How to Choose the Right Fastener for Every Framing Connection

By Tony Marsh · Updated August 11, 2026

Scope and methodology: This guide provides general U.S. wood-framing selection guidance, not a project-specific fastening schedule or code interpretation. Dimensional references were checked against manufacturer technical data; application examples were treated as starting points only. Before installation, reconcile the project plans, engineering, locally adopted requirements, connection schedule, product instructions, and nailer manual. Unresolved conflicts should go to the designer, authority having jurisdiction, or relevant manufacturer.

The short answer: choose the connection before the nail

There is no single best nail for every framing task. A fastener suitable for attaching a stud to a plate may be wrong for sheathing, blocking, a built-up header, roof decking, or a joist hanger. Start with the exact connection and its applicable fastening schedule—not with whichever box is already in the truck.

As broad starting points, 16d-class nails are commonly associated with many stud-and-plate connections, 10d nails with some blocking or toenailing work, and 8d nails with many sheathing applications. These are categories to investigate, not universal requirements; general trade guidance makes those associations while also directing users to check the application and tool requirements in this framing-nail size guide.

The same pieces of lumber can require different fastening depending on how they meet:

• Face nailing drives through the face of one member into another.
• End nailing drives through one member into the end grain of another.
• Toenailing drives at an angle through one member into another.
• Panel fastening introduces panel thickness, edge and field spacing, and required penetration.
• Built-up-member fastening may require multiple rows, specified spacing, or fastening from one or both sides.
• Connector fastening requires checking the instructions for the exact hanger, strap, clip, or tie.

That is why “What nails should I use for framing?” needs a connection-specific answer. A box suitable for assembling a wall may not satisfy the roof-decking schedule, and an ordinary framing nail may have the wrong dimensions, head, shank, or finish for metal hardware.

Use this five-step selection process:

1. Identify the connection. Record the members being joined, their materials and thicknesses, and whether the connection is face-nailed, end-nailed, toenailed, panel-fastened, or made through a connector.
2. Find the applicable requirements. Check the plans, engineering, locally adopted code and amendments, connection schedule, and any product instructions that apply.
3. Record the complete fastener specification. Include measured length, shank diameter, nail type, head configuration, quantity, spacing, penetration, and installation direction.
4. Account for exposure and connected materials. Identify pressure-treated lumber, exterior or wet exposure, and contact with connectors or other hardware.
5. Verify installation compatibility. For collated nails, confirm that the exact product fits the nailer’s accepted length, diameter, angle, magazine, collation, and head requirements.

Do not replace these checks with local custom. A supply house may stock what most crews buy, a retailer may call a product a “framing nail,” and someone may report that a familiar local practice passes inspection. None of those facts establishes that the product satisfies the requirements for your connection. A community discussion about locally stocked 0.120-inch ring-shank nails versus a stated 0.131-inch schedule illustrates the discrepancy, but the discussion itself is not an official code interpretation or an approved substitution.

The working rule is simple: choose from the connection outward, not from the box label inward.

Framing nail size chart: 8d, 10d, 12d, and 16d

The letter d denotes penny size. It derives from denarius, the Latin word for penny, and primarily functions as a traditional length designation. Penny size is useful shorthand, but it is not a complete structural specification.

Common-nail dimensions

Penny size and type	Length	Shank diameter	Practical meaning
8d common	2.5 in.	0.131 in.	Reference size associated with various panel and lighter framing connections
10d common	3 in.	0.148 in.	Reference size associated with some blocking, toenailing, and framing schedules
12d common	3.25 in.	0.148 in.	Longer than a 10d common, with the same listed shank diameter
16d common	3.5 in.	0.162 in.	Heavy common nail frequently associated with structural framing

These dimensions are listed in Simpson Strong-Tie’s technical nail overview, which recommends specifying nails by diameter and length because penny size and type labels can otherwise create confusion in a construction-nail specification.

The table shows why length alone is insufficient. A 12d common is longer than a 10d common, but both have a listed 0.148-inch shank. A 16d common increases both length and diameter. A schedule may depend on those measured dimensions rather than the broad product category.

