Copper Nails

When it comes to fixing natural roof slates, copper nails are the professional’s choice. Unlike galvanised steel, copper won’t rust or corrode over time – making it ideal for roofs designed to last decades.

• 🛠 Corrosion Resistant – Copper naturally forms a protective patina, ensuring nails don’t weaken in wet or coastal environments.

• 🏠 Long-Lasting Roofs – Perfect for slate tiles where durability and strength are essential.

• 📏 Wide Range of Sizes – From 25mm up to 65mm, ensuring the right fit for every roofing job.

• ✅ Industry Standard – Recommended by roofers and heritage specialists for both new builds and restoration projects.

At The Copper Nail Shop, we supply high-quality copper nails for slating, shipped quickly across the UK. Whether you’re repairing a few broken slates or undertaking a full roof replacement, we’ve got the right fixings for the job.

When fixing roof slates, it’s important to be aware of BS 5534: the British Standard Code of Practice for Slating and Tiling. This standard sets out minimum requirements to ensure a secure, long-lasting roof installation.

According to BS 5534:

• Gauge (shank diameter): Minimum 3mm

• Head size: Minimum 10mm

• Penetration into the batten: 20–22mm minimum

This means that nails should be strong enough in both diameter and head size to resist wind uplift and provide a reliable fixing over time.

By comparison, some nails on the market – such as those with a 2.65mm shank and a 6mm head – do not meet BS 5534 requirements. While they may still be used for small repairs, craft projects, or non-structural purposes, they are not compliant for roofing applications under the British Standard.

For slate roofing, it’s always recommended to use fully compliant copper nails that meet or exceed the BS 5534 criteria, ensuring durability, weather resistance, and peace of mind.

Our copper nails are supplied in kilogram (kg) bags rather than counted individually. This is the standard method used in the trade, as the exact number of nails per bag will vary slightly depending on:

• Length – longer nails weigh more, so you’ll get fewer per kg.

• Diameter (shank size) – thicker nails also reduce the total count.

• Head size & type – clout, annular ring, or cut nails each have a different profile.

How Many Nails Per Kilogram?

As a rough guide, here’s what you can typically expect:

• 25mm x 2.65mm nails → approx. 500–600 nails per kg

• 38mm x 2.65mm nails → approx. 300–350 nails per kg

• 50mm x 3.0mm nails → approx. 200–250 nails per kg

• 65mm x 3.35mm nails → approx. 150–180 nails per kg

(These are averages – exact quantities will vary slightly due to manufacturing tolerances.)

Looking for copper nails at B&Q? You’ll probably come up short. Big-box DIY chains tend to stick with standard steel or galvanised nails – copper rarely makes the shelf.

That’s where we come in. At The Copper Nail Shop, copper nails are our speciality, not an afterthought.

• 🛠 Every Type, Every Size – From clouts and annular rings to cut copper nails.

• 📦 Always Available – No empty shelves, just fast online ordering.

• 🚚 Quick UK Delivery – Straight to your door without the weekend B&Q queues.

• ✅ Expert-Approved – Trusted by builders, boatmakers, and restoration specialists.

So, while B&Q might leave you disappointed, you’ve already found the real home of copper nails.

If you’ve searched for copper nails Screwfix, you’ve probably noticed they don’t keep a big range in stock – if any at all. That’s because general DIY stores focus on mass-market products.

Here at The Copper Nail Shop, copper nails aren’t a side product – they’re our speciality.

• 🛠 Full Range Available – From clout nails to annular rings and traditional cut copper nails.

• 📦 Always in Stock – No “out of stock” notices – we actually keep them ready to ship.

• 🚚 Fast UK Delivery – Straight to your door, without the Screwfix runaround.

• 🎯 Specialist Knowledge – Advice, sizing help, and the right nail for your project.

So while Screwfix might not be able to help, you’ve already found the one shop that can: The Copper Nail Shop – the UK’s home of copper fixings.

Copper nails have long been associated with tree management, often surrounded by myths and half-truths. Here’s the reality:

• Tree Killing Myth – It is commonly said that hammering copper nails into a tree will kill it. While copper can be toxic to plants in large enough quantities, driving a few nails into a mature tree will rarely have an immediate or dramatic effect. At most, it may cause very localised damage around the wound.

• Why the Myth Exists – Historically, copper compounds have been used as fungicides and herbicides. This led to the belief that simply inserting copper into a living tree would poison it completely.

• Reality Check – To seriously affect a large tree, you would need significant amounts of copper introduced into its vascular system (sap flow), not just a handful of nails.

• Practical Use – In practice, copper nails are better known for their durability in outdoor environments—ideal for construction, fencing, boatbuilding, or landscaping—not for killing trees.

• Responsible Advice – If you need to remove or manage a tree, it’s always best to consult a qualified tree surgeon. Using copper nails as a “quick fix” is unreliable, potentially harmful to surrounding ecosystems, and not considered a responsible method.

We get it. Sometimes when you type copper nails polish into Google, you’re not looking for a box of sturdy fixings – you’re after something to make your fingertips shine.

But here at The Copper Nail Shop, there’s no manicure in sight. Instead of nail varnish, we stock the real deal: tough, reliable copper nails built for roofing, boatbuilding, carpentry, and restoration projects. They might not make your hands look glamorous, but they’ll definitely make your work last longer.

• 💅 Looking for nail polish? Wrong shop.

• 🔨 Looking for nails that won’t rust? You’re in exactly the right place.

• 🌲 Need nails for outdoor projects, woodwork, or even myths about trees? We’ve got you covered.

So while you won’t find a copper-coloured nail polish bottle here, you will find everything you need to keep your projects strong, weather-resistant, and built to last.