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?

2 comments

2 Comments

wood.zara12d 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.

benwilliams13d agoMost Upvoted

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.