Quarter round molding

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newbie003
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Quarter round molding

Post by newbie003 »

Hi. We're in the latter stages of our remodeling our finished basement. It included all new sheet rock, and we'll be doing a vinyl plank (coretec) floor over existing/old tile floor.

Our intent was to have the coretec installed, then base molding after.

However, we were just informed that the contractor's intent was to install base molding now, and then flooring to be done after, and flooring guy would install quarter round (to match the coretec, or perhaps just white to match the wall/base molding).

He seems to want to do this so he (the contractor) and the painter, can finish up sooner rather than later, and then the flooring would be a separate job entirely (essentially). I thought the contractor was doing his thing, the painter was painting walls/ceiling, then flooring would be installed, then contractor/painter would install/paint the base molding.

Am I wrong to think that in essentially new construction (it's not as if they are saving the hassle of removing existing molding), they should be doing the base molding after the floor, and not trying to take the quick/easy way out of doing it first?

Or is it all just personal preference/it varies and it's my fault for not being on same page with contractor/making it more clear to him that I didn't want quarter round (which personally I hate and never intended to use, at all)?

Thank you.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by jebmke »

Just thinking out loud here but if it goes in before the floor, how much of a PITA is it going to be if the base molding ever needs to be replaced?
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johnubc
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by johnubc »

That is the way it is done nowadays......

sheetrock and base installed. The floating floor (laminate, vinyl, etc) are installed to the, or under the base and Quarter round install to finish it. Or just carpet to the base - no need to be perfect there, as the carpet will hide it.
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Cyclesafe
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Cyclesafe »

This is one of my DW's pet peeves. Why did the #@%*@ builder put the baseboard in before the floor and force the ugly quarter round?

The answer is that walls are not perfectly plumb and floors are not perfectly flat. The top of the baseboard can be made horizontalish with the variable gap close to the floor instead where it can be covered by the aforementioned offending quarter round.
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PoppyA
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by PoppyA »

We had the same issue recently. We picked a molding that appealed to us more than the quarter round......just a thought. Still double, but ours mimics the original molding.
mrc
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by mrc »

The molding strip that attaches to the baseboard is properly called shoe molding. It's generally 7/16" X 11/16" and is therefore not a quarter round.
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squirm
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by squirm »

Personally I hate quarter round molding floor jobs. Looks cheesy. I personally remove the base boards and install it underneath.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

newbie003 wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:10 pm Hi. We're in the latter stages of our remodeling our finished basement. It included all new sheet rock, and we'll be doing a vinyl plank (coretec) floor over existing/old tile floor.

Our intent was to have the coretec installed, then base molding after.

However, we were just informed that the contractor's intent was to install base molding now, and then flooring to be done after, and flooring guy would install quarter round (to match the coretec, or perhaps just white to match the wall/base molding).

He seems to want to do this so he (the contractor) and the painter, can finish up sooner rather than later, and then the flooring would be a separate job entirely (essentially). I thought the contractor was doing his thing, the painter was painting walls/ceiling, then flooring would be installed, then contractor/painter would install/paint the base molding.

Am I wrong to think that in essentially new construction (it's not as if they are saving the hassle of removing existing molding), they should be doing the base molding after the floor, and not trying to take the quick/easy way out of doing it first?

Or is it all just personal preference/it varies and it's my fault for not being on same page with contractor/making it more clear to him that I didn't want quarter round (which personally I hate and never intended to use, at all)?

Thank you.
Ask the contractor to either paint down to the floor sans baseboard then come back after the flooring install and do the base and touch up.
If he doesn’t want to then ask to leave the molding aside and paint the go down to the floor. See if the flooring guy can finish the molding after floor install.
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***everyone runs their construction company differently so lot of opinions on everything.

Our custom homes and remods did not use double molding with 1/4 round as it looks a bit hokey. Strive for a clean look as was taught in the union journeyman finish carpentry trades back when.
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michaelingp
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by michaelingp »

I just did my own floor, and I put the flooring in first. I didn't use any shoe at all, and it's a really nice clean look. I used a 3/4 baseboard with Ogee on top. The problem with quarter round is that even though the gap on a floating floor only has to be 1/4" or 3/8", it sometimes gets a little wider since walls are not always perfectly straight. I just stayed at an AirB&B with fairly new LVP floors and they used what I consider a huge 1/4 round, probably 3/4" wide on the flat side. It looked quite clunky to me, but really, most people will look at it and say, "What a beautiful floor." As long as there are no gaps, and the paint is well done, I'd say 90% or more people would be just as happy with the big 1/4 round, so that's why the contractors do the easier and less expensive way.