Three nails that may all be described as “16d”

Nail type	Dimensions	Distinguishing feature
16d common	3.5 × 0.162 in.	Comparatively heavy shank
16d box	3.5 × 0.135 in.	Same nominal length as the common nail but a thinner shank
16d sinker	Approximately 3.25 × 0.148 in.	Shorter and thinner than the common nail; commonly coated to ease driving

Common, box, and sinker dimensions differ even when the same penny designation appears on the package, and the 16d sinker is specifically identified as a shorter coated framing nail in the same technical reference.

A purchase list that says only “16d nails” leaves important questions unanswered:

• Does the schedule mean common, box, sinker, or a dimensionally specified equivalent?
• Is a pneumatic “16d-class” product actually shorter than a traditional 16d common?
• What is the actual shank diameter?
• What head, shank, and finish are required?
• Does an approved alternative require a different nail count or pattern?

For clearer ordering and field verification, write the specification in a measured form:

3.5 in. × 0.162 in. common nail, with the required head, shank, and finish

Or, where a different fastener is expressly permitted:

3 in. × 0.131 in. collated framing nail, with the approved head, shank, finish, count, and installation pattern

Measured length and diameter should come first. Penny size can remain as supplemental shorthand, but it should not carry the entire specification.

A thinner box nail or pneumatic nail may be easier to drive and may reduce splitting in some thin material or near an edge. That practical benefit does not make it interchangeable with a specified larger-diameter nail. The connection may also depend on the head, penetration, quantity, spacing, and installation method.

Buying a larger nail “to be safe” is not a sound substitution method either. A longer or thicker nail may protrude, interfere with another assembly, or increase the risk of splitting—particularly near lumber ends or where several angled nails converge. The goal is not to maximize nail size; it is to install the fastener and pattern the connection was designed to receive.

A connection-first guide to common framing tasks

The following table is a navigation tool, not a fastening schedule. The starting points show sizes commonly associated with each task so that you know where to begin checking. The controlling project documents determine what may actually be installed.

Framing task	Common starting point—not a universal requirement	Variables to verify	Controlling information
Studs and plates	16d-class nail	End, face, or toe fastening; dimensions; head; quantity; member thickness	Plans, engineering, adopted schedule
Toenailing	10d appears in some general guidance	Angle, dimensions, quantity, placement, splitting risk	Connection-specific schedule
Blocking	10d appears in some general guidance	Block orientation, fastening direction, dimensions, count	Plans and connection schedule
Wall sheathing	8d is a common starting point	Panel thickness, diameter, penetration, edge and field spacing, design conditions	Wall-sheathing or shear-wall schedule
Subflooring	Connection-specific panel fastener	Panel type and thickness, shank, spacing, framing material, adhesive instructions	Plans and panel instructions
Roof decking	Some commercial guidance gives 8d or 10d examples based on panel thickness	Panel thickness, shank, penetration, spacing, uplift requirements, exposure	Roof-deck schedule and plans
Built-up headers	Connection-specific	Number and thickness of plies, spacers, rows, spacing, fastening direction	Engineered detail or adopted schedule
Metal connectors	Connector-specific nail or approved fastener	Exact model, dimensions, head, shank, finish, permitted holes	Connector instructions and plans

Studs, plates, and wall framing

A 16d-class nail is a recurring general recommendation for 2×4 and 2×6 wall framing. That does not mean every stud-to-plate connection takes the same 16d product or the same number of nails.

First determine whether the stud is being end-nailed through a plate, toenailed after positioning, or fastened by another detail. Then check the applicable requirements for measured dimensions, quantity, placement, and method. Repeat that process for doubled studs, intersecting walls, top plates, jack and king studs, and other built-up assemblies.

Do not carry a stud-to-plate selection into every other wall connection. Members of the same nominal size can require different fasteners when their orientation or load path changes.

Toenailing and blocking

A 10d nail is a recurring example in general guidance for some toenailing and blocking work. Angled fastening changes the nail path through the wood and may place several nails near an end or edge. Correct placement can therefore be as important as nominal length.

Do not assume that a nail accepted for end nailing is automatically accepted for toenailing, or vice versa. The fastening direction may change the permitted dimensions or required quantity. Avoid crowding fasteners, overdriving them, or selecting a longer product merely because the nailer accepts it.

For blocking, record whether the block is face-nailed, end-nailed, or toenailed. Block orientation and access can change the approved method.

