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vancleaveterry

HurriQuake nails?

vancleaveterry
15 years ago

Has anyone used these HurriQuake nails? Do they require a special nail gun?

"The HurriQuake nail is a construction nail designed by Ed Sutt for Stanley-Bostitch, a division of Stanley Works, and patented in 2004. The features of the nail are designed primarily to provide more structural integrity for a building, especially against the forces of hurricanes and earthquakes."

"Independent tests of the nail's stretch were conducted by several organizations, including Florida International University, Clemson University, and the International Code Council. Those tests confirmed what the researchers at Bostitch had claimed, that they had created a better nail. Among all of the different tests, it was found that the new nail had twice the "uplift capacity" of other power driven nails, as well as doubling a home's resistance to wind and increasing earthquake resistance by up to 50%."

Some good pictures:

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2006/product_75.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Wikipedia article HurriQuake

Comments (16)

  • chiroptera_mama
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We used the Hurriquake nails and they really do have better hold. We were very careful when using them, but every once in a while we would have to pull one and it was not fun trying to get them out.

    We had to special order ours and now that we are finished with the sheathing and siding (we used T1-11 so we used the nails for that too) everyone has them :P

    The website has a list of the nails that they are compatible with.

    "HurriQuakeâ is a 21¢ª plastic collated nail featuring two diameters: .113 (model number RH-S8DR113-HQ) and .131 (model number RH-S8DR131-HQ). The nails are compatible with the following pneumatic nailers: BOSTITCH (models N88RH and F21PL), Hitachi (model NR90AC3), Senco (Frame Pro 652 and 752XP), Porter-Cable (model FR350MAG), and RIDGID (model R350RHA)."

    We went with the Bostitch since we did our own work, but if we had subbed it out, we would have bought a nailer for the people to use if they didn't have one (and then sold it after).

  • vancleaveterry
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you Chiroptera moma.

    That was very helpful. I'm surprised more people don't use them.

    Thanks again,
    Terry

  • sierraeast
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We used double hot dipped galvanized ring shank from maze nails on our build and i found that keeping a sawzall handy and cutting the nails was easier than trying to pull nails that had been sent home. They were a bear to try and pull, incredible holding strength!

  • kats
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've never heard that name mentioned. I'll have to ask DH if GC used hurriquake nails. Sure hope he did....we're between two fingers of the San Andreas...only 400 feet away from the Granddaddy of all earthquake faults. So, we could have a double waaammy!!!

    I do know that GC used steel supports in varing locations throughout the house for this reason...
    2005 framing picture....

  • sierraeast
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    In hurricane, tornado, earthquake country, it's all about steel components, bracing(s), connectors, hold downs, strapping, tie downs, etc, but fasteners play an important role as well. Nice bracing there, Kats. Seismic codes have come a long way in the past decade or two!

  • vancleaveterry
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gary,,, The home with the significant uplift damage to the roof... Would you know if it had a vented attic or un-vented?

    I'm being told that unvented is the way to go in hurricane country.

    Sierra... If I can't find the hurriquake nails, I'll go with those.

    Kats.... That looks pretty strong to me.

    Terry

  • breezy_2
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    They just look like ring shank nails to me. Those have been around for eons. As another poster pointed out, there is no substitute for bolts, bracing, straps, clips, can't say enough about solid toe nailing and even the kevlar foundation through roof strapping helps tremendously.

    All of these factors considered, anyone who has walked back into a direct hit knows, if there anything left at all, it probably is not recognizable. I can just hear it now "Oh my! Our house has been reduced to splinters. But hey, not 1 strap, bolt or HurriQuake nail pulled loose!"

    Sorry to be so cynical but, having been there, it is reality. It is amazing to see what a 14 foot wall of water or F-3 to 5 tornado can do in a matter minutes

  • chiroptera_mama
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Breezy,

    No one said the bolts and ties were not important. These nails are not a replacement, they are an addition. For the very small difference in price between these and regular sheathing nails, they are well worth it. The man who developed them did walk through many direct hits and he knew the destruction could have been mitigated if not prevented.

    They are NOT the same as ring shank nails. Read the specs and the reviews.

    Living where we do in both a regular hurricane zone and a more rare, but not unheard of earthquake zone, the use of the Hurriquake nails in addition to other precautions was a no brainer.

    "Tests conducted by researchers at Florida International University and the International Code Councilthe independent building-safety standards organizationconfirmed that the HurriQuake has more than twice the "uplift capacity" of standard power-driven nails. Other independent tests showed that the HurriQuake can double a typical homes resistance to high winds and add up to 50 percent more resistance to earthquakes."

    http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2006/innovator_5.html

    Its a great article, I recommend reading the whole thing.

    Here is a summary of what makes them different from the first link.