Doing the baseboard first is much easier in one way. The flooring has to have a 1/4 to 3/8" gap around the edges, plus it has to be tapped together. This means you have to put spacers around the side of the room to maintain that gap as you tap the boards together. That's relatively easy if the baseboard is already in place, much more difficult if not because the sheetrock does not normally go all the way to the floor. There's a 1/2" or so gap there and your spacers kind of try to lose themselves in that gap.

As I said, most people really don't notice the difference or maybe notice but don't care so prefer the less expensive method. If you're one of the minority who cares about stuff like this, just ask them to do it the way you want it, but expect to pay a bit more.
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6miths
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by 6miths »

To me nothing looks worse than this combination. In a basement I recently did PVC moulding. Easy to install and forgiving of less than level and square surfaces.
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EnjoyIt
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by EnjoyIt »

What your contractor is doing is something my wife and I hate and have not allowed it in our remodel jobs. Tile goes from wall to wall. It belongs underneath any cabinets and it belongs underneath the baseboard. The quarter round job looks horrible. As Sandtrap stated, have your GC do what you want. if he refuses, tell him to just paint the wall and then find a carpenter to install the baseboards once the tiles are done.

You are the customer and he should do what you ask....within reason of course. This is without a doubt, within reason. BTW, many tile guys will do baseboards for this exact reason.
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TravelforFun
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by TravelforFun »

6miths wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:46 pm To me nothing looks worse than this combination. In a basement I recently did PVC moulding. Easy to install and forgiving of less than level and square surfaces.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Made-Rite-9 ... /310226747
The PVC molding looks interesting. I guess hook installation can be tricky if the floor is not perfectly level or the wall not perfectly straight.

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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

TravelforFun wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 10:53 pm
6miths wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:46 pm To me nothing looks worse than this combination. In a basement I recently did PVC moulding. Easy to install and forgiving of less than level and square surfaces.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Made-Rite-9 ... /310226747
The PVC molding looks interesting. I guess hook installation can be tricky if the floor is not perfectly level or the wall not perfectly straight.

TravelforFun
+1
I looked at the link and thought the same thing. Most drywall work has a gentle rise over the joints and so forth. Nailing base molding in with a finish air nailer helps it conform to the wall and reduce gaps that have to be caulked up more than usual.

The product is interesting, though. Never saw that before.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

6miths wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:46 pm To me nothing looks worse than this combination. In a basement I recently did PVC moulding. Easy to install and forgiving of less than level and square surfaces.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Made-Rite-9 ... /310226747
Thanks for posting the link.
Interesting product.
I wonder how it conforms to undulations. . . . maybe have to put more clips in certain problem areas.
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diy60
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by diy60 »

Many non-craftsman installers like the extra molding because it hides a multitude of installation and building construction sins and allows them to slap something in with sloppy tolerances. Go for the clean baseboard look.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by oldfatguy »

newbie003 wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:10 pm
Am I wrong to think that in essentially new construction (it's not as if they are saving the hassle of removing existing molding), they should be doing the base molding after the floor, and not trying to take the quick/easy way out of doing it first?
I worked in new home construction for a time, and baseboards were always installed before the flooring finishes.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:13 am
newbie003 wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:10 pm
Am I wrong to think that in essentially new construction (it's not as if they are saving the hassle of removing existing molding), they should be doing the base molding after the floor, and not trying to take the quick/easy way out of doing it first?
I worked in new home construction for a time, and baseboards were always installed before the flooring finishes.
+1
I've noticed different construction practices for various homes and commercial projects depending on State and area.
IE:
In multi developments or a cluster of "spec" homes where speed and efficiency was the rule, then there were lot's of things like that done. It looked okay if done well. The floor guys finished up with a shoe molding if needed. And if carpet, that that was okay. We held up the baseboard about 3/8" or something like that to anticipate the various flooring that was going in.

