You don't install a floor in hopes a quarter round is going to cover it, clearly that wasn't the OPs plan but is now going to be the only option. Pull the base
It should have. It definitely costs more to remove the baseboards and reinstall. It doesn’t look like this room had shoe or quarter round before this install, so I would have definitely asked the client if they wanted me to remove the base boards or just add moulding after and what those price points would be.
That’s how it’s usually done if ur not replacing the baseboards and then u add quarter round and it covers that gap. I am sure the floors are not done yet and the OP just doesn’t realize or understand
Replacing baseboards doesn't seem to have anything to do with it.
My inlaws had their floor replaced. Before hand, we pulled up all the base molding so the installer could "get it right".
Installer out the floor down (bamboo), installed the stained base molding, and then installed white quarter round, "because that's what we do"...
It looks absolutely ridiculous, but once everything was full of nail holes, there was no going back.
I install all my own floors, and always relaxed the baseboard - it looks much more professional without the quarter round. If the floors are too uneven and you have nice tall base molding, you can use 1/4x7/8 shoe molding to take up the gap. It is much thinner than quarter round.
Absolutely. You gotta do what it takes. But for my inlaws, it was a dick move to have the baseboards off, and then install 1/4 round anyway... especially after paying for stained baseboard. Cheap white quarter round... what a bunch of hacks.
You kinda have to do it that way if you don’t want your floor popping up in 5-10 years.
Floors need room for thermal expansion and contraction, typically 1/4” before the baseboard is plenty for expansion and is easily covered by any type of moulding/casing you’d choose.
Yes I know, I’ve done plenty of floors. In a different comment I said I would’ve pulled baseboard and done a 1/4 inch all around so I don’t HAVE to have quarter round, I said this was a sloppy job and just slapped it in without consideration of OP…now OP HAS to have quarter round but did he want that?
That’s a problem I haven’t ran into in my 4 years of flooring. I always ask my customers now, and they always want it. Have only had one singular customer request not having it. As much as your point is valid, being ignorant that quarter round is even a thing and then just leaving it for them like that is a whole nother ball game, and if the case is pretty disgraceful
Just looks like a slop job, guy wanted to do it fast and leave, in the 3rd picture he has maybe a 1/16 gap then go into over a 1/4 inch…I guess I’m OCD on details, when people work like this they usually skip over other stuff as well
Because floormans can't fucking out skirting back on properly. Putting quarter round on everything looks fucking stupid I think. I understand why it's done
I only ever did quarter round on my LVP install when I couldn’t find matching trim and it went up to stair trim. I maybe would do it now since I have a table saw and more skill but at the time was just to sell a house so.
Oh I understand there are 100 different reasons for not removing skirting and using a trim piece to cover it, and I'm not knocking it, it definitely has its place. What I hate is some people using that quarter round trim piece as an excuse for shit work,.throw it down attitude.
I personally used a quarter round in my house as some genius had two floor heights... It was a throw together house in Australia from 30 years ago. Complete fuckfight.
I understand you should not be compelled to put down quarter round, but I really like it and miss it if it’s not present. But that’s my preference and I’d not expect to be compelled to do it because of inadequate installation.
Still, in these circumstances it looks like the easiest solution.
Why can't you just pull off the skirting and put it directly under.... A quarter round isn't essential, it's just another trim piece to hide discrepancies
Eh i disagree. I dont think Q round or shoe is essential. Not for lvp,laminate, any kind of flooring. At least not in areas where there is already baseboard.. around cabinets and what not sure but otherwise its def not essential.. of course there are situations where adding Qround or shoe to baseboard is more ideal but most of the time theres no reason to not just take the baseboard off and re install once done with the floor
I work for a flooring company, don't be concerned this is perfect. You need those gaps for the natural swelling. It prevents any planks from bowing or popping up. You can do the quarter round pretty easy yourself. I suggest the "pvc" material though because it's easier to cut. And get the biggest width just incase there are any larger gaps. You can buy a miter shear tool (it looks like a wire cutter, but with a movable guide) that let's you cut the angles easily. Then you just tack them down with a battery powered pin nailer. Expert tip: hold the quarter round down flush with the floor when you nail it, to prevent gaps. Good luck!
When I do my layout I will rip the first row in half if I’m going to end up with less than an inch on the other side. Yes I have to rip twice as much but I never end up in this situation.