Wall sheathing and subflooring

An 8d nail is a common starting point for structural panel sheathing, but “8d” does not complete the specification. Verify:

• Nail type and actual shank diameter
• Panel type, grade, and thickness
• Required penetration into framing
• Edge and field spacing
• Fastener distance from panel edges
• Smooth, ring, or other required shank
• Head requirements and overdrive limits
• Project-specific wind or seismic provisions
• Corrosion protection where exposure requires it

Panel fastening is a system. The right nail at the wrong spacing does not satisfy a prescribed pattern. Neither does a smaller ring-shank nail automatically replace a larger specified smooth-shank nail. If the panel is part of a designated structural assembly, use that assembly’s fastening pattern rather than a generic sheathing rule.

A ring-shank nail may be considered where pull-out resistance matters, but its shank design does not excuse a mismatch in dimensions, spacing, or penetration.

Roof decking

One manufacturer’s general roof-decking guide gives these examples:

• 1/2-inch plywood or OSB: 8d common or 8d ring-shank nails
• 5/8-inch plywood or OSB: 10d common or 10d ring-shank nails

These are commercial examples, not a governing code schedule. The source associates the larger nominal nail with the thicker panel but also notes that roof-deck selection depends on the application in its general framing-nail guidance.

Before using either example, confirm the required diameter, penetration, edge and field spacing, shank, and project design. Panel boundaries and field areas may use different spacing, and project-specific uplift requirements can make a generic pattern inappropriate.

Built-up headers

A built-up header is not simply several boards that need large nails. Its detail may specify:

• Number and thickness of plies
• Whether a spacer is present
• Nail dimensions and type
• Number of rows
• Staggering
• Edge and end distances
• Spacing along the member
• Fastening from one or both sides

Do not transfer a stud-to-plate nail choice to a built-up header. Follow the applicable detail. If that detail is missing or ambiguous, resolve it before assembly rather than improvising a pattern.

Metal connectors

Joist hangers, straps, clips, ties, and similar hardware form a separate fastener-selection category. Start with the exact connector model and its instructions, not with a generic framing-nail length.

Retailer guidance distinguishes joist-hanger nails as purpose-made products rather than ordinary framing nails and notes that these fasteners may have corrosion-resistant finishes in its overview of nail types. That general distinction is not enough to select a product: the exact connector instructions still need to identify the permitted fastener and installation pattern.

Across all these tasks, longer and thicker do not automatically mean safer. The right nail satisfies the connection while preserving the wood around it.

Why 3-inch, 3-1/4-inch, and 3-1/2-inch nails are not interchangeable

Framing crews commonly encounter three broad product classes:

• Traditional 16d common nails
• Shorter 16d sinkers
• Collated 3-inch nails in diameters such as 0.120 or 0.131 inch

Retail listings include both 3-inch-by-0.120-inch and 3-inch-by-0.131-inch collated products, demonstrating that equal length does not establish equal diameter or configuration in current framing-nail assortments.

All three classes may be sold or discussed as framing nails, but they are not dimensionally identical. Differences in length and diameter can change penetration, wood bearing on the shank, splitting behavior, and the pattern required by a schedule.

A shorter pneumatic fastener is acceptable only when the applicable plans, schedule, engineering, or other controlling specification permits its exact:

• Length
• Diameter
• Head configuration
• Shank design
• Finish or material
• Quantity
• Spacing
• Penetration
• Installation method

Some schedules may provide alternatives that use shorter nails in a different quantity or pattern. That does not authorize a crew to invent an equivalency.

Forum participants report regional use of 3-, 3.25-, and 3.5-inch products and suggest that shorter nails are popular partly because many nailers accept them. The same discussion contains conflicting interpretations of shorter-nail alternatives, which is precisely why anecdotal practice should not be treated as a project specification or code interpretation.

Tool limits must be checked against the exact nailer manual. Driving performance can also vary by tool, fastener, material, setup, and operating conditions. If a nailer does not accept or reliably install the required fastener, change tools or obtain a documented alternative rather than redesigning the connection around the magazine.

