How To Install Baseboards Without A Nail Gun

Baseboards might get overlooked by the untrained eye, but they are an important part of your home and its strength. They act as both decoration and a first line of defense against human traffic and other wear and tear. You may find yourself in a situation where you need to install baseboards or your current baseboards need replacing. The easiest way to do this involves a nail gun. But if you don’t have a nail gun don’t fret, as there are more than one ways to get this job done.

You can install baseboards without a nail gun using a hammer and 8d finishing nails, or by using adhesive glue. If you use the nail and hammer method, carefully mark the studs exactly and hammer the nails at a downward angle. If you glue the baseboards, use caulking glue on the interior of the baseboard and quick setting glue along the top where the baseboard is thicker.

Just because you do not have a nail gun does not mean you can’t install baseboards and have professional results. You may opt for a hammer and nails, or you might even go in the opposite direction and use the gluing method discussed in this article. Regardless of which method you use, as long as you carefully follow the simple but precise steps, you can install professional-looking baseboards.

Nail guns are usually the weapon of choice for most professional carpenters when it comes to baseboard installation. Nail guns, more than anything, are quite a time saver. They do several jobs in one, and make it possible for you to nail using just one hand. This is quite helpful, as when you install baseboards, a free hand to make the marking perfect is helpful.

Nail guns are also very precise. It is important to hit the exact stud at a correct angle each time when you install baseboards. This is fairly simple with a nail gun. It can prove a bit more challenging when you use the hammer and nail method.

Still, it is entirely possible to install baseboards using the hammer and nail method rather than a nail gun. After all, houses did not build themselves before nail guns were invented. When you install your baseboards using a hammer and nails it just means you have to pay close attention to the details. But if you follow the steps below, you should be able to easily install your baseboards using a hammer and nails with no help from a nail gun.

Apply Baseboard adhesive in small space between baseboard and floor and at the corners. Additionally, any cracks and where you hammered the nails. This will allow a smooth and professional finish once you paint the baseboards.

Pro Tip: Caulk can contract when it dries so when you cover up those nail holes try using packing paste or finishing adhesive for a more seamless finish. Caulk will still leave a slight indent, making your final result less than perfect. Or if you are staining wood you will find that a water-based wood filler will do the trick.

The secondary glue phase is when you apply the quick-setting glue. This is often a spray, or may come in avast-drying glue form. Apply this to the top brim of the baseboard, as this part is usually slightly thicker, and will have immediate direct contact with the wall.

The idea here is that this glue will immediately (but temporarily) latch on to the wall while the long-lasting and slow drying glue hardens. If you do not have fast acting glue, you can use a piece of wood and some sort of anchor to apply pressure to the baseboard while it dries. Most people, however, find using a fast acting glue as a secondary glue to be the easier route.

After seeing these two methods and the steps involved you might wonder which method is better. First, it is important to note that both of these methods work perfectly well. Therefore, for the most part it depends on which method you prefer.

If, however, you are looking for the most professional and longest lasting results, a hammer and nails is likely to give the best results. For one, nails last longer than glue, as the glue may eventually break down. Also, homes are not always perfectly straight and still. Walls can slope and bend, and they can warp and shift over time.

If you nail a baseboard into the wall, the baseboard is likely to take on that same light slope and warp along with the wall. If, however, you glue the baseboard, you may have a different result. Instead of bending with the wall, the baseboard may simply not connect, or you may see a gap or split that grows over time. This is not the norm, but it may occur.

If you need to install baseboards but don’t have a nail gun, don’t worry. There is no need to run out to the store and spend more than $200 on a railgun just for this project. You can use a hammer and nails, as long as you carefully mark the spots where studs are. Use the right finishing nail and hammer them in at a downward angle.

You can also install baseboards without nails at all, using glue. Simply use caulking glue on the back of your baseboard, and a fast acting adhesive to hold it in place as the baseboard dries in its carefully set position. Both methods are perfectly suitable alternatives to using a nail gun to install your baseboards. Nails, however, are likely to last longer than glue.