That’s been my experience too—no matter how careful you are, something always slips through. I’ve found it helps to check again the next day, especially after rain or wind moves things around. Nails have a way of showing up where you least expect them. The magnet trick works, but I’ll admit I’ve still had tenants find one weeks later. Just part of the job, I guess.
Yeah, I hear you. Even with a magnetic roller and a couple of sweeps, there’s always that one rogue nail hiding in the grass or gravel. The wind just loves to scatter them, too. I’ve tried leaf blowers to herd debris into piles, but nails still sneak through. One time I found one months later while mowing… nearly lost a tire. Just part of the game, I guess.
I get what you mean about the “one rogue nail”—it’s like they have a mind of their own. But are leaf blowers really helping, or just making things worse? I’ve noticed when I use mine, it sometimes buries the nails deeper into the grass or gravel.
I wonder if that’s partly from the blower itself. Ever try doing a slow, methodical rake before bringing out the magnet? I’ve had slightly better luck that way, though it’s still not perfect. Maybe it’s just impossible to get every last one?“The wind just loves to scatter them, too.”
Yeah, leaf blowers seem to just launch those little suckers into orbit or wedge them even deeper—especially in gravel. I’ve had better luck with a wide-tooth rake, but like you said, there’s always that one nail hiding out somewhere. At this point, I just expect to find a stray months later when I mow...
Magnet-on-a-stick is my go-to for the nail hunt, especially after a tear-off. Leaf blowers just make ‘em disappear into another dimension, and rakes only do so much—like you said, there’s always that one lurking in the grass waiting to mess up your mower blade or, worse, a tire. What I’ve found helps is doing a slow walk with the magnet right after cleanup, then again a few days later... you’d be surprised how many pop up after rain or when the gravel settles.
One thing I started doing is keeping a cheap tarp under the work area if I’m stripping shingles, then just rolling it up and dumping the debris. Doesn’t catch everything, but it saves some time crawling around on hands and knees. Still, no matter what, there’s always that one sneaky nail. Maybe it’s just part of the job—like a weird little scavenger hunt bonus round.