[tjminneed]

I have a house with plaster walls in excellent shape that was built in 1954. I will be replacing/reinstalling a lot of trim soon. I would like to cause as few cracks as I reasonably can.

I'll be using a pneumatic nail gun, which I'm pretty sure is a lot smoother than a hammer in my post middle aged hands. Would it help at all to cut the pointy heads off of the nails before they go in the gun?

 

[mark sr]

Would it help at all to cut the pointy heads off of the nails before they go in the gun?

I assume you mean tips, the head holds the nail strip in the gun. I would think cutting off the tip would hurt more than help.

 

[Nealtw]

I assume you mean tips, the head holds the nail strip in the gun. I would think cutting off the tip would hurt more than help.

It is old school tricks, we used to flatten the point of nail so it broke the fibres of the wood instead of splitting them.

 

[Colbyt]

No. If you stay at least 3/4" below the curve of the top BB cove you will not damage any sound plaster that is visible above the BB.


I have done a lot of this work on much older plaster with very limited accidents.

 

[tjminneed]

No. If you stay at least 3/4" below the curve of the top BB cove you will not damage any sound plaster that is visible above the BB.


I have done a lot of this work on much older plaster with very limited accidents.

Thanks. That's what I'll do.

Nealtw - That's it exactly, back in the day we would flatten the point of a nail when we had to nail close to the edge of a board. I would still do it today if I didn't have a drill handy!