Nail plate

A nail plate (also called a connector plate or punched metal plate fastener) is a flat steel plate with rows of integral teeth punched out of it. Placed over a joint and pressed in from both sides, the teeth grip the timber and hold the members together without separate nails or bolts.

Plate size and position are set by the structural design of each joint, so accuracy matters: a plate that is offset or under-pressed weakens the connection. This is why positioning and pressing are among the first roof-shop tasks to be automated.