The order a baseboard run goes on

A baseboard run goes on in order: mark studs and set a square-butt first piece into the corners, cope each next piece to lap the one before it, fasten two nails per stud (low into the plate, high into the stud), then fill the nail holes and caulk the top seam — not the floor gap.

Source: Cope inside / miter outside corners; fasten to framing (finish-carpentry practice)

What this diagram shows

A four-panel walkthrough of installing a baseboard run. Panel 1: studs are marked and the first board is set with square-butt ends tight into both corners. Panel 2: the next board is coped — cut to the profile of the first board so it laps over its face at the inside corner. Panel 3: the board is fastened with two nails at each stud, one low into the bottom plate and one high into the stud in an X pattern. Panel 4: nail holes are filled and the top seam against the wall is caulked, while the gap at the floor is left for the base shoe to cover.

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<figure style="margin:0;max-width:800px">
  <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com/construction-diagrams/trim-install-sequence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
    <img src="https://remodelcalculators.com/illustrations/trim-install-sequence.svg" alt="A four-panel walkthrough of installing a baseboard run. Panel 1: studs are marked and the first board is set with square-butt ends tight into both corners. Panel 2: the next board is coped — cut to the profile of the first board so it laps over its face at the inside corner. Panel 3: the board is fastened with two nails at each stud, one low into the bottom plate and one high into the stud in an X pattern. Panel 4: nail holes are filled and the top seam against the wall is caulked, while the gap at the floor is left for the base shoe to cover." width="800" height="560" style="width:100%;height:auto;border:0" loading="lazy">
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    Diagram: <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com/construction-diagrams/trim-install-sequence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The order a baseboard run goes on</a> — courtesy of <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RemodelCalculators.com</a>
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