Baseboards are an important element when it comes to building your house. They are installed on walls to cover unevenness or just as a decoration. Today, we are going to discuss and find out whether one should glue or nail baseboards.
Should you glue or nail baseboards?
Both glue and nail can be used when it comes to attaching baseboards onto the walls. Glue works well for small sized rooms. But nail is a better choice among the two for all kinds of rooms. One can also use glue and nail together to install baseboards onto the bottom part of the wall.
Baseboards can be secured on the walls using both glue and nail. Using only glue or nail cut down the longevity of your baseboard set up. Gluing the baseboards onto the walls is more suitable for small sized rooms.
On the other hand, using nails is a better choice when it comes to large sized rooms.
You can also use glue and nail simultaneously to make sure that your baseboards are fully secured onto the walls. While selecting the glue for baseboards, the glues that have shorter drying time and longer durability should be given priority.
On the other hand, when it comes to selecting the nail for baseboards, 16 gauge and 16 gauge nails that are 1.5 to 2 inches in length should be chosen. The combination of glue and nail works wonders if you want to attach baseboards onto the bottom of the walls.
Is it better to glue or nail baseboards?
You can use either glue or nail to install baseboards on your wall. Both of these elements have their own advantages and disadvantages. Using nails to install baseboards onto the walls gives you better success compared to using glue.
The reason behind this is that nailing the baseboards onto the wall is fairly simple and it is more long lasting than glue.
You will also find it easier to remove baseboards off the wall if you have attached them with nails in the first place. But using glue instead of nails has its benefits too. Small and thin baseboards can be easily installed onto the walls using glue.
If you are working on a small project of installing baseboards in small sized rooms, then using glue can be beneficial for you. But nail is the better option between glue or nail when it comes to using only one of them.
What is the best way to install baseboards?
The best way to install baseboards involves using both glue or nail. It gives you a better and long lasting result.
You can put glue on the backside of the baseboards before you use nails to add the finishing touch. After you have covered the back part of your baseboards completely with glue, you can slowly start attaching them onto the wall.
You will have to hold and push the baseboards onto the wall so that the glue creates a strong bond between the wall and the baseboards.
After the glue has dried out, you can start putting the nails onto the baseboard. You can use a nail machine or a hammer to help you out in this process. Using both the glue and the nail gives your baseboards better chances of survival.
What kind of glue do you use for baseboards? Can I use Liquid Nails for the baseboard?
All kinds of glue are not perfect for baseboards for adhesive. Let’s discuss in detail to find out what kind of glue can be used for baseboards and whether Liquid Nails is one of them.
Polyurethane glue:
Polyurethane based construction glues can be a good choice if you want to install baseboards onto the wall. The special thing about this kind of glue is that a small portion can do the trick and can give you a long lasting result.
Gorilla glue:
Gorilla glue is another excellent choice because of its smell free effect. You can use gorilla glue on baseboards without any hesitation as it takes very little time to make a long lasting connection between the baseboards and the wall due to its quick drying ability.
Wood glue:
There are special types of glues that are made with the purpose of being used on wood products. So the effectiveness of wood glue on baseboards is not a surprise. They are great at attaching baseboards onto the wall.
Liquid Nails:
Liquid Nails can be used to install baseboards on walls because of the longevity it provides. However, removing the baseboards that have been installed using Liquid Nails is difficult to say at least.
What kind of nails do you use for baseboards?
Not all nails are suitable to be used on baseboards. Let’s discuss in detail about the kind of nails you need to use in order to install baseboards on the wall.
15 gauge nail:
You will need to use nails in order to secure baseboards onto the wall. The gauge number indicates the thinness of a particular nail. A 15 gauge nail has a diameter of about 1.83 millimeters. This type of nail is ideal for baseboard installation.
16 gauge nail:
A 16 gauge nail is thinner than a 15 gauge nail with a diameter of 1.59 millimeters. 16 gauge nails are also perfect for baseboard installation as it does not allow the baseboard to flex over time and keep it in place.
1.5 to 2 inches nail:
The length of a nail is important when it comes to securing baseboards onto the wall. The thickness of the baseboards often decides what length of nail should be used for installation purposes. 1.5 to 2 inches nail is suitable to be used on baseboards and walls.
Anything longer than this range represents the risk of damaging your wall and anything shorter will fail to keep the baseboards in their position.
How do you secure baseboards?
Securing the baseboards onto the wall might seem like a daunting task. But it is fairly easy if you manage to follow the steps given below.
Apply glue on the back:
First of all, you will need to use glue on the back of your baseboards. The glue will help the baseboards when it comes to getting attached to the surface of the wall. When applying glue, you will need to be careful about the amount so that you do not overdo it.
You will have to choose construction glues which dry earlier than other glues. You can use a caulk machine to assist you in this process.
Press the baseboards:
After you have successfully put glue on the back of baseboards, you will need to press the baseboards against the bottom of the wall. Holding the baseboards tightly against the world will enable the glue to make a strong connection between the wall and the baseboards.
After the glue has dried out and the baseboards have been attached to the wall, you will need to stop pressing the baseboards onto the wall and let them rest for a bit.
Mark the baseboards:
Next, you will need to mark the areas on the baseboards that you are going to put nails into. The vertical nails have to be put in by maintaining a distance of at least two inches between one another.
The horizontal nails need to be put in at a distance of twelve inches from one another.
Apply the nails:
In the last step, you will have to put nails into the marked areas of the baseboards in order to secure the baseboards perfectly. You can use either a hammer or a nail machine to help you out in this process.
The nails will increase the longevity of the baseboards by keeping them in place. 15 gauge and 16 gauge nails would be perfect for this process.
Where do you nail baseboards?
The baseboards on walls are often installed at the bottom part. The height and width of the baseboards decides where you place the nails. The distance between each horizontally placed nail needs to be somewhere between twelve to fourteen inches.
On the other hand, the distance between vertically placed nails has to be at least two inches.
A wider and taller baseboard setting will require more nails than a narrower and shorter one. If you manage to maintain the above mentioned distance between nails, it will give you better results and will support the baseboards onto the wall for a long time.
It will also prevent the baseboards from developing internal cracks.
Final Thoughts
One can use both glue and nail to secure baseboards onto the wall. Fast drying and high durable construction glues should be applied on the back of the baseboards. Additionally, 15 gauge and 16 gauge nails should be used with a nail machine to attach the baseboards.