Cheap Home Depot Finish Nails

[Steve Mathews]

I opened up a box of Grip Rite finish nails that was purchased at Home Depot recently and was disappointed to find that the quality is not what was expected, at least not what I purchased elsewhere in the past. The heads were sloppy, the metal seemed to bend more easily and they were coated in a thick layer of dirty grease. What happened to the quality of finish nails of yesterday or is this just another cheap offering by Home Depot? BTW, I'm finding more and more that Home Depot is offering less and less in the way of quality merchandise.

[David Linnabary]

I opened up a box of Grip Rite finish nails that was purchased at Home Depot recently and was disappointed to find that the quality is not what was expected, at least not what I purchased elsewhere in the past. The heads were sloppy, the metal seemed to bend more easily and they were coated in a thick layer of dirty grease. What happened to the quality of finish nails of yesterday or is this just another cheap offering by Home Depot? BTW, I'm finding more and more that Home Depot is offering less and less in the way of quality merchandise.

Are they resin coated?

David

[Steve Mathews]

No, they're just plain finish nails. The coating was definitely blackened oil that probably came from the manufacturing process. After handling just a few nails my fingers were so black and oily that I couldn't handle the trim that I was installing. Worst though is the quality of the nail head. They were badly formed and looked nothing like a proper finish nail.

[Bill Orbine]

Try buying your stuff at the local yard. Same brand. You might be surprised the quality is so much better. I was. That goes for screws, too!

[Jim Dwight]

I use one of my pneumatic or cordless nailers, so I haven't purchased finish nails in a long time.

At the urging of my builder, I bought the trim for an addition at his lumber yard. It isn't as convenient because they are only open during the day during the week but the cost for the trim is much lower. They are happy to sell to me. My guess is fasteners would be cheaper too. Quality of the trim isn't noticeably different from a home center but there are options I've never seen there - clear softwood trim and low density MDF trim. Lengths are 16 or 17 feet which is harder to haul but nice for waste reduction. I also bought one pre-hung door with the trim I wanted - those in the home center only have a very basic casing I don't care for.

[Mark Wooden]

First, if you're going to hand nail (and I'm all for it!) spend a little more money and buy Maze brand nails, made right here in the USA. They have always had a superior product. I don't think they make a common finish nail, but their hardened hardwood finish nails are excellent.

As to the nails you got, I feel your pain. I've returned nails for those very reasons. There's no way an interior product should be so filthy and poorly made, even if they are "just nails".
I was once told by a retired hardware salesman this- in some countries,many industries are 'communal' and the same product may come from a modern factory or from Uncle Chang's backyard forge; all of it goes to the same barrel for market. So quality and specification may vary widely on the same item, and a nail is a nail is a nail.

[lowell holmes]

I buy from the big box stores, but often times their merchandise is inferior. Find an independent yard. They probably have better quality.

[Steve Mathews]

Thanks everyone for the responses. It felt better getting it off my chest. The casing and trim that I'm installing are all hardwood, oak and maple so pre-drilling and hammering finish nails seemed to be in order. To further the rant and probably what bothers me the most besides any store being so presumptuous to think anyone wouldn't notice slipping in such inferior products without noticing it is also that it is all so unnecessary. How much can a nail cost to produce properly? What can be possibly saved in the initial purchase with junk like this?

[Prashun Patel]

The quality of ALL fasteners has gone downhill. You really have to shop wisely for nails and screws these days.

[Art Mann]

We live in a world in which price is the overriding buying criterion. Most companies don't manufacture inferior product because they are trying to trick anyone. They make it that way because of consumer demand for the lowest possible cost. The first principle that governs almost any company is to stay in business. Companies can't do that unless they deliver what the public wants. I hate it but about all we can do is reward good suppliers with our repeat business even if it costs substantially more.

By the way, my comments have absolutely nothing to do with the country of origin of any particular product.

[Ray Newman]

Art Mann: BINGO!

[James Baker SD]

The quality of ALL fasteners has gone downhill. You really have to shop wisely for nails and screws these days.

Absolutely true. My dad was at least twice as strong as me. He never broke a wood screw driving it in. Little weak me breaks screws all the time. (yes I use the proper size pilot hole). Can only be much lower quality screws than 50 years ago.

[Steven Satur]

Another thing which people might not agree with me on is Home Depot sells at the lower price because the venders have to cheapen the quality of the product. I bought hand tools at HD and the same tool, same model they were cheaper then the ones bought at a industrial hardware store. The power tools are the same, Buy a Dewalt screw gun at HD and another from a ind. hard. store take them apart and they are two different animals.

[Myk Rian]

Since it costs HD to send products back, they just throw it in the trash. Big ticket items like $1,000 BBQs get crushed first, even if there is a minor problem with it.
The supplier doesn't hear about it, and continues supplying junk.

[Art Mann]

Another thing which people might not agree with me on is Home Depot sells at the lower price because the venders have to cheapen the quality of the product. I bought hand tools at HD and the same tool, same model they were cheaper then the ones bought at a industrial hardware store. The power tools are the same, Buy a Dewalt screw gun at HD and another from a ind. hard. store take them apart and they are two different animals.

I have heard that claim many times but I have never actually seen it. Until somebody comes up with hard core evidence, I don't believe it. Tool manufacturers can't compromise their brand name integrity by selling what amounts to counterfeit goods nor can they accept the legal risk of deceptive advertising. My opinion is that HD and Lowes sell cheaper because they buy in huge quantities and can get a better wholesale price than a local hardware store. There is also the economy of scale. A large business runs much more efficiently than a small one, all other things being equal.

If you have actually compared allegedly identical tools sold from a chain and independent store that turn out to be different, why not post some photos?