But, for single custom homes, especially high end, then the "steps" were followed as far as order of build to get the best results. IE: for tile flooring, we did the baseboards after so the tile guys could get a good fit since the molding was easier to deal with after the tile guys. For carpeting and padding, we did the normal "hold off" off the sub floor which was simple as we installed the molding using homemade spacers from scrap. Like that.

A lot of construction practices are not written in stone. There's a standard way of doing things in union journeyman finish carpenter apprenticship, but after that, it just depends, so a skilled finish carpenter can do it any way that's required, or the owner wants it done.
There's no "one way to do things". It depends on time and money and result wanted.

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oldfatguy
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by oldfatguy »

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:13 am
oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:13 am
newbie003 wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:10 pm
Am I wrong to think that in essentially new construction (it's not as if they are saving the hassle of removing existing molding), they should be doing the base molding after the floor, and not trying to take the quick/easy way out of doing it first?
I worked in new home construction for a time, and baseboards were always installed before the flooring finishes.
+1
I've noticed different construction practices for various homes and commercial projects depending on State and area.
IE:
In multi developments or a cluster of "spec" homes where speed and efficiency was the rule, then there were lot's of things like that done. It looked okay if done well. The floor guys finished up with a shoe molding if needed. And if carpet, that that was okay. We held up the baseboard about 3/8" or something like that to anticipate the various flooring that was going in.

But, for single custom homes, especially high end, then the "steps" were followed as far as order of build to get the best results. IE: for tile flooring, we did the baseboards after so the tile guys could get a good fit since the molding was easier to deal with after the tile guys. For carpeting and padding, we did the normal "hold off" off the sub floor which was simple as we installed the molding using homemade spacers from scrap. Like that.

A lot of construction practices are not written in stone. There's a standard way of doing things in union journeyman finish carpenter apprenticship, but after that, it just depends, so a skilled finish carpenter can do it any way that's required, or the owner wants it done.
There's no "one way to do things". It depends on time and money and result wanted.

j :D
Like you said, I'm sure it varies by regions, etc., but I worked for a custom home builder. The main reason it is/was done this way is that it is more trouble (and cost) to get both the carpenters and the painters to come back for multiple rounds at the same job site. It's not an efficient way to do it. It can be done differently, but will certainly cost more.
rixer
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by rixer »

I don't like the look of quarter round nailed up next to the baseboard. When we installed wood floors, we removed the tall baseboard, installed the floor and reinstalled the baseboard. Much neater looking job.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by lthenderson »

Just another data point with nothing new to add but I would never install flooring after base boards and then use quarter round or shoe molding. Any cabinet that you want to sit up against the wall will now be pushed further out with the extra molding and I just don't like the look.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by FeesR-BullNotBullish »

This is upsetting. Sounds like you hired a GC? It would be less upsetting if a tradesman tried to pull this, but a GC? No way.

It is absolutely not your fault...you should not have to explain this detail in the bid process. Quarter round is for DIYers because baseboard is a lot of work and it's hard to get right.

I remember a quote from a contractor who gave me a bid: "Quarter round hides a lot of sins". You hired pros to remodel your basement, and there should be no sins to hide.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by iamlucky13 »

The contractor may have bid with the intention of installing this way to cut costs. If nothing was clearly specified in the contract, the contractor may press for extra cost to have it installed the way you want it. As others noted, planning a separate visit for the contractor to install the baseboard and for the painter to paint it has extra cost to the general contractor.

I agree that shoe molding on the baseboard is less attractive (and pushes furniture further from the wall, as well). It can be a major cost savings when replacing flooring, but if the molding is already being replaced, I would much rather put the flooring down first, then the baseboard in order to avoid a need for shoe molding.

If you do accept the the use of shoe molding, my opinion is in general to match the trim, not the flooring.
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newbie003
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by newbie003 »

iamlucky13 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:51 am The contractor may have bid with the intention of installing this way to cut costs. If nothing was clearly specified in the contract, the contractor may press for extra cost to have it installed the way you want it. As others noted, planning a separate visit for the contractor to install the baseboard and for the painter to paint it has extra cost to the general contractor.

I agree that shoe molding on the baseboard is less attractive (and pushes furniture further from the wall, as well). It can be a major cost savings when replacing flooring, but if the molding is already being replaced, I would much rather put the flooring down first, then the baseboard in order to avoid a need for shoe molding.

