A nail driving assembly for driving a nail without bending over includes a tube that may be gripped. The tube has a length of at least 90 cm. Thus, the tube extends between a support surface and a user without having the user bend over. A striking unit is slidably positioned in the tube and the striking unit is selectively aligned with a nail in the support surface. The striking unit is selectively struck thereby facilitating the striking unit to drive the nail without having the user bend over.

Provided is, among other things, an apparatus for facilitating the hanging of an object on a wall or other surface. The apparatus includes: a main body section having a front surface and an elongated first opening; an upper section connected to the main body section and having a protruding portion that protrudes away from the front surface; a lower section connected to the main body section and having a second opening for accepting, as well as a structure for holding, a hanging/attachment element; and a securing mechanism. The upper section is slidably attached to the main body section via the elongated first opening and thereby capable of moving vertically up and down said main body section, but can be temporarily fixed at a desired position along the main body section by using the securing mechanism.

The present disclosure is directed to a single-sided deck clip that allows an approach to deck board installation with hidden fasteners, and without grooving both edges of a deck board. By not grooving edges, perimeter trim can include one square finished edge on ending pieces. The single-sided clip allows for attaching fasteners through the clip at an angle that penetrates both a deck board and an underlying joist, thus providing a positive connection of decking to joist framing below. In another embodiment, a clip magazine is disclosed that stores, supplies, and assists in installation of single-sided deck clips and fasteners. The clip magazine can hold a plurality fasteners and single-sided deck clips. The magazine allows the single-sided clips and fasteners to be positioned relative to the deck board, and allows fasteners to be aligned with a single-sided clip, and pushed into a deck board during installation.

A fastener holder for assisting a user to drive a nail or a screw into a substrate or work piece may include a base, a hollow stem for receiving and guiding the fastener, and a supporting member inside the stem for maintaining the fastener in the correct orientation with respect to the surface while the fastener is being driven. The supporting member may be of various configurations and structures, such as multiple grooves, multiple elastic fins or elastic clips. The supporting member may have one or more slits to allow for expansion and accommodate different sizes of fasteners. The fastener holder may have an optional adhesive pad to be used for adhering the holder to the wall in place thus freeing the user's hand from holding the fastener while driving it into the wall. The fastener holder provides a safe and versatile device for fastening jobs.

A finger shield has two arms connected by a U-shaped portion, the arms having respective flanges extending generally transversely to the arms, the flanges being disposed at the top of the respective arms. The U-shaped portion allows flexure so that the arms can be manually squeezed together to hold a nail therebetween. One of the arms has a window for exposing the nail to the fingers of a user, and has a pair of curved indentations disposed on opposite sides of the window, which are aligned to support one side of an inserted nail. The arm having the window also has an indentation or cutout portion at its top portion, to allow insertion of the nail between the two arms such that the nail is guided by the pair of curved indentations. The head of the nail typically extends above the flange.

Provided is, among other things, an apparatus for holding a fastener, which includes: a main body structure; and a fastener holding member rotatably attached to the main body structure, such that the fastener holding member is capable of rotating relative to the main body structure around a rotation axis. The fastener holding member also includes a pair of notches on opposite sides of the rotation axis, which are sized and shaped to accommodate a fastener, such as a nail or a screw.

A fastener-stick dispenser for dispensing sticks of fasteners, such as staples, nails, and screws. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes a body defining a fastener-stick receptacle that receives a plurality of the fastener sticks. The dispenser also includes a dispensing port through which fastener sticks are dispensed one or more at a time by a user. The dispenser may also include one or more securing device for securing the dispenser to a user so that the user can carry the dispenser in a hands-free manner. A method of providing a fastener-stick dispenser is also disclosed. The method includes providing a fastener stick dispenser and providing various instructions for its use. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes a pivotable dispensing mechanism designed, configured, and arranged to dispense fastener sticks in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the fastener sticks. The dispensing mechanism may be actuated using a lever arm.

A fastener-stick dispenser for dispensing sticks of fasteners, such as staples, nails, and screws. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes a body defining a fastener-stick receptacle that receives a plurality of the fastener sticks. The dispenser also includes a dispensing port through which fastener sticks are dispensed one or more at a time by a user. The dispenser may also include one or more securing device for securing the dispenser to a user so that the user can carry the dispenser in a hands-free manner. A method of providing a fastener-stick dispenser is also disclosed. The method includes providing a fastener stick dispenser and providing various instructions for its use. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes a pivotable dispensing mechanism designed, configured, and arranged to dispense fastener sticks in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the fastener sticks. The dispensing mechanism may be actuated using a lever arm.

A sheathing panel is described, including at least one barrier overlay secured to a panel, a plurality of fasteners engaged in the barrier overlay and the panel, a plurality of sealing cylindrical sheaths surrounding a portion of each fastener and positioned between the fastener and the barrier overlay, such that the sheathing panel has at least one of the following properties: a water vapor transmission rate of at least 7.0 grams/m.sup.2/24 hours at 73 F. and 50% relative humidity (RH), a water vapor permeance of at least 1.3 perms at 73 F. and 50% RH, or an air infiltration rate of less than 0.2 L/s-m.sup.2 at 75 pascals. A method of engaging the fasteners with the panel is also provided.

A fastener installation tool and related method are provided for installing fasteners in boards, where the boards are installed immediately adjacent one another, without a gap established therebetween. The tool can include an alignment projection that projects a preselected distance downwardly from a lower surface of the tool. The alignment projection can be disposed between opposing corners of first and second boards to install a fastener without establishing a gap between the boards. This construction can be suitable for installing boards constructed from materials that shrink over time, such as wet, treated lumber or other materials, and even non-shrinkable boards where tighter spacing is desired. A related method of installation is provided.