Masonry Clips with Nail In Anchors: Sizes, Box Counts, and Ordering

Nail in anchor clips are the small, unglamorous part of a stone or tile veneer job that decides whether the finish stays flat, tight, and aligned. A clip is fastened to the substrate and holds each unit in place while the mortar or adhesive sets, so you are not fighting gravity on every course.

This guide covers the sizes iQ keeps in stock, what comes in a box, and how to order the right quantity for a job.

What a nail in anchor clip does

A clip is a bracket with a flat leg that seats against the veneer unit and one or more anchor holes on the substrate leg. You drill the anchor hole, drive the nail or screw through the clip, and the clip holds the unit at the exact depth the clip is cut to. That depth is the reason clip size has to match material thickness.

Three things follow from that:

• Alignment. Every unit sits in the same plane, because the clip sets it, not the eye.
• Speed. No shoring, no wedges, and no waiting on adhesive grab before you move up the wall.
• Fewer callbacks. Less slipping means fewer lippage and joint width problems later.

Match the clip to the material

Clip depth follows nominal material thickness. The line we stock runs from thin veneer sizes up to heavy stone.

| Clip | Typical use | | --- | --- | | 1/4 in | Thin tile and veneer, tight profiles | | 3/8 in | Standard thin stone veneer | | 1/2 in | Mid thickness stone and tile | | 5/8 in | Heavier veneer and block face units | | 3/4 in | Thick stone and cast units | | 7/8 in | The heaviest units in the line | | 5 in strap | Wide profiles and tall units that need a longer anchor leg |

If the project carries an engineered attachment schedule, follow that schedule over any general rule of thumb. Local code and the specifying engineer control spacing and fastener type on structural work.

What comes in a box

• 250 clips per box on every size, including the 5 inch strap.
• Three complimentary drill bits in the 1/4 in, 3/8 in, and 1/2 in clip boxes, sized for the anchor hole.
• Boxes stack flat in a gang box, so a crew can carry several sizes without giving up bed space.

Estimating quantity

Count anchor points, not square footage. Spacing is set by unit size, exposure, and the attachment schedule, so the count comes from the layout rather than from one multiplier.

A workable method on a takeoff:

1. Mark every unit that carries a clip on the elevation.
2. Add clips for cuts, corners, and any unit that will not stay put on adhesive alone.
3. Add 5 to 10 percent overage for breakage and rework.
4. Divide by 250 and round up. That is your box count.

Drilling safely

Anchor holes mean drilling, and drilling masonry means respirable crystalline silica. Use a dust extractor on the drill, keep the air clean, and follow 29 CFR 1926.1153 for exposure control. Our silica dust and OSHA guide walks through the requirements, and the dust control plan builder writes a plan for your crew.

Order clips online

Every size is live in the iQ store with current pricing and stock: masonry clips and straps with nail in anchors. Orders ship from our California and Netherlands warehouses, and you can combine clips with Q-Drive blades and parts on the same order.

Need a pallet or a quote for a full elevation package? Call 888.274.7744 or find an authorized iQ dealer near the job.