Nailing it

By Anna Lockhart.  

Industry expert explains the importance of wooden nailers, their design functions and how to choose the right alternatives.  

In an episode of the Roofing Road Trips® podcast, host Karen Edwards sat down with Eric Younkin, leader of the product and engineered services team for Carlisle Architectural Metals (CAM), to discuss wood nailers and the important, yet unsung, role they play in maintaining a roof’s integrity.  

The term “wood nailers” refers to the wooden component that is put on a wall or on the roof deck of a roofing system, allowing roofers to build up the insulation layer to the equal height of the wood. Eric shared, “This allows for securement of both the roofing membrane and, more importantly, the edge securement, so the metal edge, whether that be a drip edge or some type of fascia. It's really the foundation for edge securement. It's the unseen factor that really goes into performance on the edge.”

This means wood nailers play a critical role in keeping a roof in place during severe weather or over decades of wear and tear. Due to this, Eric emphasized the importance of getting the properly sized nailer for your project. Some buildings, like those with a metal edge with a large flange, it might be necessary to seek a nailer larger than the typical size, 2x6.  

For those wondering why these are traditionally wooden instead of another, seemingly more durable material, it’s thanks to wood’s reputation for being a reliable and sturdy material if applied correctly. Eric explained, “Wood's been around for a long time, and it’s proven the test of time as well... Whenever you're installing wood, it's critical that you design it accordingly to meet the uplift pressures for the design.”

If not using wood, Eric recommended alternatives that are best suited for the job. “With some of the galvanized options, they come in smaller sections, so you could actually create radiuses and curves quite easily,” he shared. “Imagine if you had a radius coping or a radius edge, having your wood nailer meet the radius of the building could be hard to meet the aesthetics. So, we have these metal components that are a little easier to radius. Extruded aluminum is also an option.”

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about wood nailers and their alternatives.