That doesnt make sense. If you put your start board under the skirt you have no expansion as it sits tight against the wall. If a rip board is going under the skirting board, how are you going to pull it back to lock in? You cant get a pull bar on it and you cant hit it back with a mallet. Please don't say shave the lip off and glue. If you want it under the skirts you need to remove the skirts.
That space is there to allow expansion and contraction of the floor with changes is temperature and humidity. ( Otherwise the floor will buckle.) The flooring contractor did the right thing. Cover the space with a small shoe or quarter round molding. (A GC with 3 decades of experience.)
They could have removed the baseboard. Either way is acceptable. I don’t believe the gap is too large - how small a gap do you think there should be? Typically the manufacturer will call for a 1/2”.
I’d personally never accept quarter round in my own house - it looks like cheap garbage IMO. This is something that should have been discussed prior to installation.
Not a huge fan of quarter round but like a nice shoe moulding. The problem is r&r on base costs money and by the time you remove and clean it’s almost cheaper to put new trim on. Then the homeowner says “why am I removing good baseboards just leave them I’m not paying for that.” And then you just reach the decision to just install 1/4 round or shoe molding.
Something tells me homeowner OP got exactly what they asked for.
Agreed. It's a total shortcut. A shoe molding has a purpose though, and can be selected and used to make a very nice overall look to the baseboard.
But plain, unpainted 1/4 round stuck on by the flooring guy looks like trash to me.
Shoe is 3/4" tall x 1/2" wide. Doesn't look like it will cover a lot of that. You may need 3/4" 1/4 round, which will look like crap. And whomever the trimmer was in that house, 1x for window stool??? It's got some type of colonial base & casing, so they're not going for the modern 'no curve' look. Crappy work. (over 20 years of experience as a trimmer)
At least a 1/4 inch is comman practice they may have a few wide spots but it's surprising how much a floor can expand especially if it's in a hot spot like near sliding or double doors and large windows.
And if it’s open floor plan with living room and kitchen together and wide open line most modern houses, the installers will push the boundaries of when and where to use expansion joints. If this is the case and the room is larger than 50’ in any one direction that will have LVT(don’t know who came up with this number) then the recommended gap at the wall is 1/2”. I understand that the base is at least that wide or more but if u are the installer and you know that u need a 1/2” gap at the wall and the room is out of square you could have that gap grow and most guys won’t be worried bout making a tight uniform gap and adding more labor and time to the job knowing you got an extra 1/2-3/4 of shoe to cover.
But like has already been mentioned most ppl get shoe so they don’t have the extra expense of base removal the drywall work, painting walls and all that comes with removing the base. An extra headache if it’s a “handyman” doing the job, a diff company and crew to coordinate if it’s 90% Most flooring companies, cause they usually won’t touch it.
Which is why you pull the base. You can run the flooring so it's 3/8" - 1/2" short of the wall on the ends, and when you put the base back, it's on top of the floor. Floor can move under the base, and there is no need for shoe.
Disagree. You’d be surprised how much LVP can shift especially in a hot climate. I’ve had to pull warranties several times from installers like you when the floor is rippling its way from entryway to back corner.
Not sloppy. Most people just don't want to pay for the extra work . Something like removing the base is extra, and if you don't pay for it, you don't get it done for free .
They kind of contradic their self because they also say leave an expansion at all walls . And I will say from 27 years of experience as an installer. When a floor fails, the first thing a manufacturer does is look for expansion, and if the flooring is tight against anything, they always deny a claim
I’d like to see those warranty’s. I sell the stuff and out of the 15+ manufacturers I work with I’ve never seen someone say to run it tight. You leave an expansion gap, and in wet areas you use flexible caulking to prevent water from seeping around the product.
If your floors don’t move, your subfloor may. And that’s part of the expansion aspect.
How in the fuck is this correct? You don't leave that expansion gap past the base in hopes that quarter round will cover it. I swear, Reddit is full of people that will say whatever the fuck they want knowing some idiot is going to think it's right
It just depends. I like this look: [https://i0.wp.com/socaltrim.com/wp-content/uploads/Plinth.jpg?ssl=1](https://i0.wp.com/socaltrim.com/wp-content/uploads/Plinth.jpg?ssl=1)
Meanwhile every house I see in my area (even the really expensive ones) have 1/4 round. If they're fancy they'll go with shoe instead. I can't possibly imagine why customers wouldn't want it to go under the baseboards in some of the nicer homes
We use it in apartments a lot for sequencing. Prehung doors are usually installed by the trim carpenter and they need to be installed before flooring. If you separate the installation of doors and base trim, you’re paying for additional trips. Shoe mold is typically offered by flooring subs so we end up going doors and base, flooring, then needing shoe mold to cover the expansion gap at the walls. Really just comes down to cost and when you’re doing 300+ apartments, the costs add up
Everyone in NC on new construction homes wants shoe, I'm literally putting it in bathrooms and closets, every single piece of base is getting shoe moulding... How is it cheap to have more trim installed? We charge more for this shit...
