Trick to toenailing studs?

Question

Do I start a quarter inch back so that when I'm done nailing my board lands exactly where I wanted it in the first place??

Answer 1

Depends on how tight the fit is, but sounds about right.

Answer 2

Wear sturdy boots and if you hammer with your right hand, put the heel of your left boot on the opposite side of the plate/stud. This will keep it in place while you hammer. Always works for me.

If it's not quite right, just adjust it with a few taps.

Answer 3

I just did this yesterday when I was by myself... I put a mark to where I want to board to be seated and put a nail on that mark so the board would not go past that point, then I toenailed the other side then removed that nail and used it to toenail that side. This really helped me when I was install rafters on my covered deck.