If you do accept the the use of shoe molding, my opinion is in general to match the trim, not the flooring.
Thanks so much everybody. The existing basement floor (tile over concrete) isn't perhaps the most level, so contractor is saying (and I get his point), that the vinyl going right over the tile may not be the most even, so that even if he does baseboard after floor, we might still need shoe molding anyway. I feel that 8mm vinyl planks are thick enough that they should kind of just go over any unevenness and create a pretty level surface for the molding to go on later (and I'd at least rather take the chance and try it, even if it does create gaps and we end up with shoe molding anyway). We are not going to try and level the entire floor due to cost.

Contractor is willing to do molding after floor, but definitely harped on fact of having to come back again, along with painter, and be extra careful to protect floor, taking more time, etc.. which I fully understand.

I agree that if we end up with shoe molding I would match trim, not floor.

Thanks again to everyone for their comments, and I'm glad that (for the most part) you are in agreement that shoe molding doesn't look great and shouldn't be the default (and that floor should go before base molding).
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

rixer wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:30 am I don't like the look of quarter round nailed up next to the baseboard. When we installed wood floors, we removed the tall baseboard, installed the floor and reinstalled the baseboard. Much neater looking job.
+1
Cleaner look
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Sandtrap
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:22 am
Sandtrap wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 9:13 am
oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 8:13 am
newbie003 wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:10 pm
Am I wrong to think that in essentially new construction (it's not as if they are saving the hassle of removing existing molding), they should be doing the base molding after the floor, and not trying to take the quick/easy way out of doing it first?
I worked in new home construction for a time, and baseboards were always installed before the flooring finishes.
+1
I've noticed different construction practices for various homes and commercial projects depending on State and area.
IE:
In multi developments or a cluster of "spec" homes where speed and efficiency was the rule, then there were lot's of things like that done. It looked okay if done well. The floor guys finished up with a shoe molding if needed. And if carpet, that that was okay. We held up the baseboard about 3/8" or something like that to anticipate the various flooring that was going in.

But, for single custom homes, especially high end, then the "steps" were followed as far as order of build to get the best results. IE: for tile flooring, we did the baseboards after so the tile guys could get a good fit since the molding was easier to deal with after the tile guys. For carpeting and padding, we did the normal "hold off" off the sub floor which was simple as we installed the molding using homemade spacers from scrap. Like that.

A lot of construction practices are not written in stone. There's a standard way of doing things in union journeyman finish carpenter apprenticship, but after that, it just depends, so a skilled finish carpenter can do it any way that's required, or the owner wants it done.
There's no "one way to do things". It depends on time and money and result wanted.

j :D
Like you said, I'm sure it varies by regions, etc., but I worked for a custom home builder. The main reason it is/was done this way is that it is more trouble (and cost) to get both the carpenters and the painters to come back for multiple rounds at the same job site. It's not an efficient way to do it. It can be done differently, but will certainly cost more.
So true
When I was working for contractors I did whatever I was told. Later, as a GC, there were no compromises and the customer got the best and of course was willing to pay for the time and effort.

So many different experiences and opinions on this stuff.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by iamlucky13 »

newbie003 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:04 amThe existing basement floor (tile over concrete) isn't perhaps the most level, so contractor is saying (and I get his point), that the vinyl going right over the tile may not be the most even, so that even if he does baseboard after floor, we might still need shoe molding anyway. I feel that 8mm vinyl planks are thick enough that they should kind of just go over any unevenness and create a pretty level surface for the molding to go on later (and I'd at least rather take the chance and try it, even if it does create gaps and we end up with shoe molding anyway). We are not going to try and level the entire floor due to cost.
This is a common issue. I have 3/8" laminate flooring, which should be a fair amount more rigid than 8mm vinyl, and it also does not span waviness in the flooring enough to avoid noticeable variability in the gap to the baseboard. Note that the flooring manufacturer probably provides a fairly tight spec for floor flatness to ensure the planks fit together properly, although even that can result in variation of the baseboard from no gap to 3-4mm of gap. Shoe molding can be conformed to this waviness.

