Baseboards - toe kick in closest? help!

6 years ago

Hello design world!

My husband and I are closing in on the last few weeks of renovations on our first home.

We are having our contractor add new baseboards to the entire house! Yay. Upgrades from the small builders grade. We also added new hardwood floors throughout.

Today our contractor asked my husband if it is okay not to add the toe kick to the baseboards in the closest... we aren't sure what is normal? The rest of the house will have the toe kick (I believe also call quarter round although we are getting a slightly more traditional fancy one). The contractor is behind schedule so we aren't sure if this is a way to save time. We never discussed it either way - what do you all think?

Is it normal to have baseboards in the closest at all?

This would be for the bedroom closest, two linen closest in the hall way, and an entry and mud room closet. All have sliding style doors so unlikely to be open and left open. The master is a large walk in so more likely to be open. The floors have all been hardwood added to the closest.

Photo of master which included the toe kick and 2nd picture of baseboard with toekick up close when we picked it out. It's the little piece added to the bottom of the moulding that is in question.

Thanks

Featured Answer

charpell

6 years ago

I love our baseboard with the shoe. It wasn't selected to cover any gaps, but rather because of the overall profile that it gives. We went with the plain baseboard in the closet because the shoe seemed like an unnecessary add-on. Excuse my snoozing dog in the photo!

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Comments (17)

PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
normally only the baseboard is done. why is he doing quarter round too? the quarter round is done when floors are put in without the baseboards coming up. this hides the end cuts of the flooring. the other reason for the quarter round is to hide undulating gaps. do you have any of these? what does the closet look like? if you don't need the quarter round, don't do it.

new flooring goes down and then baseboard on top of it. you should need the quarter round (or toe kick as you call it), unless there are large gaps between the two. the quarter round hides mistakes, gaps and badly cut baseboards.
charpell
6 years ago
I think you still called a shoe mould ... at least here in Canada that's what it is called. We did not install shoe mould in our closets when we replaced the baseboards. It seemed kind of pointless, so we skipped it.
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K G
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the feedback. The new hardwood was done very close to the wall, so there is not a significant gap. The baseboard itself hides this however it is a 40 year old home so floors are not completely level. In a few places to make the baseboards run level there is a slight gap at the corner of the room under the baseboard where the quarter round can be used to hide it - so I understand.

This answers the question though. It is reasonable to go without and won't look unfinished!
K G
Original Author
6 years ago
@charpell I think you are right. I'm in Canada and it might go by the name shoe mould. It's not a true quarter round but wasn't sure what exactly it is called.

Sounds like not doing the closets is acceptable. I just don't want for it to suddenly be this thing that we didn't finish.
PRO
PPF.
6 years ago
Put it in the closets too. Why would the builder suggest not to?
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
PPF,,,why do it at all??? shoe is to hide mistakes and gaps. she's just asking about the shoe, not the baseboards. of course baseboards go in the closet.

if you have small gaps, regular caulking can remedy that. I would forgo the shoe. looks much cleaner without it. I wouldn't even do it in the other rooms. has he put it there already? if not, don't. and it should be cheaper, much cheaper, to not have it done.
K G
Original Author
6 years ago
@PFP that was our concern... he said he doesn't normally do it.. not sure if that was being lazy and wanting to cut corners.
phuninthesun
6 years ago
I always have baseboards i the closets as well. It needs to look finished as well. I would not use the toe molding (quarter round) anywhere.
K G
Original Author
6 years ago
Interesting - I had not even thought about not doing the shoe moulding at all. Of the contractors and designers that have come through the house no one suggested that. I assumed it was part of the 'finished' look but looking at photos without it is nice... hmmm and less place for dust to settle.

They have started, but only in the master so far so not irreversible.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
I did simple, tall moldings, no shoe.
phuninthesun
6 years ago
Nice floor Beth H. . I'm not fond of the shoe molding. Whenever I change flooring I always replace the baseboards as well, so there was never the need for it.
PRO
PPF.
6 years ago
PPF,,,why do it at all??? shoe is to hide mistakes and gaps.

Agree.

But if they are going to do it, it should be done everywhere.

You should scribe base to the floor so there are no gaps, but it rarely done.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
phun, see? you are my long lost twin. I would always replace my molding too.

another angle. I even have some gaps, but don't care! no shoe.

PPF,,,you are absolutely right. but I don't think the GC is doing it for gaps. doesn't sound like the floor is that bad. and in the closet, it's just a waste of money to do shoe. baseboard is fine by itself in there
PRO
ReMax - Lisa
6 years ago
We use a small molding at the bottom of our baseboards, again not for gaps but to add to the edge profile. Our contractor calls it doorstop, as it's the same piece used in door jambs. We didn't bother using it in closets though as it's not viewed generally, although we do have full baseboards in there.
K G
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone! Appreciate the comments, didn't realize no shoe moulding was an option. Based on the floor installation we don't actually need it from my quick view. I'm going to speak to our GC about options.

Regardless we won't be doing any shoe moulding in the closests
ptreckel
6 years ago
Just for the record, you note that the home is 40 years old. It was customary for many homes of this vintage with hardwood floors to have shoe mold applied on all baseboards, even when the flooring was installed before the baseboards. My 60+ year old home with the original white oak, finished flooring has shoe mold installed in all rooms and in all closets. The choice, however, is yours. And I don't think it is imperative to install it in your closets.