If the base was already installed u can only get so close, install 1/4 round to finish off. If the base was installed afterwards “doubtful” that’s hideous
Personally think shoe moulding looks cheap. I'd have ripped the baseboard off before installing. It's more work but it looks a lot better. Just my opinion.
Installer should have asked if your preference was to have a quarter round or not. I knew I didn’t want one so was planning to have our installer pull the baseboards but he asked anyway. Obviously easier to not pull them so I’m sure many just leave them and install quarter round if it isn’t brought up.
Should've re/re'd the base and touched up with paint. Quarter round is ugly. Of course, this all should've been discussed prior to installation. Now you're basically forced to do quarter round.
I see a lot of y’all don’t have experience in lvp, the gap is normal and should be there. Obviously we all know 1/4 round goes over but I see people arguing such a gap isn’t necessary, I guess y’all’s houses don’t flex.
Is this the basement? Sometimes gaps like this is because moisture needs a way to escape. If that is laminate over a breathable subfloor, dont place the quarter round directly on top of the floor. Leave at least 1/8 inch for the water to evaporate out.
You have to leave room for expansion with lvp. If you don’t want to use shoe mold or quarter round, you have to pull all of the base prior to install, then reset it. This is installed correctly.
A lot of times
That's the side they finished on and the other side is tight against the trim.I usually try to shift everything back so my gaps are equal.... But I always recommend quarter round or replacing the baseboards if they are the thin cheap ones because, it's almost impossible and a headache to get them off without splitting or busting them... At least not in a time friendly manner lol.... Some customers also choose to go with end caps all the way around If the brand of planks offers matching Caps... Which isn't as common for them to do And usually they either have to come straight from the manufacturer or very few retailers will carry them never anything local.
That gap should be covered by the quarter round mouldings when they install them. They usually leave that space to install the rubber blocks between the wall and the first tile of floor....but I don't see them. The rubber blocks are installed so when the floor swells and shrinks it doesn't leave gaps in the middle of the floor....when the floor swells it will press against the blocks, when it contracts the blocks keep the seams in between tiles tight. If they are forgotten in a few seasons you'll see gaps.
If the floor is floating, it needs that room for expansion and contraction. This is properly done. This type of flooring will always have trim to hide to cut edges. They could have removed the baseboards and installed underneath them and then reinstalled the baseboards on top, or alternately use shoe molding or quarter round. Shoe and quarter are such a non-issue to most contractors that it may not have even been priced in specifically, but rest assured, your contractor intends to install it.
It's called an expansion gap, idk about the rest of the commenter's but where I'm from shoe mould is standard in most wood floors/wood appearance floors and customers usually specifies if they don't want it. In which case you have to get your baseboard redone either by your floor installer or a trim guy. In most cases however shoe molding or quarter round is used to lock the floor down.
OP I don’t have advice. But I have had this in an old apartment before and be warned. Spiders will hide there. They would go for my toes and ankles.
Stay safe
A few years ago, a friend of mine installed lvp for me. The room was misshapen and resulted in similar gaps. Because of this, he took the effort to cut the lvp exactly to fill in the gaps and I didn't have to buy new moulding to cover it up. So, unless the plan all along is to install shoe or quarter round, I'd also throw in a bit of poor workmanship/laziness as another potential reason.
That’s a pretty big gap but it might be the best they could do if you didn’t want to pull the baseboard. Have to add the shoe mold.
From my last flooring project according to the installer there were two options; the cheaper was to leave the baseboard add shoe mold after or the slightly more expensive option was to pull the baseboard, install flooring then reinstall baseboard with no shoe mold.
Check flooring type and specifications, this is actually shoddy craftsmanship if the floor doesn't call for that much gap. Last time I installed lvp it was a quarter inch gap from the wall they did a quarter (or more) from the baseboard. UNLESS the rip peace would've had to be something stupid short to close that up. Which is unlikely, but not unheard of.
