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Switched from nail guns back to hand nailing for baseboards - anyone else do this?
I used to zip through baseboard installs with my 16ga finish nailer. But after 3 jobs last year where the nails kept popping or I had to fill way too many holes, I went back to hand nailing with 4d finish nails and a punch set. The time difference is real - a 12x12 room takes me about 45 minutes longer now. But honestly the cleaner look and way less touch-up work is worth it for me. Curious if anyone else has abandoned power tools for specific tasks and never looked back.
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the_rowan9d ago
Man I'm right there with you. Swapped back to hand nailing for all my casing and base work about a year ago and haven't looked back. That clean look with almost zero filler needed just hits different, even if my knees ache from crouching longer.
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drews5510d ago
Whoa, hold up. Hand nailing baseboards in 2024? That sounds like a nightmare to me. I get the frustration with nail pops, but switching back to a hammer and punch feels like going backwards. In my experience, the real issue isn't the gun, it's the technique or the material. You're probably not using the right nailer for the job or you're hitting the studs at a bad angle. A good 18ga brad nailer with the right sized nails and a proper depth set almost never pops, and you barely have to fill anything. Plus, 45 minutes more per room adds up fast when you're doing a whole house. I'd rather take those extra minutes and spend them on better caulk and a finer sanding sponge.
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