How to Shape Coffin Nails Step by Step

What makes a true coffin shape

A coffin nail (also called ballerina) has two defining characteristics:

• Tapered sidewalls: The sides angle in from the widest point of the nail toward the tip — like almond, but stopping before they reach a point
• A flat, squared tip: Instead of coming to a point (stiletto) or a rounded point (almond), the coffin ends with a small, flat edge — the "toe box" of the ballerina shape

The flat tip is what distinguishes coffin from almond. The taper is what distinguishes it from square.

Length requirement

Step-by-step filing

1. 1

   Set the length

   File or clip all nails to the target length before beginning shape work. All nails should be the same length before the shaping stage.
2. 2

   File the right sidewall at an angle

   Hold the file at roughly 45 degrees to the right sidewall and file inward toward the tip. You're creating the taper from the widest point of the nail down toward where the tip will be. Work in consistent strokes, angling toward the centre.
3. 3

   Mirror the left sidewall

   Repeat the same angle and stroke count on the left sidewall. Both sides must taper equally toward the centre — equal taper is what makes the flat tip centred and symmetrical.
4. 4

   Stop before reaching a point

   As you taper, stop filing the sidewalls before they reach an almond or stiletto point. You want them to converge toward the tip but leave a flat area — not meet at a point.
5. 5

   File the flat tip

   Hold the file perpendicular to the nail (as you would for square) and file the remaining tip flat. You're squaring off the end of the tapered shape. The flat tip should be small — typically just a few millimetres wide.
6. 6

   Check from above and straight on

   From above: both sides should taper evenly. From straight on at the tip: the flat edge should be level and centred, not diagonal.

Getting the flat tip right

• The flat tip width is a design decision — narrower tip = more dramatic coffin; wider tip = softer coffin
• Both corners of the flat tip must be at the same height — look straight at the tip from the front to check
• If one corner is higher, file down the top edge from that side to level it
• The corners of the flat tip should be lightly bevelled (one or two light passes at 45 degrees) to remove any sharp catch points that would snag without softening the overall square shape of the tip

Common mistakes

• Uneven taper: One side angled more than the other shifts the flat tip off-centre; check each side has the same angle and stroke count
• Filing the flat tip on a diagonal: The tip reads as square only if it's perfectly flat; a diagonal tip creates an asymmetrical look
• Over-tapering into almond: If you taper the sidewalls past where a flat tip is possible, you lose the shape — the nail becomes almond; stop tapering before reaching a point
• Flat tip too wide: If the taper isn't aggressive enough, the flat tip is nearly the full width of the nail and the shape reads as square; more aggressive side tapering creates the true coffin profile