Substitution checklist

Before changing from the specified fastener, compare the proposed nail line by line:

• [ ] Length: Is the measured length permitted?
• [ ] Diameter: Does the actual shank diameter meet the requirement?
• [ ] Head: Is the specified head configuration present?
• [ ] Shank: Is the smooth, spiral, or annular-ring design permitted?
• [ ] Finish: Is the material or coating suitable for the exposure and connected materials?
• [ ] Quantity: Does a recognized alternative change the fastener count?
• [ ] Spacing: Are the prescribed spacing and edge distances retained?
• [ ] Penetration: Does the fastener achieve the required embedment?
• [ ] Method: Is the joint face-nailed, end-nailed, or toenailed as specified?
• [ ] Tool: Can the nailer accept and install the exact fastener?
• [ ] Authorization: Is the substitution supported by the applicable project documents or confirmed by the responsible designer or authority?

If an answer is unknown, the substitution remains unresolved. Do not bridge the gap with package marketing, regional custom, or an improvised nail count.

Common, sinker, box, smooth, and ring-shank nails

Nail type and shank design affect driving, splitting, withdrawal resistance, and compatibility. They should be treated as parts of a complete specification rather than standalone indicators of strength.

Common nails

Common nails have comparatively heavy shanks and are widely associated with construction and framing. Their larger diameter may be the dimension assumed by a schedule that expressly calls for a common nail. The same heavy shank can increase splitting risk in thin stock, near ends, or where fasteners are crowded.

Box nails

Box nails are thinner than common nails of the same penny size. That can make them easier to use in thinner stock and less likely to split it, but it also means they cannot be treated as common nails merely because their length and penny designation match.

The shared designation describes neither nail completely. Always compare measured diameter as well as length.

Sinkers

Sinkers are generally thinner than corresponding common nails and are often coated to ease driving. Their heads may be textured for hand driving. A 16d sinker is also typically shorter than a 16d common.

Those characteristics can make sinkers convenient for production framing, but convenience does not establish permission to substitute them. Check whether the connection recognizes the sinker’s actual dimensions and installation pattern.

Purpose-made collated framing nails

Collated framing nails are assembled into strips or coils using plastic, wire, paper tape, adhesive, or another carrier. Their dimensions may resemble common nails, box nails, sinkers, or none of those precisely.

A package may say “framing,” “16d,” “round head,” or “for 21-degree nailers.” Treat each phrase as one data point. The label still needs to provide the measured length, diameter, shank, finish, head, and collation details required for the connection and tool.

Smooth, spiral, and annular-ring shanks

Smooth-shank nails drive readily and are common in general wood framing.

Spiral-shank nails twist as they enter the wood and provide greater resistance to withdrawal than comparable smooth-shank designs.

Annular ring-shank nails use raised rings to engage wood fibers and increase pull-out resistance. They are commonly considered for panels, decking, siding, subflooring, and other pull-out-sensitive applications. Manufacturer guidance distinguishes smooth shanks as easier to drive and ring shanks as more resistant to pull-out in this overview of framing-nail types.

Withdrawal resistance is not the whole connection. A thinner ring-shank nail does not automatically replace a larger specified smooth-shank nail. Diameter, head, penetration, spacing, quantity, wood condition, and connection geometry can still matter.

The useful question is not “Do ring shanks hold better?” It is: Does this exact ring-shank nail satisfy this exact connection?

Head configuration

Full-round, offset-round, and clipped heads are specification and nailer-compatibility variables. Do not assume any one configuration is accepted or prohibited everywhere.

Check both sides of the selection:

1. Do the applicable project requirements and product instructions permit the head?
2. Does the nailer manual support that head and collation format?

A nail may fit into a magazine yet remain unsupported by the tool manufacturer. Conversely, a tool-compatible nail may be wrong for the connection.

Bright, galvanized, or stainless: selecting for exposure

Corrosion protection should match the service environment, lumber treatment, connected hardware, and applicable instructions. “Galvanized” by itself is not always a complete coating specification.

Condition	Common starting point	What must be verified
Protected, dry interior framing	Bright steel may be appropriate	Whether the assembly will remain dry and whether another finish is specified
Temporary construction exposure	Project-dependent	Duration of wetting, storage, drying, staining concerns, and final exposure
Exterior service	Approved galvanized or stainless may be considered	Coating class or stainless specification and severity of exposure
Pressure-treated lumber	Compatible hot-dip-galvanized or stainless may be required	Treatment chemistry, retention, exposure, and supplier instructions
Into or near metal hardware	Match the hardware requirements	Connector instructions and fastener-finish compatibility

Bright steel

Bright nails are uncoated steel products generally associated with protected, dry framing. They are economical and widely available but susceptible to rust when wet.

