Not liking the gaps between your floors and walls and wanting to get rid of them? Then, you came to the right place to learn about the solution. In these situations of getting rid of gaps in your house, shoe molding has your back. It not only covers those non-pleasant gaps but also enhances the overall look of your room. One thing about shoe molding is it teams up with baseboards in a lot of houses to get a finished look at the end. Shoe molding will be found in the rooms having hard flooring surfaces, i.e., tiles, stones, hardwood, and laminate. During the procedure, the most important thing to remember is that you always have to nail into the walls and never on the floor. Let's now discuss the steps needed for installation in detail.
What is Shoe Molding?
Shoe base or base shoe are the other terms for which shoe molding is known. This is like a thin strip of molding that goes along the bottom of baseboards on the floors. Apart from the finished look in the room, shoe molding does have some more important purposes than this.
Covering Gaps And Protection comes first when we talk about the purpose of shoe molding. Due to non-uniform levels in the floor certain small gaps are left in the baseboards as well in the walls. So, these gaps ended up being filled by the process of shoe molding. Now, coming back to the second important purpose of this, which is protecting the baseboard's foot from damage, especially in the high traffic areas. Shoe molding is not something in which you can do all the things manually. There are some tools and various materials you will need. So, let's discuss the requirements for equipment and materials.
Things You Will Need
Equipment
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Tack Cloth
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Tape Measure
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Pencil
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Power Miter Saw
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Brad Nailer
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Hammer
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Nail Set
Materials
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Quarter-Round or Shoe Molding
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Finish Nails or Brads
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Paint and Stain Remover
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Sandpaper
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Wood Glue
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Painter's Tape
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Wood Putty (if needed)
Types of Shoe Molding
Shoe molding has various types which differ in characteristics and aesthetics from each other. People can choose the particular type that will fulfill their needs and match their aesthetic. Let's discuss some of the main ones and know a few things about them.

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Quarterly Round: This has its basic characteristics in its name only. It has a round profile and looks like a quarter circle. This one is opted for by people as it ends up providing a neat and elegant finish.
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Square Shoe Molding: This one is known for its modern approach as well as for its clean-lined appeal.
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Half Round: If you are looking for something that will look minimal yet add detailing to your baseboards. Then surely go for half-round shoe molding.
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Bullnose: Want to experiment and go out of the box? Then you can surely try bullnose shoe molding. In this, you will get a round shape on one side and a square on the other side.
Steps to Install Shoe Molding
For starting your home improvement project, let's gather the information from scratch. Following are the steps from which you can learn how to install shoe molding perfectly.
Mark the Piece of Trim and Measure It
While starting the molding process, decide the corner you are initiating with. Suppose you are starting the process from the outside corner piece, then place the molding across that, and with the help of a pencil, mark the wall intersection where the molding will end. By marking the points, you will be clear of the measurements, and it will remind you of the later steps, too. If you are choosing the inside corner then measure the wall length and mark that measurement on a piece of molding. Like this, measuring and marking become an important part of shoe molding.
Cut the Shoe Molding's First Piece
For cutting you will need a miter saw. So, grab it and set the blade to a 45-degree angle. To avoid the interruption of the blade and pencil touching each other, put the molding box on the miter box. If you want to cut the outer edge then don't forget to mark that area to avoid cutting that short.
Fit Test
Before operating that permanently, you must check it and see whether it will be of perfect fit or not. So, for that position the piece on the wall to make sure of its fit. So, if there is any issue in the fit, then you will correct that only without any problem.
Cutting the Second Piece
For cutting the other piece, you can follow the steps discussed in step 2 above.
Fit Test
Now, you again have to test the fit of the second piece of molding. If it doesn't fit perfectly, then use the miter saw to make corrections until you receive the perfect fit. To make your home improvement project look nice, you must work patiently and accurately.
First Two Piece's installation
Now, it's time to install the two pieces you have been checking for accuracy. Place the molding at the place you want them and use a brad nailer to install them. Brad nailer is a nail gun, this is used because it automatically sets nails to the correct depth.
Finish the Process With a Return Piece
This is the step that adds more finishing to the molding. The main purpose of the return piece is to hide the grain that will show if you don't attach the return piece. For installing this, take a piece of shoe molding you want to install and make a 45-degree cut on the ending side. Take another part and so the same with it also. At the end, get the wood glue and apply it to both the edges.
Giving It a Final Touch

At the end make sure that all the molding is even in your house. So, that the final touch can be completed and the outlook will come as the finished look. Use a nail and a hammer to lightly tap any into placement. Take off the painter's tape from the return pieces. Touch up the installation and have a beautiful home improvement procedure completed.
Conclusion
For making your house project better and to receive pleasant results at the end go for shoe molding. Apart from its fine results, it does have some more logical benefits to our house, and deep down, our house also needs them. But before implementing the shoe molding know the steps keenly and take professional help if needed.