The 2018 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction is the first edition to specifically address the withdrawal strength of smooth shank stainless steel nails. The new stainless steel nail withdrawal equation produces lower values of withdrawal strength than the NDS steel wire nail equation based on tests of smooth shank carbon steel wire nails. The reduction in withdrawal strength, due to the reduced friction provided by stainless steel, varies 5% to 40% over a common range of wood-specific gravity with the greatest reduction associated with high-specific-gravity wood (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Smooth shank nail withdrawal strength (allowable stress design) from wood in accordance with 2018 NDS.