#Actual size penny chart mm professional

Most loose nail packaging prominently displays nail length in inches next to the penny size. While penny size is still commonly used in the United States, it is growing more common for pros to simply refer to the length of the nail to avoid confusion. When speaking, most people pronounce the “d” as “penny.” TODAY’S NAMING CONVENTIONS

In writing, the word “penny” is typically abbreviated as “d.” This is a reference to the Latin name of the most common silver coin used in ancient Rome, the denarius. 2d = 1”įIND A SENCO DEALER WHAT DOES THE “D” MEAN? Here is a handy chart for reference – if you’re new to penny sizes, you can print it out and place it on your toolbox. For 20d nails and longer, the penny size increases by 10 per ½-inch of length. On the high end, six-inch nails were sold for about 60 pence per 120 nails, which is why 60-penny or 60d nails refer to 6-inch nails today.įrom 2d to 16d nails, the penny size increases by one to two for every ¼-inch of length added to the nail. That’s how 2-penny or 2d came to describe nails that are 1 inch in length. On the low end, 1-inch nails were sold for 2 pence per 120 nails. Though the exact timing and circumstances are lost to history, what started as simple, standard pricing for various lengths of hand-forged nails became a naming convention that would last for more than 500 years and counting. The penny number is simply the price of 120 nails of a given length in historic England. In the 1400s, the price of 120 nails was measured in pennies, or “pence.” Like today, larger nails sold for higher prices. Understanding the penny nail requires a look back to England in the late Middle Ages. Here’s what “penny” means as it relates to the size of nails. This may leave younger professionals or hobbyists scratching their heads. Often, the person using penny sizes may be older and highly experienced in their field or craft.

#Actual size penny chart mm professional

For example, you may have heard a professional construction worker or woodworker refer to a 2-inch nail as a “6-penny” nail, or seen it written as “6d” nail. One common way to refer to nail length today is the penny system. The purpose of nails has not changed for 5,000 years, but terminology certainly has. In use since the bronze age, the nail’s adoption allowed workers to create stronger, sturdier, more affordable structures and furniture. It’s hard to overstate the importance of the invention of the metal nail to society. Gauge Nail – Why Does “Penny” Describe Nail Length?