Driving Fluted Nails How Into Brick

What is the best way to drive the hard-cut nail into wooden baseboards to prevent splitting?

I know, by experience, that the best nail for my type of brick is the hard-cut masonry nail (and not the fluted nail). Choose your length of nail to be long enough to go 1″ into the mortar joint. Since the nail is flat, hold the nail by the smaller end, and the broad head is used to set the other nail by placing the narrow edge of the head to the nail to be set.

How to hang a picture on concrete or brick. Using this simple nail you can hang anything on cinder block, concrete, cement, …HOW TO Hammer Nail into Masonry – Driving Fluted Masonry Nails

I am installing my baseboards, and there is a section that must be attached to brick. Should the wider surface of the nail be driven perpendicular or parallel to the grain?

I understand to drill a pilot hole in the wood first though. You have to deal with rocks because of the concrete so it might be easier to drill a pilot hole in the concrete first and then use the fluted nails.

You can get various loads and nail sizes. Minimum fastener embedment into the deck should be 1-in.