TIL how much weight a single 16d nail can actually hold

I was reading an old building code book at the library in Tacoma and saw a chart about fasteners. It said a 16d common nail driven into spruce can hold over 400 pounds in a straight pull. I always just hammered them in without thinking about the numbers. Has anyone else come across stats that made you respect the simple stuff more?

3 comments

3 Comments

tyler61mo ago

Guess that explains why my old deck hasn't collapsed under me yet.

margaretm231mo ago

Mine's held together by sheer luck and a prayer.

park.abby1mo ago

Saw my buddy's deck give out last summer during a barbecue. One minute we're all standing around the grill, the next there's this loud crack and the whole corner just drops. A couple of boards snapped clean, nails popped out like bullets. We spent the rest of the day moving his soggy grill and dragging the broken pieces to the curb.