Shoe Molding At Bottom Of Tile Wall

You should fasten shoe molding using an 18 gauge finish nailer with 1 inch nails.

Shoe molding at bottom of tile wall.

Shoe molding should be tacked to the baseboard not the floor which inhibits floor expansion beneath the shoe molding. This molding often gives the appearance of a small protruding shoe at the bottom of the much taller baseboard. Although this molding serves no structural purpose it does provide a more uniform transition between the floor and wall. Wall molding is used along the top and bottoms of walls to improve appearance along the floor and ceiling by adding a subtle attractiveness to the transition area between the wall and where it meets the floor or ceiling.

Instead of quarter round use something with a more interesting shape like shoe molding. Shoe molding is often attached to the bottom of the baseboard to conceal these small gaps. Molding can be bought in long pieces with any number of designs cut into it and is relatively easy to install. Baseboard molding installations are very often finished off with an additional thin piece of molding called quarter round or shoe molding that covers the gap between the bottom of the baseboards and the floor.

Using shoe mold allows you to caulk between the tile and the baseboard without the caulking showing and covers up any slight imperfections and unevenness between the flooring and the boaseboards. Shoe molding at first glance appears to be the same as quarter round. Use it in the right proportions. Tool to cut baseboard and shoe molding.

The only caveat to installing shoe molding is that the bottom of the baseboard must be flat to accept the molding. A true base shoe is taller than it is wide enabling it to conceal a large vertical gap without appearing chunky. In my house the quarter round was nearly half as tall as the base molding which looked really silly. As long as the shoe mold matches the baseboards not the flooring it looks more finished.