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Dear Bob

I am building a covered porch on my house. Since the house is in Florida my architect recommended I use Hurriquake nails. I have never heard of these nails and need some help finding where to buy them.

Dear AD

There are four main features to the hurriquake nail: the head, the shear shank, the body, and the deep ring anchors. The head is 25% larger than conventional nails and is marked for easy code inspection. The shear shank has great sheer strength at a major stress point. The body is made of "improved plastic collation" that allows for easier driving. And the deep ring anchors have tremendous holding power. The net result is a 2x resistance to high winds. It is rated up to 170 mph winds. But this is the hurriquake nail. It is also built to withstand earthquakes too.
In fact, the nail can decrease structural failure in earthquakes by up to 50%.
This is where the shear shank does a good job. The perpendicular forces of an earthquake acting on the nail usually break it. The hurriquake nail does a better job in that area. This is a smart project because it basically covers the entire US in terms of practicality. You will probably be dealing with high winds or earthquakes. Maybe not all the time, but the cost is pretty minimal for better protection.

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