For my own floor, I'm scribing and trimming the baseboard to match the flooring. This is time intensive and exacting, and I don't know how many contractors do this sort of detail work.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by FeesR-BullNotBullish »

newbie003 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:04 am Thanks so much everybody. The existing basement floor (tile over concrete) isn't perhaps the most level, so contractor is saying (and I get his point), that the vinyl going right over the tile may not be the most even, so that even if he does baseboard after floor, we might still need shoe molding anyway.
Fair point. At least you'll have an opportunity to see it with the baseboard. I think a couple gaps look better than quarter round. I'd consider caulking to hide an unsightly gap here and there. I'd use quarter round as a last resort if the new floor is just too wavy for your taste.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by diy60 »

iamlucky13 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:29 am For my own floor, I'm scribing and trimming the baseboard to match the flooring. This is time intensive and exacting, and I don't know how many contractors do this sort of detail work.
I fabricated and installed all of my cabinetry, doors, and wood trim throughout my home. Other than cabinet fill pieces and countertops, I doubt any installer would take the time to scribe in any other work. I scribe in everything, including my base trim.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by oldfatguy »

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:29 am
So true
When I was working for contractors I did whatever I was told. Later, as a GC, there were no compromises and the customer got the best and of course was willing to pay for the time and effort.

So many different experiences and opinions on this stuff.
j🌺
I do recall some clients who were very insistent on having things done a certain way, and other special requirements. Those who were persistent enough would be accommodated by the builder. Of course, those of us who had to actually do the work were usually not happy about these "high maintenance" clients creating more work and headaches for us.

PS - Also, I am surprised to see so many with an aversion to shoe molding ... it is pretty ubiquitous with nearly any hard floor surface.
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newbie003
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by newbie003 »

Two other thoughts I just had/realized:

1) I assume I can use shoe molding rather than quarter round, correct? The stuff I really dislike is the quarter round, I hadn't thought about/looked into show molding (which I guess is almost like mini regular molding, as it's nice and flat...). I still don't love the idea of anything sticking out of the regular molding, but at least it's not the big round stuff that I really don't like

2) If I go with contractor's idea of having him install baseboard trim (and painter painting it), and then flooring going in, doesn't someone still have to install the quarter round (and paint it) after the floor goes in? Is that normally the flooring guy (so that my contractor can still be done at that point), or does a contractor/painter normally come back and do the quarter round/shoe molding?

Thank you.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Kenkat »

oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:49 am PS - Also, I am surprised to see so many with an aversion to shoe molding ... it is pretty ubiquitous with nearly any hard floor surface.
Our custom build was done this way and I think it looks good overall. The drywall and baseboards went in first, then the hardwood flooring was done much later. I know the hardwood required a lot of protection so it was desirable for it to go in at the end, with just the quarter round to finish it:

Image

Obviously, one should request it to be done they way they would like however as it very much comes down to personal preference.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by oldfatguy »

newbie003 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 12:11 pm Two other thoughts I just had/realized:

1) I assume I can use shoe molding rather than quarter round, correct? The stuff I really dislike is the quarter round, I hadn't thought about/looked into show molding (which I guess is almost like mini regular molding, as it's nice and flat...). I still don't love the idea of anything sticking out of the regular molding, but at least it's not the big round stuff that I really don't like

2) If I go with contractor's idea of having him install baseboard trim (and painter painting it), and then flooring going in, doesn't someone still have to install the quarter round (and paint it) after the floor goes in? Is that normally the flooring guy (so that my contractor can still be done at that point), or does a contractor/painter normally come back and do the quarter round/shoe molding?

Thank you.
1) Yes, shoe molding is the appropriate trim for this, not quarter round.

2) IME, the shoe molding is usually finished (painted, stained, etc) ahead of time by the painters. After the flooring is in, the carpenter's helper (or some other laborer who works for the GC) can tack it in place quickly on a brief "touch up" visit. The painter will usually leave some of the tinted/colored putty behind for the nail holes.
Last edited by oldfatguy on Mon Apr 19, 2021 12:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by z91 »

Personal preference. I personally wouldn't do it, as I've installed flooring in two houses myself, and there's a bit of craftsmanship that goes into cutting the flooring so that the baseboard alone covers the gap. One would argue there's also some craftsmanship into installing shoe molding as well, but there's an association to it being the lazy way out.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

z91 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 12:25 pm Personal preference. I personally wouldn't do it, as I've installed flooring in two houses myself, and there's a bit of craftsmanship that goes into cutting the flooring so that the baseboard alone covers the gap. One would argue there's also some craftsmanship into installing shoe molding as well, but there's an association to it being the lazy way out.
True
Some shapes of baseboards and shoe moldings look nice others not so.
Of course either way looks sloppy if badly done.