Temporary jobsite wetting and long-term service exposure are different conditions. The required fastener should be selected for the project’s anticipated exposure rather than based only on whether the framing will eventually be covered.

Galvanized steel

Galvanization applies a protective zinc coating to steel. Hot-dip-galvanized products are generally described as having a heavier coating than electro-galvanized products. Manufacturer listings distinguish bright-steel products from hot-dip-galvanized framing nails and characterize the latter as more corrosion-resistant in this framing-fastener catalog.

The word “galvanized” on the front of a package does not establish the coating class required for every application. Check the detailed product documentation and the requirements for the lumber, hardware, and service environment.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel generally provides greater corrosion resistance and typically costs more than bright or galvanized carbon-steel fasteners. It may be appropriate for demanding exposure or where the applicable instructions call for a particular stainless specification. It is not automatically necessary for every framing project.

Do not choose stainless—or reject it—solely from a general indoor-versus-outdoor rule. The decision remains project- and material-specific.

Pressure-treated lumber and hardware compatibility

Pressure-treated lumber or exterior exposure may require an approved hot-dip-galvanized or stainless fastener, but the correct choice depends on:

• Preservative treatment
• Treatment retention
• Interior, exterior, wet, or severe exposure
• Fastener material and coating class
• Connector or hardware finish
• Lumber-supplier instructions
• Fastener and connector documentation
• Plans and applicable requirements

Do not assume all galvanized coatings are equal, every treatment has the same requirements, or stainless is universally mandatory. Consult the treated-lumber supplier, hardware manufacturer, fastener documentation, plans, and applicable adopted requirements before purchasing.

How to match collated nails to a framing nailer

A nailer’s nominal angle is only the beginning of compatibility. Two boxes labeled “21 degree” can still differ in length, diameter, head, shank, finish, strip geometry, and plastic-carrier design.

Pre-purchase nailer checklist

Before buying a case, confirm:

• Accepted nail length: Check the tool’s stated minimum and maximum.
• Accepted diameter range: Not every diameter at an accepted length will necessarily feed.
• Collation angle: Match the manufacturer’s stated range rather than estimating visually.
• Strip or coil format: Wire coil, plastic strip, paper tape, and other formats are not interchangeable.
• Magazine design: Check strip geometry, magazine capacity, and carrier requirements.
• Head configuration: Confirm the supported head shape.
• Shank style: Make sure the tool permits the selected smooth, ring, or spiral shank.
• Coating: Verify that the finish is suitable for both feeding and project exposure.
• Exact product variant: Check the selected box or stock-keeping unit, not just a family-level description.

Common market examples include 15-degree wire-coil, 21-degree plastic-strip, and 30-degree paper-tape nails. These are useful format descriptions, not universal definitions for every tool.

Variation exists even within a single product family. One manufacturer lists 21-degree plastic-strip, round-head, smooth-shank variants from 2-3/8 to 3-1/2 inches long and from 0.113 to 0.131 inch in diameter, with bright or galvanized finishes depending on the selected variant on its product page.

A family-level compatibility statement should not be stretched to every variant. Verify the exact length, diameter, head, finish, and collation against the nailer manual.

The correct sequence is:

1. Determine the fastener required for the connection.
2. Determine whether the nailer accepts that exact fastener.
3. If it does not, change tools or obtain a documented alternative.

A product can fit the nailer and still be wrong for the connection. It can also satisfy the required dimensions yet be incompatible with the tool’s collation or head design. Both checks must pass.

This article does not provide a complete nailer-safety procedure. Before loading, adjusting, clearing, or operating a framing nailer, follow the instructions and protective measures in the exact tool manufacturer’s manual.

Code schedules, connectors, and the final jobsite check

Instead, identify and reconcile all applicable sources of requirements:

• Project plans and engineering
• Locally adopted code edition and amendments
• Connection-specific fastening schedules
• Approved engineered alternatives, where applicable
• Connector or listed-product instructions
• Fastener documentation
• Nailer manual

Plans and engineering must be considered alongside adopted legal requirements. Because that relationship varies by project and jurisdiction, do not resolve a conflict by choosing whichever document is easiest to satisfy.

If requirements appear inconsistent, stop and seek clarification from the responsible designer, authority having jurisdiction, or relevant manufacturer. This guide cannot determine which document controls a particular permitted project because the supplied evidence does not include the project’s adopted code, amendments, approved plans, or connector instructions.

