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TIL using a finish nailer for baseboards at the wrong angle can split the wood clean in half
I was installing some pine baseboards in a bedroom last week and got lazy with my 18-gauge nailer. Instead of tilting it right, I shot a nail almost straight on into the edge of the board. Split it right down the middle for about 6 inches, ruined a $12 piece of stock. Learned you gotta angle those nails at 45 degrees near the edges or pre-drill if the wood is thin. Anyone else wreck a board from a dumb angle mistake?
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wood.zara4mo ago
Wait, isn't 45 degrees more for toe-nailing framing? I always thought you just wanted to shoot at a slight angle so the nail doesn't punch straight out the face. Like 10 or 15 degrees off flat, not a full 45. Pre-drilling helps a ton too, especially on pine that's already a bit knotty or dry. The real trick is holding the nose tight against the wood as you squeeze so it doesn't bounce and chip the edge.
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benwilliams4mo ago
Wait, did you at least get a satisfying "crack" sound out of it? I swear I've turned more pine into kindling than actual trim this year.
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