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PVW
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by PVW »

oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:49 am
PS - Also, I am surprised to see so many with an aversion to shoe molding ... it is pretty ubiquitous with nearly any hard floor surface.
Agreed. I have a 90 year old house with hardwood flooring. The entire house has a simple oak baseboard with a shoe molding. Looks nice in it's simplicity.

Probably people dislike shoe or quarter round that looks like it was installed to hide flaws.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by iamlucky13 »

PVW wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:39 pm
oldfatguy wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:49 am
PS - Also, I am surprised to see so many with an aversion to shoe molding ... it is pretty ubiquitous with nearly any hard floor surface.
Agreed. I have a 90 year old house with hardwood flooring. The entire house has a simple oak baseboard with a shoe molding. Looks nice in it's simplicity.

Probably people dislike shoe or quarter round that looks like it was installed to hide flaws.
I'm used to seeing it in homes old enough to have been through a remodel, but not in new homes.

In most cases, it is an add-on used to hide flaws. Then again, one could argue that is the main purpose of baseboard in general...to hide flaws of the junction between the floor and wall.

Sometimes it is well done, however, like in kenkat's example where it visually pairs with the cap molding. I'd still prefer no shoe molding, but that example at least looks balanced top and bottom. More often, the baseboard is small and simple and the shoe molding seems disproportionate - at least to me.

Aside from aesthetic concerns, I'm also not a fan of my furniture having to be further from the wall, which seems trivial enough, but it does have some affect on the sense of space in small rooms, makes it easier to loose items behind furniture, and makes it harder to secure tall furniture to the wall for security against earthquakes or climbing kids.

To be sure, shoe-molding aesthetics is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things. It has a prominent place in my mind because I committed a while ago to remodeling my house without it - the old baseboard was not remotely worth salvaging, so I was already installing new. Since that project is taking more time, and I have less time available than planned, I'm instinctively biased against shoe molding as a way of rationalizing the situation I created for myself. :-?
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by 6miths »

Sandtrap wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:42 am
TravelforFun wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 10:53 pm
6miths wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:46 pm To me nothing looks worse than this combination. In a basement I recently did PVC moulding. Easy to install and forgiving of less than level and square surfaces.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Made-Rite-9 ... /310226747
The PVC molding looks interesting. I guess hook installation can be tricky if the floor is not perfectly level or the wall not perfectly straight.

TravelforFun
+1
I looked at the link and thought the same thing. Most drywall work has a gentle rise over the joints and so forth. Nailing base molding in with a finish air nailer helps it conform to the wall and reduce gaps that have to be caulked up more than usual.

The product is interesting, though. Never saw that before.
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It actually does pretty well over rises and dips as it has some flexibility (very much for uneven walls, less for uneven floors - as with wood) and there is a guide for mounting the brackets that helps keep things tight. We were happy with it and nice thing is that is maintenance free and waterproof. Nice thing about Home Depot having it is you can buy a piece of it with some mounting brackets and give it a try. I'm still a no go for shoe moulding.
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Reamus294
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Reamus294 »

I used shoe molding to make it easier on myself when we redid our floors recently. It probably took more time and effort because after caulking and filling nail holes i had to repaint the baseboard and shoe molding. It would have been easier just to uninstall and reinstall the baseboard but there would have been gaps without the shoe molding because my floor wasn’t level. There is a give and take with it all. I prefer the no shoe molding look, but it isn’t bad if it is painted white to match the baseboard and caulked neatly.
Your contractor probably likes his carpenter and painter better than his floor guy. If I had a level floor I would pay extra to have no shoe molding.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by michaelingp »

