Simple Baseboard Installation: Butt Joints, Miters and Stud Layout
The short version
A carpenter shows a simplified method for installing paint-grade MDF baseboard: butt joints, 44 and 46 degree miters, bulk cutting, and finding studs by screw pops or 16 in. layout. He also covers nailing near water lines with construction adhesive, hand safety around outside corners, and sealing unfinished edges with caulk.
Questions this video answers
What baseboard and nails are used?
A 5 1/2 in. by 3/4 in. MDF baseboard, salvaged from other jobs, with 2 in. brad nails from an 18 gauge brad nailer.
How does he find studs?
Nail into the bottom plate first. Look for screw pops, which mark a stud, and lay out 16 in. centres from a known stud. A stud sensor also works, and the nail won't pull back when it hits wood.
Why 46 and 44 degree miter cuts?
He cuts outside corners at 46 degrees and inside miters at 44 degrees to allow for the joint compound built up on the corners.
How do you avoid nailing into water lines?
He uses construction adhesive in dabs plus threaded nails, so a 2 in. nail can't go far enough to puncture a pipe.
Does he cope the corners?
He says there is no profile on this baseboard, so coping is pointless, and he finds coping unnecessary and time-consuming.
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