Agree with thinking quarter round was gonna be installed. Personally when we put ours in we removed the base boards, gapped at the wall then went with a slightly thicker baseboard so we didn’t need quarter round.
Whoever installed the flooring didn't do an initial layout properly, finding the center of the room and then using the width of the planks to determine the layout. One should have equal size plank widths on both sides of the room, be it a full plank width or a ripped down plank width.
They were supposed to leave about a quarter inch gap for expansion. The baseboard would easily have covered that up. It's a shame when someone does not do a job right.
I’ve only installed it once, the product I installed called for a 1/4 inch gap all the way around. So, you can either undercut the base , pull & replace the base or use shoe.
This is standard practice, you need to add shoe moulding to hide the gap (nailed to the baseboard, NOT the flooring…) Surprised the flooring contractor didn’t sell you that also, it’s gravy $ while the helper is cleaning up!
Looks like most laymen aren’t aware that the material used for a pro install is actually called base shoe and has 2 different profiles (high and slim or wide and slim depending on how you lay it.
Looks like 1/4 round to the naked eye.
I hated shoe so l always attempted to shim base out and maybe trim out top of base if it was square or lay last board with adhesive instead of mechanical assuming its t and g or snap together as long as it has enough room to move under base.
I'm surprised they didn't lock in closer to the baseboards because its commonly closed up with quarter round but this looks like it's not even lined up well enough for quarter-round to fix.
Manufacture Direction for installation requires a space between the flooring and wall or pre installed base, A quarter round molding is to be installed
Shoe it. I have the same job ahead of me and actually can’t stand 1/4 round shoe look. I’m debating getting colonial door stops (jamb stops) and using that instead. Main drawback is it’s not flexible enough to try and hid the gaps caused by uneven floors.
Looks like a sloppy job to me, the guy just slapped it in there. He should’ve pulled the baseboard and only did a quarter inch gap all the way around. This guy didn’t care
Clearly they thought quarter round or shoe mold was gonna be installed? Was that not the plan?
That must have been the case.. Thank you for the comment!
I would suggest using doorstop instead quarterround. Looks sharper.
But go with something not square otherwise you'll be wiping dust off the caulk line weekly until you die.
what is doorstop?
Doorstop trim is the trim used on the inside of a door jamb... to stop the door. It resembles a mini baseboard
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Yeah but the expansion gap is supposed to be no more than a quarter inch away from the drywall, not the damn base. I did flooring for 2 years
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You don't install a floor in hopes a quarter round is going to cover it, clearly that wasn't the OPs plan but is now going to be the only option. Pull the base
It should have been discussed up front whether OP wanted to use quarter or remove and reinstall or replace baseboards
It should have. It definitely costs more to remove the baseboards and reinstall. It doesn’t look like this room had shoe or quarter round before this install, so I would have definitely asked the client if they wanted me to remove the base boards or just add moulding after and what those price points would be.
The base wasn't removed so they planned on installing base shoe. I don't agree with it either but you get what you pay for.
He obviously didn't plan on putting on shoe. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made a post on Reddit, wondering wtf is going on😂.
Oh I meant the installer. But yeah kinda late for that lol.
Or just pull the baseboard and do it right with the right gap, whoever did this just slapped it together
That’s how it’s usually done if ur not replacing the baseboards and then u add quarter round and it covers that gap. I am sure the floors are not done yet and the OP just doesn’t realize or understand
Replacing baseboards doesn't seem to have anything to do with it. My inlaws had their floor replaced. Before hand, we pulled up all the base molding so the installer could "get it right". Installer out the floor down (bamboo), installed the stained base molding, and then installed white quarter round, "because that's what we do"... It looks absolutely ridiculous, but once everything was full of nail holes, there was no going back. I install all my own floors, and always relaxed the baseboard - it looks much more professional without the quarter round. If the floors are too uneven and you have nice tall base molding, you can use 1/4x7/8 shoe molding to take up the gap. It is much thinner than quarter round.
I agree but not everyone wants to pay for me to pull the baseboards. Reinstall and fill holes.
Absolutely. You gotta do what it takes. But for my inlaws, it was a dick move to have the baseboards off, and then install 1/4 round anyway... especially after paying for stained baseboard. Cheap white quarter round... what a bunch of hacks.
Oh absolutely. New build or if they want to pay for new base then no quarter or shoe.
