About Trims and Transitions

There is a variety of trims and transitions to accent a floor by covering expansion gaps or transitioning from one flooring surface to another. Before completing your floor it is important to know what trim pieces you will need for your floor.

Reducer

A reducer is a teardrop-shaped molding accessory that is grooved on one edge and tapered, or feathered, on the other. It is often used when transitioning from a wood or laminate floor, or to a lower flooring surface such as vinyl or painted concrete.

Reducers are used for hardwood flooring and traditionally installed at doorways. At times, these are also used at fireplaces and serve as room dividers. Others use a reducer strip with a sliding glass door, but only if there is no lip or track protruding above the floor.

Threshold

Traditionally, thresholds are known as the raised board beneath a door. It is also known as a sill or saddle. Thresholds minimize the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor level.

A threshold is also a finishing piece used where wood transitions to another flooring level or another flooring type. Thresholds are made from wood, but can also be available in metal or stone.

Quarter Round

A quarter round is a thin, rounded strip of wood that runs the length of the baseboard and which can be found at its very bottom. Quarter rounds are used to cover small gaps between the baseboard and the floor. If the original flooring does not have a wall base installed, quarter round can be used to cover the expansion gap around your floor.

Quarter round can be purchased unfinished and painted or stained as desired.

Stair Nosing

Stair nosing, sometimes referred to as "bull nosing," is a finishing piece applied to the forward edges of stairs, step-downs and landings, creating a rounded quality finish. Nosings can be easily attached to problem areas to create a non-slip edge or provide added definition in low light so it can be seen more easily.

When stair treads and risers are not available, stair nosing is used with additional flooring to finish stairs that match to a new floor. Stair nosing can be installed on open grating, checker plates, wooden steps and concrete.

Stair Tread and Riser

Stair treads and risers are constructed of a single solid piece of wood to complete stairs. The riser is glued to the vertical face of the stair and then the tread is glued to the top of the stair. This creates a more professional look as each stair will be a singular solid piece of wood.

When available, it is suggested to use treads and risers for stairs instead of using additional flooring and stair nosings.

End Molding

Otherwise known as an end cap, end moldings are placed wherever the floor meets up with a vertical surface. This is probably the most commonly used transition molding, although traditionally, end moldings were used with floors that meet up with a sliding glass door.

Baseboard

A baseboard (also a skirting board or skirting) is a wooden board, normally three to eleven inches (75–300mm) in height, covering the lowest part of an interior wall. It is used to cover the joint between the wall surface (usually plaster or drywall) and the floor.

The baseboard covers the uneven edges of the flooring as it meets the wall. As a secondary function, it protects the wall from kicks and abrasion and sometimes prevents furniture from being pushed right up against the wall.

T-Molding

A molding piece shaped like a capital letter T, it bridges the gap between two areas of wood or laminate flooring. T-molding is also another common transition molding used when floors are of the same height.