newbie003 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:04 am I feel that 8mm vinyl planks are thick enough that they should kind of just go over any unevenness and create a pretty level surface for the molding to go on later (and I'd at least rather take the chance and try it, even if it does create gaps and we end up with shoe molding anyway). We are not going to try and level the entire floor due to cost.
I did a lot of research before buying our LVP flooring, and I doubt there's a single manufacturer out there who would agree with you that the planks can go over unevenness. They don't really care if the floor is level, just that it's flat. In the case of the tile we used (ADURA Max), the spec was that the floor had to be no more than 3/16" out of flat over 10' and no more than 1/32 in 12". All the other tiles I looked at had similar requirements. I don't think the issue is the tile spanning the gap, but rather the click-together system. The tongue and grooves are precision manufactured and the tiles won't lay flat if they are not precisely joined. In other words, if the unevenness happens to fall near a joint, it may be difficult to impossible to get the tiles to click together perfectly. I would recommend re-thinking your decision not to level the floor. I used a cement based floor leveler/patch and it didn't take that long with no skill. I think a skilled craftsman would make short work of leveling the floor to spec. I seem to recall another thread on this forum where someone was unhappy with their LVT installation and the manufacture was not helpful because the subfloor was out of spec.
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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by Sandtrap »

michaelingp wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:01 pm
newbie003 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:04 am I feel that 8mm vinyl planks are thick enough that they should kind of just go over any unevenness and create a pretty level surface for the molding to go on later (and I'd at least rather take the chance and try it, even if it does create gaps and we end up with shoe molding anyway). We are not going to try and level the entire floor due to cost.
I did a lot of research before buying our LVP flooring, and I doubt there's a single manufacturer out there who would agree with you that the planks can go over unevenness. They don't really care if the floor is level, just that it's flat. In the case of the tile we used (ADURA Max), the spec was that the floor had to be no more than 3/16" out of flat over 10' and no more than 1/32 in 12". All the other tiles I looked at had similar requirements. I don't think the issue is the tile spanning the gap, but rather the click-together system. The tongue and grooves are precision manufactured and the tiles won't lay flat if they are not precisely joined. In other words, if the unevenness happens to fall near a joint, it may be difficult to impossible to get the tiles to click together perfectly. I would recommend re-thinking your decision not to level the floor. I used a cement based floor leveler/patch and it didn't take that long with no skill. I think a skilled craftsman would make short work of leveling the floor to spec. I seem to recall another thread on this forum where someone was unhappy with their LVT installation and the manufacture was not helpful because the subfloor was out of spec.
+1
Excellent professional flooring contractors will make a good effort to level a floor before installing any solid flooring except for carpeting and padding.
Plank and/or laminate flooring might tolerate unevenness to a certain degree but develop squeaks, gaps, etc, over time as they flex.
Some types of plank, solid oak, laminate, etc, flooring don't do well at all unless the floor is very even and levelled out.

Be sure to check the entire subfloor, joints, and nailing patterns to check for flexing, nail pop, etc. Screw it down well.
Flooring contractor saying: "no squeak, no squawk" (customer complaints).

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Re: Quarter round molding

Post by iamlucky13 »

michaelingp wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:01 pm
newbie003 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:04 am I feel that 8mm vinyl planks are thick enough that they should kind of just go over any unevenness and create a pretty level surface for the molding to go on later (and I'd at least rather take the chance and try it, even if it does create gaps and we end up with shoe molding anyway). We are not going to try and level the entire floor due to cost.
I did a lot of research before buying our LVP flooring, and I doubt there's a single manufacturer out there who would agree with you that the planks can go over unevenness. They don't really care if the floor is level, just that it's flat. In the case of the tile we used (ADURA Max), the spec was that the floor had to be no more than 3/16" out of flat over 10' and no more than 1/32 in 12". All the other tiles I looked at had similar requirements. I don't think the issue is the tile spanning the gap, but rather the click-together system. The tongue and grooves are precision manufactured and the tiles won't lay flat if they are not precisely joined. In other words, if the unevenness happens to fall near a joint, it may be difficult to impossible to get the tiles to click together perfectly. I would recommend re-thinking your decision not to level the floor. I used a cement based floor leveler/patch and it didn't take that long with no skill. I think a skilled craftsman would make short work of leveling the floor to spec. I seem to recall another thread on this forum where someone was unhappy with their LVT installation and the manufacture was not helpful because the subfloor was out of spec.
All of what you say is correct. I'll add that another risk of an non-flat floor is the click-lock joint may fail over time from repeated flexing as it is walked across.

However, from the perspective of aesthetics, even 3/16" is a fairly large gap between trim and floor. An installer can have the sub-floor in spec for the flooring material, but still be left with a choice between unsightly gaps, shoe molding, or scribing and cutting the trim (in ascending order of cost).
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