How many nails is enough?

[Michael Bronner]

Just curious how many of you are seeing excessive nailing like this out there, what you say to buyers and how you write it up in your report? This is becomming more and more common to the point that it is humorous. This is occurring mainly in new construction or rebuilds of decks. I find builders are just ambivolent and shrug their collective shoulders.

[Dom D'Agostino]

Maybe they were trying figure out the depth adjustment...:rolleyes:

Poor workmanship, and they have no pride in their finished product. Is that post on the handrail have only one lag bolt?

[Michael Bronner]

Yep, one bolt, the 4x4s were notched and all the nails were set in about 1/4+ inches and not only on hand/guardrails but the deck guardrails posts as well.

[Markus Keller]

I see it all the time too. Give a guy a nail gun and watch him go happy or stupid. I do note it in my report.
The bigger issue in those 2 pics is the length, or lack there of, of the 4x4 post and attachment.
In the first pic the post should have extended down along the height of the joist and been bolted to it, instead of being bolted to the stinger. During a fall the load against the guardrail could snap off the stringer and make things even worse.
In the 2nd pic the one bolt is fairly suspect. I would also recommend installing a bracket under the stringer. All those nails aren't actually helping keep it in place over the long run.
On new porches a few years old I see lots of splitting and separation at ends with that many nails.

[Garry Blankenship]

At some point the structural integrity of the wood has to be compromised, but I doubt there is any study data available. Air gun ~ air head ?

[Mark Hagenlock]

write it up as workmanship which appears amateurish. viability of mechanical connections suspect. Recommend retaining qualified contractor to repair or replace.
From the photo the landing appears only 27 1/2" deep. There is no space between decking. Will retain/ trap debris and moisture. The tread depth (with solid riser) appears 101/4" deep with no, or inadequate nose. 15 out of the top 20 nails in the newel post are complete waste, end grain or edge of end of stringer.
As to the nail heads, ( air gun ~ air head ? ) You have clip heads and full rounds. These appear to be full rounds. There are some details where clip heads are not recommended. For the same reason you don't rely on nails for your band joist connection, I wouldn't rely on nails for these connections. Single lag in the newel post? Should be no less than 2. Need to figure a lateral load on the handrail/ guardrail both directions. Along the lines of what Markus said, the location of lags suck. I wouldn't want to rest my 240 against this handrail.