Sustainability and Staples – Woodguide.org

The life cycle   Pro

  Con
     
     
   
Non toxic

No toxics offgas or leach from metal fasteners.

Low cost

Staples are cheap, but an air compressor is a more expensive investment.

Quick

Staples are usually applied with an air gun. In a split second the metal is shot into the wood.

 
     
Bulky

Staples ar not made to dis- and re-assemble. A stapled construction takes more space, which increases energy use in transportation.

   
Non toxic

No toxics offgas or leach from metal fasteners.

 
     
   
Easy recycling

Steel or iron that is used to make nails can be easily recycled, even if the product is fully incinerated.

 
Difficult reuse

Staples are difficult to remove from the wood. This makes it difficult to reuse the wood. Even more because pieces of metal that are stuck into reclaimed wood can damage woodworking machines.