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Installing baseboards

9K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  Gary in WA 
#1 ·
I'm installing .688 X 5.5 inch MDF base moulding into drywall above wood floors. I've already made the cuts and I'm ready to nail them into the wall. I have have three questions:

1. I have a cordless nail gun that can handle 2-inch finish nails. Will these be long enough?

2. Should I put the nails in perpendicular to the baseboards and into the studs? (I saw somewhere that you can angle one of the nails into the floor).

3. Should I use nails at each stud? And how many per stud - two?

 
#7 ·
I always use 1 3/4 to 2" nails for base. 9/16 thick base and 1/2 inch drywall gives you roughly 3/4" penetration into the studs, which is usually fine. I would not recommend nailing into the bottom plate willy nilly as pipes are usually run through that inbetween stud bays.
I have seen nails go into pipes and seal themselves up for sometime before finally letting loose when you least expect it.
 
#8 ·
uncommon you pretty much hit the nail dead on with that, what happens is that the nail will rust away slowly then the water can finally come out of the hole int he pipe.

i have a a couple friends that are site superintendants with fire and water damage restoration companies and they see it all the time.. typically it isnt until 2 years later that its discovered
 
#13 ·
lol



or use the proper size nail so your not spending a full day extra cutting holes in drywall then patching it
If someone ran a wire/pipe through the stud/wall footer without a metal shield to at least hopefully stop the nail gun, he could potentially hit it. Takes what, 30 seconds to confirm there's a good stud there, and then 8 seconds to hit it with spackle since the hole's hidden behind the moulding anyway?


4 X 4's, punching holes in the sheetrock, gluing it, and propping it in place.
Please do not do any of that!
It's just going to slow you down and waste time.


Very bad advice. If the op needs o find studs, use a 16 p finish nail and poke through where you SUSPECT that there might be a stud (assuming that you did not do the correct thing and MARK all of the studs on the floor/wall!) How would he know exactly where the studs are unless he just built the wall and marked them? Gently gouge out a little bit at a time with something like a flat screwdriver, tapping in nails could be as bad as shooting them. like either side of an outlet, etc. then measure 16" from that and test again.q. Yes, check 16 OC and hope they built it right. Just don't go shooting everything assuming it's 16Oc and the footer has no wires/pipes/etc in it. Have NO idea why someone would want to take what are essentially deck posts and use them to hold baseboard in place. Ron In case they just want to glue it.
 
#9 ·
Don't assume studs are where you think they are and justs start shooting everything. Gently cut out holes in the drywall that will be covered with the moulding anyway or patch them after to make sure you're actually shooting into wood without hitting wires etc. You might even want to just glue it and hold the moulding tight while the glue dries with like 4x4 lumber and return the 4x4s after or something like spring loaded shower rods and have them spring out from a heavy couch or something.
 
#12 ·
Very bad advice. If the op needs o find studs, use a 16 p finish nail and poke through where you SUSPECT that there might be a stud (assuming that you did not do the correct thing and MARK all of the studs on the floor/wall!) like either side of an outlet, etc. then measure 16" from that and test again.q. Have NO idea why someone would want to take what are essentially deck posts and use them to hold baseboard in place. Ron
 
#11 ·
4 X 4's, punching holes in the sheetrock, gluing it, and propping it in place.
Please do not do any of that!
It's just going to slow you down and waste time.
 
#14 ·
well for one thing no plumber or electrician with any sense will run pipes or wires through studs less than 16" off a floor.. the chances they would do so between 4-6" off a floor are even less. it increases the chance of getting hit by a nail and also by drilling that close to the end of a stud it weakens the wall assembly. if they were to do so it wouldnt pass an inspection
 
#16 ·
any decent plumber or electrician will center their pipes in the wall cavity, if their stupid enough to run their lines within 3/4" from the edge of the framing their the ones who are at fault if your using the correct size fastener. ive run hundreds of thousands of feet of base and never had such an issue
 
#17 ·
Not all remodel/new work is up to code. I hit a copper water supply line once, years ago, because I only had 2-1/2" nails on hand. 5 minutes later it leaked, no nail plate, between studs. I since always check for water lines with a #6 ground cable "witching" to locate/mark locations to avoid this problem...

Gary
 
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