Do not assume the newest national model code is automatically in force. Ask the authority having jurisdiction which edition and local amendments apply. A detail copied from another state, an older table, or an online discussion may not match the current permit.

Before buying fasteners, create a connection record:

Field	What to record
Connection	Exact members and materials being joined
Direction	Face nail, end nail, toenail, panel fastening, or connector fastening
Dimensions	Measured nail length and shank diameter
Nail type	Common, box, sinker, connector nail, or documented equivalent
Head	Required configuration and size where specified
Shank	Smooth, spiral, annular ring, or other
Quantity	Fasteners per connection or assembly
Spacing	Edge, field, row, and end spacing as applicable
Penetration	Required embedment into the receiving member
Exposure	Dry, temporarily exposed, exterior, treated, or corrosive environment
Installation	Hand-driven or approved collated/tool-driven method
Inspection	Work that must remain visible or be documented

Connector warning

Joist hangers, straps, ties, clips, and similar structural connectors should be matched to the fastener permitted for the exact connector model. Do not select an ordinary framing nail by length alone.

Connector-nail products may use full-round heads and smooth or annular-ring shanks. That does not mean every connector accepts every product in those categories. Retrieve the current instructions for the model and verify:

• Fastener diameter and length
• Head and shank
• Material or coating
• Installation locations
• Permitted alternatives
• Any project-specific inspection requirements

If the instructions are unavailable or unclear, do not improvise.

Final jobsite checklist

• [ ] The package shows the required measured length and diameter.
• [ ] Nail type, head, and shank match the applicable specification.
• [ ] Finish or stainless specification matches exposure and lumber treatment.
• [ ] Hardware and fastener requirements have been checked together.
• [ ] The nailer accepts the exact collation, head, length, and diameter.
• [ ] Required nail count and spacing have been marked or communicated.
• [ ] Penetration into the receiving member has been confirmed.
• [ ] End, face, and toe fastening have not been treated as interchangeable.
• [ ] Sheathing edge and field patterns are distinguished.
• [ ] Connector installation follows the exact model instructions.
• [ ] Required inspection or documentation has been arranged.
• [ ] Substitutions have documented support.

General trade guidance can identify likely starting points and the questions to ask. It cannot determine a compliant fastener without the project-specific plans, adopted requirements, schedules, and product instructions.

Choose nails for framing from the connection outward. Confirm the applicable requirements first, specify measured length and diameter, and then verify head, shank, count, spacing, penetration, exposure, connector requirements, and nailer compatibility.

What size nails are commonly used for 2x4 framing?

A 16d-class nail is a common starting point for many 2×4 stud-and-plate connections. It is not a blanket specification for every wall joint.

Identify whether the connection is end-nailed, face-nailed, or toenailed, then verify the actual dimensions, head, quantity, and pattern. Headers, sheathing, connectors, and built-up assemblies require their own checks.

Are 3-1/4-inch framing nails the same as 16d common nails?

No. A typical 16d sinker is shorter and thinner than a 16d common nail, and collated products can differ again in diameter, head, and finish.

A 3.25-inch nail may be permitted for a particular connection, but the shared framing-nail label does not make it dimensionally equivalent. Use it only where the applicable requirements permit its exact specification and installation pattern.

Are ring-shank nails better than smooth-shank nails for framing?

Ring-shank nails generally provide greater withdrawal resistance, while smooth-shank nails drive more readily. Whether that makes a ring-shank product appropriate depends on the connection.

A thinner ring-shank nail does not automatically replace a specified larger smooth-shank nail. Verify diameter, head, penetration, quantity, spacing, and permitted shank style.

Do pressure-treated lumber and exterior framing require galvanized nails?

They may require an approved hot-dip-galvanized or stainless fastener, but “galvanized” alone may not be a complete specification.

Check the preservative treatment, exposure, coating class, connected hardware, supplier instructions, plans, and applicable requirements. Do not assume electro-galvanized products are adequate everywhere or that stainless is mandatory for every project.

Can ordinary framing nails be used in joist hangers?

Only if the instructions for the exact hanger permit that fastener. A nail that fits through the hole may still have the wrong dimensions, head, shank, finish, or installation application.

Use the connector model number to find its current instructions and verify the complete fastener specification before installation.