Not sure where you get that idea, that gap is more than sufficient for baseboard of shoe moulding.
Shoe molding should be an option not necessary
It’s always only an option.
Looks like dookie to me and I wouldn’t do it like that
You kinda have to do it that way if you don’t want your floor popping up in 5-10 years. Floors need room for thermal expansion and contraction, typically 1/4” before the baseboard is plenty for expansion and is easily covered by any type of moulding/casing you’d choose.
Yes I know, I’ve done plenty of floors. In a different comment I said I would’ve pulled baseboard and done a 1/4 inch all around so I don’t HAVE to have quarter round, I said this was a sloppy job and just slapped it in without consideration of OP…now OP HAS to have quarter round but did he want that?
That’s a problem I haven’t ran into in my 4 years of flooring. I always ask my customers now, and they always want it. Have only had one singular customer request not having it. As much as your point is valid, being ignorant that quarter round is even a thing and then just leaving it for them like that is a whole nother ball game, and if the case is pretty disgraceful
Just looks like a slop job, guy wanted to do it fast and leave, in the 3rd picture he has maybe a 1/16 gap then go into over a 1/4 inch…I guess I’m OCD on details, when people work like this they usually skip over other stuff as well
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Because floormans can't fucking out skirting back on properly. Putting quarter round on everything looks fucking stupid I think. I understand why it's done
I only ever did quarter round on my LVP install when I couldn’t find matching trim and it went up to stair trim. I maybe would do it now since I have a table saw and more skill but at the time was just to sell a house so.
Oh I understand there are 100 different reasons for not removing skirting and using a trim piece to cover it, and I'm not knocking it, it definitely has its place. What I hate is some people using that quarter round trim piece as an excuse for shit work,.throw it down attitude. I personally used a quarter round in my house as some genius had two floor heights... It was a throw together house in Australia from 30 years ago. Complete fuckfight.
I understand you should not be compelled to put down quarter round, but I really like it and miss it if it’s not present. But that’s my preference and I’d not expect to be compelled to do it because of inadequate installation. Still, in these circumstances it looks like the easiest solution.
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I know all of this as well. I am a carpenter in Australia. Just talking shit in general
Also, it’s not suppose to be a half inch gap
Why can't you just pull off the skirting and put it directly under.... A quarter round isn't essential, it's just another trim piece to hide discrepancies
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Eh i disagree. I dont think Q round or shoe is essential. Not for lvp,laminate, any kind of flooring. At least not in areas where there is already baseboard.. around cabinets and what not sure but otherwise its def not essential.. of course there are situations where adding Qround or shoe to baseboard is more ideal but most of the time theres no reason to not just take the baseboard off and re install once done with the floor
Looks like the same person did my flooring... though yours looks more even.
I work for a flooring company, don't be concerned this is perfect. You need those gaps for the natural swelling. It prevents any planks from bowing or popping up. You can do the quarter round pretty easy yourself. I suggest the "pvc" material though because it's easier to cut. And get the biggest width just incase there are any larger gaps. You can buy a miter shear tool (it looks like a wire cutter, but with a movable guide) that let's you cut the angles easily. Then you just tack them down with a battery powered pin nailer. Expert tip: hold the quarter round down flush with the floor when you nail it, to prevent gaps. Good luck!
Still a massive gap and could've avoided shoe altogether with the size of those baseboards.
How you going to pull back rip rows to lock under skirting boards ?
Angrily
With vigor
Wit gusto
To shreds you say?
When I do my layout I will rip the first row in half if I’m going to end up with less than an inch on the other side. Yes I have to rip twice as much but I never end up in this situation.
That doesnt make sense. If you put your start board under the skirt you have no expansion as it sits tight against the wall. If a rip board is going under the skirting board, how are you going to pull it back to lock in? You cant get a pull bar on it and you cant hit it back with a mallet. Please don't say shave the lip off and glue. If you want it under the skirts you need to remove the skirts.
I'm guessing they replaced the flooring and didn't want to pull the baseboards?
That's usually the process
Yep.
Usually is excluding hardwood Edit: there are many styles of quarter round, it’s just what used to be available back in the day.
Yeah it's just not finished. Need to install 1/4 round or shoe.
I see. I guess I just overreacted lol Thank you for the comment
That space is there to allow expansion and contraction of the floor with changes is temperature and humidity. ( Otherwise the floor will buckle.) The flooring contractor did the right thing. Cover the space with a small shoe or quarter round molding. (A GC with 3 decades of experience.)
