists for Dummies

Joist hangers

We checked the records, and it's been nearly a year since the last time we nominated one of the most prolific DotDs in our arsenal. She's a homeschooling mama, former premed student, and longtime freelancer from the Empire State, the one and only Naima Manal. Naima's specialties are numerous, though she seems to be the most misinformative about appliances. Nonetheless, she branched out for this one into the land of HomeSteady.com, where she dropped "Which Sizes of Nails Are for Toenailing Floor Joists?" a few years back (it dates to at least 2014 on eHow.com).

As is her wont, Naima got flowery in her DMS¹-required introduction telling her readers that,

"Floor joists form the base of a framed floor. They are the 'bones' of the floor's structure that cross over the open square footage of the floor's space. Positioned at even intervals of 16 inches or so [sic]... "

Pretty. Too bad she threw in that "or so"... After that, Naima tried to get down to business, informing her readers that,

"The designations 8d, 10d and 16d for common nails do not denote the length of these nails... 'Common' refers to the common length of each type of nail. What does denote the length of these nails is the word 'common.' An 8d common nail measures 2 1/2 inches, a 10d common nail measures 3 inches and a 16d common nail measures 3 1/2 inches."

While she got the length information right, we have no idea where Naima came up with the rubbish about what "common" means. It is not a reference to the length of the nail, "common" describes the nail's diameter and finish. Common nails are thicker than box, cooler, or sinker nails because they're intended to carry heavier loads. So, let's see what Naima says about what nails you should use for toenailing joists?

Well, she pretty much got that part right: use 16d common nails to toenail a joist to a header (though she says nothing about joist hangers). After that however, Manal's ignorance got the better of her as she attempted to expand (and thereby reach the minimum word count):

"...16d common nails also connect two overlapping joists to band them together, and also to band a joist to the sill or top plate through toenailing..."

She must be using a pretty ancient text there, since most framers use steel plates to join framing members end-to-end. And finally, Naima completely blows it with this dross:

"Toenail joists with 8d common nails when bridging to a joist or blocking to a joist. "

Idiot: you don't bridge "to" or block "to" joists, since bridging and blocking are the cross-members intended to stiffen joists and maintain proper spacing. Sheesh.

No, once again Naima's ignorance comes thundering through as she attempts to pad out a simple answer into something long enough to meet Demand Media's minimum word count. Is it any wonder that she's collecting her nineteenth Dumbass of the Day award?

¹ DMS is Demand Media Studios (now Leaf Group), the parent of eHow.com. We often say, "You can't spell 'dumbass' without 'DMS.'"

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