Do I nail through both featheredge boards?

[redhexagonal]

A contractor fixed some fence for me, it needs redoing because the boards aren't overlapped enough. He says he will nail through both boards , despite the boards splitting last time he did that. Is there any reason to nail through both boards or should the thin edge underneath be left free to move?

 

[Wayners]

That happens as you nail.
You nail through the thick side of one and the thin side or another board at the same time.
You don't nail both sides as you go although the last board you do.

Just find a fence and look

 

[Scally-Ho]

Slightly blunt each nail before driving in and splitting will be reduced to a minimum. A staple machine/gun will affix each without splitting.

 

[redhexagonal]

That happens as you nail.
You nail through the thick side of one and the thin side or another board at the same time.
You don't nail both sides as you go although the last board you do.

Just find a fence and look

I looked and they all look like this

 

[Wayners]

Missed there then

 

[redhexagonal]

Missed there then

All of them?

 

[lostinthelight]

or should the thin edge underneath be left free to move?

Yes, I nail through the top board so as to just miss the top of board underneath

 

[big-all]

Yes, I nail through the top board so as to just miss the top of board underneath

exactly this as the boards cant expand and contract with a nail /fixing each side
the idea is to pin the thin end loose with the thick end as the board can expand and contract as needed
if you think off it its a double win as the pinched small end will find it quite easy to slide as the timber dries and shrinks a fraction and move out a few mm so no tendency to split and rip apart
then when wet, and it expands the gap is now quite snug so the timber is squeezed together so no chance off splitting as all the effort is compression

 

[Deluks]

The photo is correct. About an inch overlap is sufficient.

 

[Deluks]

It never ceases to amaze me how many half decent builders don't know how to do a fence.