Baseboards are very useful stuff to protect your household and stay for a very long amount of time. It protects your home from getting affected by molds or mildew, and adds an aesthetic property to your interior and whatnot?
However, a misconception might surf in your head about installing baseboards. That is, many of the users say that installing a baseboard requires nail guns. But that’s certainly not true. To bust this outstanding myth, I’m here with the directory of how to install a baseboard without a nail gun. After the end of this article, you’ll get delivered with all the necessary stuff you might need to know to complete the process.
Go through it and avail everything!
Every product is independently reviewed and selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
What is Baseboard
Baseboard is one kind of wooden or vinyl board used to cover an interior wall’s lower surface. You may have found a small joint between the floor and the wall’s surface. In most cases, the joint is uneven. By using baseboards, we can make the joint even. This is as easy as falling off a log. However, to attach baseboards, we use different kinds of materials at random. It could be adhesives, nails and or screws. But the most fruitful practice is to use nails.
However, almost all typical baseboards in the market are made of plastics. Though, in recent times, composite materials are being used to make these. The shape also might vary along with the material used to make the baseboard. It could be round, rectangular and many more. Let’s go and avail more information regarding baseboard, what say?
Benefits of Using Baseboards
As I said earlier, the major purpose of using baseboards is to make the joint between the floor and the walls of your home even. This is the main reason. However, you can also cover your home with baseboards as there are many perks, except those mentioned here. If you cover the lowest part of your home with baseboards, you will be lucky enough to get rid of insects and microbes that always try to get into your place to cause inconvenience. The original undercoating of baseboards refrains them from getting into it.
You may not know this utter fact. Plastic or Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) has literally zero moisture regain. As in, no matter what is going on outside- it could be summer, winter or autumn, the baseboard will never absorb any kind of moisture at all. It will indeed deliver your home with a very protective vibe and increase the lifespan of your boards into times. Sounds legitimate, isn’t it?
How to Install a Baseboard Without a Nail Gun? Step by Step
I assume you’ve got all sorts of knowledge regarding nail guns, and it’s time to jump into our main point. That is, is it wise to install a baseboard without a nail gun? Or can you actually do this without facing any disruption?
To fasten the baseboard with your wall, you can apply different methods. Using adhesives, nails and screws are the most common. But, applying nails is the most common and most fruitful method among all the ways. Now a question might arise in your mind, can you really penetrate the nails without a nail gun? Yes, mate. The answer is affirmative all the way.
In this portion, I will direct you with a brief guide. It will provide you with all the necessary steps you need in order to know how to fasten nails into baseboards without a nail gun. Let’s get in.
Remove the Existing Board
In order to bind a new set of baseboards in your wall, firstly, you need to get rid of the old ones that you may have already. It’s common sense; there’s nothing I can elaborate on. You can use different methods for this very operation whatsoever.
Measure the Area and Trim the New Baseboard
When you’re done with removing the long in the tooth baseboards, it’s time to cut the new one by following an adequate measure. Take a typical cutter that can cut through boards and conduct the cutting operation with that. You can be lucky enough to provide accurate cuts based on the measurement.
Nonetheless, if it feels baffling to you, I would suggest you use a pencil and mark the cutting dimensions before you start. This way, things will go way more accurately.
Install the Baseboard With Hammer
Now, the magnetic part of the installation has ventured. It’s time to install the baseboard. But we won’t use nail guns here. Rather, we would conduct the entire process manually. But firstly, you need to know the size and dimensions of the nail you will use.
To install baseboards, it’s very wise to use 6d and 8d nails. Some users go for large sizes, but that’s not required. It only increases costs and adds extra hassle to the list. But you must stick to the dimension. If you go for 6d nails, make sure that the size of the nails is 2”. On the other hand, for 8d nails, the size should have been 2.5”. And there’s certainly nothing you can select in between. This is as clear as it may sound.
Now, place the baseboards into certain parts and rate each nail on the surface of the boards. Take the hammer and fasten the baseboard with the nail. Repeat the same process for the entire surface of your wall.