    "Most wood frame construction fails at the fastening point, which is why a superior nail design is so critical to structural integrity. Two independent laboratory tests concluded that HurriQuake withstands uplift forces of over 271 pounds/square foot (depending on nail pattern and shank diameter). In essence, this offers up to twice the resistance to high wind conditions, also referred to as uplift capacity, when compared to standard sheathing nails.
    The HurriQuake nail features nearly a 25% larger head to produce a dramatic increase in holding power. This plays a key role in resisting the vacuum effect of uplift forces, which often causes standard nail heads to pull or tear through sheathing. Also, its unique shank design features aggressive ring geometry to reduce withdrawal failure. As a result, these high-tech nails are rated for hurricane wind conditions and gusts of up to 170 mph.

    Unlike other sheathing nails, HurriQuake has its own exclusive code report (ESR-2020). Because of its performance characteristics, the HurriQuake nail exceeds Miami-Dade county code, which is arguably one of the strictest construction codes in the country. As a result, the head of the nail is marked with either an "HQ1" or "HQ2" for easy identification during inspections.
    HurriQuake is versatile enough to battle another one of Mother Natures most destructive forces - an earthquake. Earthquakes, an altogether different type of structural force, create stress at an angle perpendicular to the nail (referred to as shear load). This explains why damaged structures sometimes droop or lean after earthquakes. Because of its improved shank design, the HurriQuake nail delivers up to 50% more resistance to earthquake conditions, thereby reducing the potential for major structural damage.

    Another enhancement includes a stiffer plastic collation formula that breaks away more effectively as the nail is driven. This reduces "flagging" (the collection of collation material under the nail head) for a cleaner, flush application of the next layer. This helps prevent the squeaky floors that often result from flagging and under-driven nails.

    HurriQuake touts high-quality carbon steel alloy construction to meet code requirements and exceed a bend yield of 100,000 psi. "The value proposition of this next generation nail is quite compelling." said Dr. Sutt, "The additional cost to use HurriQuake nails on an average 2,000 square foot home is less than fifteen dollars. This is a small investment when you consider the fact that it may save thousands of dollars in the long run."

  • frog_hopper
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We used double hot dipped galvanized ring shank from maze nails on our build and i found that keeping a sawzall handy and cutting the nails was easier than trying to pull nails that had been sent home. They were a bear to try and pull, incredible holding strength!

    I've used those and they are great. I too have had to pull them. What a bear! However, I suspect they are not as good as the HurriQuake.

    BTW, I used to buy Maze nails at the Big Orange Box. Now all I can get is junk made overseas that bends if you look at it. I find myself buying less and less there.

  • sierraeast
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    When i contracted on the naval base here, the govt. required the use of american made building materials. That was when i first used maze nails, an american product. Most big box materials are junk,imo, and that includes more than just fasteners!

    Hurriquake nails are mighty impressive.

  • garymunson-2008
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    vancleaveterry....Both the gable and hip roof homes were/are vented. Here in Cent FL it'd be a poor idea not to be...I think the gable roof structure failed simply because it's much harder to really secure the roof to a gable end as compared to an all-hip plan. Here in hurricane country you get a substantial insurance discount for an all-hip design.

  • breezy_2
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry! I did not mean to ruffle feathers or offend anyone. I am sure every little bit helps.

  • sierraeast
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No need to be sorry, breezy. There simply is no residential structure out there that will withstand a direct hit from an f5 tornado,cat 5 hurricane, or a 7+ richter scale earthquake, but they are constantly working on it with improved products even down to nails such as hurriquake. Codes concerning steps towards maintaining a structures integrity are most always minimal, so it never hurts to go overkill. It's best to be as safe as possible in the event that a storm of lesser magnitude than an f5 hits. It just betters the odds.

  • vancleaveterry
    Original Author
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gary... I could swear I read somewhere that "UN-vented" was the way to go with an attic in hurricane country. It has to do with the wind getting in the attic and then creating "up-lift".

    Unfortunatly, I like the styling, and need the space, of a gable end house.

    Carter posted a link to a very large study on Katrina (on a different thread) that I am only a quarter of the way through. Towards the end of the study it starts talking about homes that failed and those that performed. I need to finish it.

    Chiroptera, Sierra, Breezy and Frog Hopper... Thanks!

  • garymunson-2008
    15 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    As I understand it, uplift from air getting in the attic is anecdotal. This doesn't include failure of a garage door that will give a sudden 'impact load' to the underside of the roof system when it blows in. The real lift is produced by the profile of the roof. It acts like the surface of an airplane wing, significantly lowering the surface pressure to the point where whatever air pressure is in the attic will just push the roof up. The use of an all hip roof helps in that it's easier to get a very strong tie-down with the rafters/trusses directly on the lintel. It also eliminates the gable edge that wind can use to start peeling the roof back. The pitch also comes into play....6-12 seems to be the 'sweet spot' with lesser pitches increasing the 'airplane wing' effect and greater pitches increasing the possibility of a 'push over' failure. The greater pitch does have an advantage of more protection of the shingles however and probably unless you were right in the path of the storm, the higher pitch, the more likely you'll get no roof damage.

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