The parts of a nail. Sizes of nails. How nails are made. Nail is the most widely used fastener for attaching one piece of wood to another. Nails also join wood and such materials as cloth, sheet metal, and wire.
Special nails hold wood and other materials to brick and concrete.
Most nails are made of steel, but some are made of aluminum, brass, copper, or stainless steel. Steel nails may be plated with aluminum, copper, nickel, or zinc to resist rust. Some nails have a coating of resin, an adhesive substance that makes them hold more tightly. Carpenters generally use a claw hammer to drive nails. This kind of hammer has a claw for removing nails.