This process is suitable despite having some of the very major drawbacks. As in, if you somehow fail to penetrate nails correctly, the baseboard might get shattered or broken into pieces. Or it may have some scratches on it. Covering the beneath of your home’s wall with baseboards secures not only the wall but also increases your home’s aesthetic property. If scratches and stuff come in the middle, the purpose won’t go away. Implies, you must need to maintain peak attention while doing all the steps.
Finish the Look By Applying a Baseboard Adhesive
It’s time to end the process. As I already said that the baseboard increases the aesthetic property of your wall, if you fail to give it a glazing look, the purpose won’t be going to be effective. This is why you need to end the process by applying some adhesives to the surface of it.
After the end of this very process, your baseboards will glaze-like crystals. And will surely provide you with eyegasms every time.
There’s the end. I hope you have gotten all the details I illustrated here. To be honest, this process is the very shortest and probably the most precise details of all. If you can imply it correctly, you won’t need to take additional hassles or use a nail gun.
Factors to Consider before Installing Baseboards Without Nail Gun
I assume you’ve gotten all the above details regarding baseboard installation. No, don’t jump in by reading only that. You should have considered much more detail before you start the operation. In this portion, I will direct you to all those. Let’s look forward to it-
Board Height
You must trim the board according to the height you want to cover. If you cut more than the height, things won’t work accurately. The vice versa is also applicable whatsoever.
Adhesive
Adhesives give the baseboard a glazing look; however, many of us accidentally ignore this while installing. But this should have been measured without proper handling. So, get yourself a good-grade adhesive if you’re planning to install baseboard in your home.
Safety Precaution
This is the most mandatory thing of all though we don’t even think of it. Manage all the safety and personal protective equipment before starting the process. During installation, carefully fasten the nails and get your body at least a minimal distance away to avoid risks and damage. If you fail to maintain this, you will get delivered with major and minor accidents, which is going to be futile all the way.
These are the key considerations you must follow while getting on the track to install baseboards on your wall. Bucketlist checkpoint!
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Nailer for Installing Baseboards
If we leave everything aside and discuss only the negative drawbacks of the perks of using nailers while installing baseboards- there are many, to be honest. Let’s go through it-
Advantages
● Using a nailer will provide you with much more efficiency.
● It requires less energy than the manual process.
● Using a nailer is smart, and the finish is moderately good.
● Requires less time than going manually.
Disadvantages
● The finish is moderate, though, not even closely accurate compared to the manual finish.
● It can shatter or break the board if not applied properly or forcefully.
However, if you’re not a newbie, you won’t need to deal with all these. Basically people who don’t know how to operate nail guns suffer from the drawbacks. I hope you’re not among them. I wish you a stroke of good wishes!
FAQs
Can you install baseboards with liquid nails?
Ans: Yes, mate. You can install baseboards using liquid nails. Apparently, using liquid nails for installing baseboards is the most efficient way of all. It provides a default adhesive system, and the process is comparatively easy.
Should I glue or nail baseboards?
Ans: Applying glue to the baseboard won’t be a bad idea. But with a moderate amount of humidity, glues might stop working, and the baseboard will get degraded. To avoid this interruption, it’s very wise and efficient to apply nails to the baseboard.
What is the best glue to use for baseboards?
Ans: You can use any glue that exists on the market. However, among them, the Titebond 1414 provides good fastening and is worth it.
Can you use a pin nailer for baseboards?
Ans: Yes, you can. But the semi-automatic or pneumatic nailers result better than pin nailers. If you’re having a pin nailer by default, you can imply it; otherwise, go for having a good grade one.
Conclusion
I guess you don’t have any confusion regarding the topic of how to install a baseboard without a nail gun. If yes, then it’s time to sign off from here. I would really appreciate it if you share this directory with your friends and mates who might install their baseboard at upcoming weekends. And last but not least, if you feel like some things are still unclear to you, you can give this article another thorough read to get everything precisely.
Hope you’ll do well in your life. Till then, wish you a happy farewell.
And mate, don’t forget to Carpe Diem no matter what the situation is!
