quarter-round vs. shoe strip?

14 years ago

last modified: 14 years ago

We're just finishing up with a hardwood floor installation in our renovation of a 1955 Ranch in Cincinnati. Its really beautiful so far (well, I know that's my opinion) We used Kempas Wood (Mazama is manufacturer). It looks wonderful, the photo on line looks very light compared to ours. http://www.builddirect.com/Hardwood-Flooring/Natural/ProductDisplay_6950_p1_10075949.aspx

Ours is more like Brazillian Cherry looking.

Anyhow question is -- do we use quarter round for the trim next to the baseboard? or what the contractor said to use --he's calling it "shoe strip". Its basically a trim piece that instead of being rounded out like quarter round, its rounded inward (concave).

Not sure what to do here.

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PRO

Fauxs and Finishes

10 years ago

As a profession trim carpenter and builder base shoe is really the correct trim to use on flooring. People do use quarter round because they don't know any different. Base shoe is slightly thinner and has a flat face at the bottom. Base shoe is more flexible to soak up and dips in the floor or base. The flat face also helps from dings vs the round part on quarter round. Quarter round sticks out further into the floor. Base shoe is always preferred on base to floor intersections. Sometimes quarter round is all that is available or if you need something larger cover a bigger gap.

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Comments (18)

PRO
Oak & Broad
14 years ago
Quarter Round is pretty typical.
thejeanbean
13 years ago
I LOVE THE FLOORS I AM ABOUT TO ORDER MINE, WHAT DID YOU DECIDE FOR BASEBOARD? WE ARE THINKING A WIDER BASED BOARD. DO THEY SHOW DIRT, SCRATCHES EASY?
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Katherine Loizos
Original Author
13 years ago
We decided we liked the look of our baseboard without either. We figure if we need or want to add it later-- then we will. Here is what it looks like without.
Katherine Loizos
Original Author
13 years ago
Here is another shot.
PRO
Norm Walters Construction Inc.
13 years ago
It's actually called base shoe and it is as tall as quarter round, it just isn't as wide and looks better in my opinion if it covers the gap. You didn't say whether the base board was removed prior to installation, I assume it was not, hence the need for quarter round or base shoe.
PRO
Norm Walters Construction Inc.
13 years ago
Although there is a gap under the baseboard now that I look at the picture again.
User
13 years ago
If you decide to add the shoe molding later, i will recommend that you get primed and paint it the same as your baseboards. Otherwise you will "shorten" your base visually. Fun project. Love the older ranches. We renovated a few in Loveland. Enjoy!
Julie Dawson
13 years ago
100% agree with elklaker, plus the shoe molding would give the baseboard a nice clean finish and look like a professional job.
Katherine Loizos
Original Author
13 years ago
We do not have any gap at all. I see why you thought that though, Weird shadow in this photo. This is all new baseboard, We are really happy with it.
orangecamera
13 years ago
Quarter round is 1/4 of a circle. Shoe molding is 1/4 of an oval. To be honest, now that my floors and molding are done, I don't think i'd ever notice the difference. I never noticed in any of my former homes whether it was quarter round or shoe molding. As long as the gap (if there is one) is covered, I think it's a difference without a distinction.
PRO
Norm Walters Construction Inc.
13 years ago
I wouldn't add anything to it. The whole idea of adding quarter round or base shoe is to cover the gap between the "existing" baseboard and the new flooring.
Katherine Loizos
Original Author
13 years ago
The "shoe" whatever molding that my flooring guy was wanting to use back then (september?) was on concave molding not like a quarter round type. Not necessarly on the tall side. Opposite of quarter round. I think you are right on the gap. there was only one spot that we thought we would need to install it, but we fixed it by reinstalling a new piece of flooring there. Isn't this houzz site awsome? I can't get enough of it!
PRO
Norm Walters Construction Inc.
13 years ago
He must have been talking about cove molding, which I haven't personally seen used there, but its a big world.
jloleary
12 years ago
this thread is quite old but are you still pleased that you skipped the shoe or quarter round molding? we have to decide by tomorrow if we want quarter round. I think it looks fine without it but figured I'd drop a note since you were making the same decision about a year ago..
D. Stone
10 years ago
I know this thread is old...but the quarter round,imho, really pops the floor. It looks so much better!
Susi H
9 years ago
Agree, base shoe gives the finished look, but much sleeker and less bulky.
Thomas B
6 years ago
To Katherine Loizos: Cameras can reveal things to us that the naked eye can't see, or doesn't want to see.

In fact, last night, I looked in a mirror and looked fine. Took selfie, and noticed one eye was bloodshot.

In this case, respectfully, there's clearly a gap underneath the baseboard. Like others said, shoe molding would do the trick to give this space a finished look.

I realize your original post was seven years ago, but I felt compelled to speak up so that others reading this thread would understand their eyes aren't deceiving them; this space needs shoe molding. :)