Choosing the Right Hardwood Floor

Believe it or not, there actually is no difference between Trim and Molding. In the flooring industry, installers, distributors and sales reps often refer to these items interchangeably. It would be far less confusing for consumers if there was a universal term, unfortunately, there is not. For the purpose of this article, we will refer to them as Trim/Molding.

First of all, Trim/Molding is either made from

1. Wood - Wood Molding is usually used when the desire is to create consistency between the wood and the Molding. Wood Trim/Molding is best used for stainable hardwood and laminate floors. Like Pine which has the widest variety of stainable Trim/Molding. Most types of hardwood floor trim/moldings can be purchased locally, while there are some that may need to be specially ordered. For example, Oak is more commonly stocked by most home hardware stores whereas teak maybe a custom order.

Or

2. MDF - (Medium Density Fiberboard.) Made from wood scraps and plant fibers compressed together with a binding material, such as glue and pressed out to form a sheet material which is used in construction as floor underlayment to be covered with a veneer or finish surface.

Some of the advantages of mdf cut to order are that it is dense, flat, and stiff, has no knots, is easily machined, and cheaper. Because it is made up of particles, it does not have an easily recognizable surface grain and can be painted to produce a smooth quality surface. Because MDF has no grain it can be cut, drilled, machined and filed without damaging the surface.

Trim /Moldings comes in many different products and styles. Here is a quick breakdown of some of the more popular types and their exact function

Baseboards- The most crucial function of baseboards is that it is used to hold down floating floors like laminate.

Tread - Functions as the actual step surface used on Stairs and Steps

Riser - Available in various widths, and are used to create the vertical "rise" in a step.

Nose (Nosing) -- also commonly referred to as stair nose, bullnose, stairwell trim, landing tread. Their thickness is the same as flooring (3/4" or floor material may be used as well.) They are used to create finished edges on a top step, around a stairwell, or a sunken living room.

Shoe (Base Shoe) -- Used on vertical face bases to complete an expansion cover and are also flexible enough to conform to irregular surfaces.

Reducer - (Transitions) - Used to make a smooth transition in thickness from a wood floor down to a thinner or thicker surface (hard tile or carpet), generally used at door openings.

Quarter Round -- one-quarter of a full round; from 1/2" to 1"; used as a shoo-in some areas.

Trim/Moldings come in the exact same shapes and sizes across the nation. This means if you see a particular type in one place, it will beneficial to all the others as well. This is great for you because it makes price comparison a snap.

In conclusion understanding, Trim/Moldings and using the correct type and style will enhance your wood floor decor, make for a good installation, and speak well of the installer and you. The key is to make sure these details are addressed before or during the installation. Good luck!