A Complete Guide to Shoe Moulding: Benefits, Types, and Easy Installation Tips
Table of Contents
What is Shoe Moulding?
Shoe moulding is a type of trim which seeks to eliminate the gap that exists between the baseboard and the floor. It attaches in such a way that the inner edges of surfaces or any gaps left are all well concealed. It’s common to hear people refer to it as quarter round or base shoe, shoe moulding is multi-purpose. It acts as an edging for walls, as well as the bottom of baseboards, to avoid damages from vacuum clean, furniture etc or foot traffic. When using hardwood, laminate or even tile flooring, the insertion of this piece makes an ideal trim as it encompasses the joint between the floor and the wall, giving the room a neater appearance.
Benefits of Installing Shoe Moulding
One of the key advantages of shoe modelling in constructing centers is the ability to cover the flaws. In most cases, once the dry floors are fitted, they may have small voids where the screen meets the baseboard. Sometimes there are small gaps that may be contributed by the wall being out of the flooring during construction so installing a shoe trim helps to close those voids, thereby making the room look neater and well-kept.
Shoes also serve to offer extra protective aid for miter joints. Rest assured, this trend of decorative baseboards is beneficial and practical, but the baseboards in your house are most likely the ones to bear the burden as they get nicked, scratched or bruised by the vacuum cleaners or mobile vessels. Consequently, shoe moulding is a protective layer, which can protect the materials from such damage within the future. Gaps between floor and baseboards take in dirt and dust, shoe moulding assists in this way too.
Different Types in Shoe Moulding
Shoe mouldings differs in materials and patterns corresponding to the floors and the style of the room. Common types include:
- Wooden Shoe Moulding: This is the most conventional one and may be painted or stained to the color of the floor, skirt or any other. Shoemoulds in this style are formed of relatively flexible and strong wood that is suitable in most uses.
- MDF Shoe Moulding: ShoeMoulding made from MDF is a cheap and economical solution and can be painted any color you want. It is not as robust as wood molding, but is good in low traffic areas.
- PVC Shoe Moulding: Best suited for those places that are water prone such as kitchens and bathrooms. PVC has the advantage of being water resistant while being used in wet areas and will last for long.
How to Install Shoe Moulding
Shoemoulding is an easy and fun DIY activity. It can change the way your house looks and feels in an instant.Here’s a quick guide:
- Measure the Size: Get a measuring tape and measure the room where you plan to use the shoemoulding, and consider the layout of the room. This is significant because the measure of the space shapes the quantity of the material that you will need.
- Cut the Moulding: Get your miter saw and trim the length of the shoemoulding to the right length. Ensure that you make angle cuts in 45 degrees on the corners to give your overlapping cuts a good mitered finish.
- Attach the Moulding: Fix the molding on the baseboard using finishing nails or a nail gun. In doing this care should be observed to leave a small space between the fitted molding and the floor.
Maintenance Of Shoe Moulding
Below explains the importance of shoe molding. Maintenance for shoe molding is not resource-consuming in the sense that minimal efforts are put in order to make it presentable. A simple shake of dust and wiping it with wet cloth would suffice to make it dirt free. However, if chips of the paint or stain fall off a bit, a brush and a little touch up paint may suffice.
Conclusion
Shoe molding is easy to apply, affordable and highly beneficial since it manages to conceal the gap that exists between the floor and the baseboard or rather the floor and the wall enabling the room to appear neat. Apart from serving as a decorative layer, it helps in preventing damages to the baseboards and walls. Regardless of the type of molding whether wood, PVC or metal, the process of putting on shoe moulding is simple and ensures that there are long term benefits to the house.
FAQs
Q1: What exactly does shoe molding seek to accomplish?
A1: Shoe molding is designed to fill the gap left between a floor and a baseboard and provide an aesthetic finishing as well as serve to prevent damage to the baseboards.
Q2: What are the most common materials used in the creation of shoe molding?
A2: The normal ones include timber, MDF, PVC and metals. Each of these materials has its benefits which are influenced by the room temperature and the preferred design.
Q3: Do I have to use shoe molding?
A3: Although not mandatory, having shoe moldings on goes a long way in complimenting the design of a room while also helping cover the flaws and protect the baseboards.
Q4: May I install shoe molding by myself?
A4: Yes, most homeowners are usually able to complete the installation of a shoe moulding project because it is fairly easy and doesn’t require great skills or Mishap.
