Overheard a GC bragging about using galv nails on cedar siding, had to speak up

Was grabbing coffee near a job site in Portland last Tuesday and heard this general contractor telling his crew galv nails are fine for cedar because 'it all rots anyway.' That's crap. Galv and cedar react and leave black streaks, plus the cedar eats the zinc way faster. You really gonna trust a guy who cuts corners on fasteners for your whole exterior?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana1797d ago

The black streaking alone is enough reason to avoid galv on cedar, but people don't realize how fast the cedar eats through the zinc coating. I've seen cedar siding just a few years old that had galv nails already starting to rust and bleed through. Stainless steel is the only way to go if you want it to actually last and not look terrible after some rain.

adam_butler386d ago

I pulled a galv nail out of a cedar fence after only 18 months and the zinc was completely gone near the head, flaking rust everywhere. The tannins in cedar are basically acid to that coating. Stainless is the only choice if you don't want to redo the whole thing in a few years.