Convert Chain to Nail
Convert chains to nails instantly. 1 chain = 352 nail — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Nail to Chain converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Chain
A chain is an Imperial unit of length equal to 66 feet (20.1168 m), or exactly 4 rods or 100 links. It is the central unit in the Gunter chain-based land-survey system.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 specifically to make land-area arithmetic easy: 10 square chains = 1 acre exactly. The 66-foot length and 100-link subdivision were chosen so chain measurements could be added decimally.
Chains are the fundamental unit of legacy US public land surveys (the entire US township-and-range system uses chains). Modern survey work generally uses meters or feet, but legacy deeds remain in chains.
Invented by Edmund Gunter in 1620; standardised throughout English and American land survey; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Nail
A nail is an Imperial unit of length equal to 2.25 inches (about 57.15 mm). It was historically used in the English cloth trade.
The nail derives from an English cloth-measure tradition dating to medieval times. Standardised at 2.25 inches (or 1/16 of a yard) through English customary practice and ratified by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Nails were historically used to measure cloth, particularly small pieces and ribbons. Rare in modern commerce but appears in historical textile literature and reproduction crafts.
Medieval English cloth-trade origin; standardised at 1/16 yard; fixed exactly at 0.05715 m via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Chain to Nail conversion formula
The relationship between chains and nails:
To convert chains to nails, multiply the value in chains by 352. To reverse, multiply nails by 0.0028409091.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in nails updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Nail to Chain converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert chains to nails
- Write down the value in chains (ch).
- Multiply that value by the factor 352.
- The product is the equivalent value in nails (nail).
- To reverse, multiply the nail value by 0.0028409091.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 ch to nail:
1 × 352 = 352 nail
Example 2 — Convert 100 ch to nail:
100 × 352 = 35200 nail
Chain to Nail conversion table
Standard reference values for converting chains to nails:
| Chain [ch] | Nail [nail] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 3.52 |
| 0.1 | 35.2 |
| 1 | 352 |
| 2 | 704 |
| 3 | 1056 |
| 4 | 1408 |
| 5 | 1760 |
| 10 | 3520 |
| 20 | 7040 |
| 30 | 10560 |
| 40 | 14080 |
| 50 | 17600 |
| 100 | 35200 |
| 500 | 176000 |
| 1000 | 352000 |
Frequently asked questions
How many nails is 1 chain?
How do I convert chains to nails?
How do I convert nails back to chains?
How many nails is 100 chains?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Chain to other length units
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Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 ch = 352 nail) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.