nail nomenclature

[micky]

Why does Home Depot label their 2" galvanized nails as

Grip-Rite #11-1/2 x 2 in. 6-Penny Hot-Galvanized Steel Common Nails (1 lb.-Pack)

What is 11-1/2? Or what is 1/2? It's x 2 in so it seems like it's another dimension in inches , but the nail head is about 3/16", nowhere near a half.

Everbilt 2 in. Galvanized Common Nails (25-Pack) That's partly because it's a different company, but still, packaging them for the weekend diy guy.

[gfretwell]

[gfretwell]

The # (number) is the gauge of the wire the nail was cut from. I agree, I am not sure I ever knew anyone who bought nails 25 at a time. I usually buy at least a 5# box. These days I buy mostly coil gun nails and there are a bunch of coils in a box. (maybe thousands of nails depending on size)