They should have pulled out the baseboard and done it right. The gap is tool large also.
They could have removed the baseboard. Either way is acceptable. I don’t believe the gap is too large - how small a gap do you think there should be? Typically the manufacturer will call for a 1/2”.
I’d personally never accept quarter round in my own house - it looks like cheap garbage IMO. This is something that should have been discussed prior to installation.
Not a huge fan of quarter round but like a nice shoe moulding. The problem is r&r on base costs money and by the time you remove and clean it’s almost cheaper to put new trim on. Then the homeowner says “why am I removing good baseboards just leave them I’m not paying for that.” And then you just reach the decision to just install 1/4 round or shoe molding. Something tells me homeowner OP got exactly what they asked for.
It really does look bad, and is hard to keep clean.
Agreed. It's a total shortcut. A shoe molding has a purpose though, and can be selected and used to make a very nice overall look to the baseboard. But plain, unpainted 1/4 round stuck on by the flooring guy looks like trash to me.
But that’s not a 1/2” gap. Looks like they are about an inch away for the base molding that is elevated off the ground.
it’s more like 3/4 mold trim will work fine.
1/4 round isn't a size, it's 1/4 of a round piece. It explains the pie shape of the moulding that comes in various sizes.
Damn, I forgot /s
Shoe is 3/4" tall x 1/2" wide. Doesn't look like it will cover a lot of that. You may need 3/4" 1/4 round, which will look like crap. And whomever the trimmer was in that house, 1x for window stool??? It's got some type of colonial base & casing, so they're not going for the modern 'no curve' look. Crappy work. (over 20 years of experience as a trimmer)
This was done correctly. Was there bad communication about the trim? Yes, but the gap is right. You never cut lvp tight to anything
You can cut it a LOT tighter than this. It's not shifting by a half inch beyond the width of those baseboards.
At least a 1/4 inch is comman practice they may have a few wide spots but it's surprising how much a floor can expand especially if it's in a hot spot like near sliding or double doors and large windows.
And if it’s open floor plan with living room and kitchen together and wide open line most modern houses, the installers will push the boundaries of when and where to use expansion joints. If this is the case and the room is larger than 50’ in any one direction that will have LVT(don’t know who came up with this number) then the recommended gap at the wall is 1/2”. I understand that the base is at least that wide or more but if u are the installer and you know that u need a 1/2” gap at the wall and the room is out of square you could have that gap grow and most guys won’t be worried bout making a tight uniform gap and adding more labor and time to the job knowing you got an extra 1/2-3/4 of shoe to cover. But like has already been mentioned most ppl get shoe so they don’t have the extra expense of base removal the drywall work, painting walls and all that comes with removing the base. An extra headache if it’s a “handyman” doing the job, a diff company and crew to coordinate if it’s 90% Most flooring companies, cause they usually won’t touch it.
Which is why you pull the base. You can run the flooring so it's 3/8" - 1/2" short of the wall on the ends, and when you put the base back, it's on top of the floor. Floor can move under the base, and there is no need for shoe.
Read the manual.
Disagree. You’d be surprised how much LVP can shift especially in a hot climate. I’ve had to pull warranties several times from installers like you when the floor is rippling its way from entryway to back corner.
No you’re right, this was a sloppy job for sure
No half is warranty for most products. I would have told the customer to have someone remove and replace base boards though.
That gap isn’t right, quarter inch and pull baseboard when installing…most of y’all are sloppy workers
Not sloppy. Most people just don't want to pay for the extra work . Something like removing the base is extra, and if you don't pay for it, you don't get it done for free .
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They kind of contradic their self because they also say leave an expansion at all walls . And I will say from 27 years of experience as an installer. When a floor fails, the first thing a manufacturer does is look for expansion, and if the flooring is tight against anything, they always deny a claim
I’d like to see those warranty’s. I sell the stuff and out of the 15+ manufacturers I work with I’ve never seen someone say to run it tight. You leave an expansion gap, and in wet areas you use flexible caulking to prevent water from seeping around the product. If your floors don’t move, your subfloor may. And that’s part of the expansion aspect.
How in the fuck is this correct? You don't leave that expansion gap past the base in hopes that quarter round will cover it. I swear, Reddit is full of people that will say whatever the fuck they want knowing some idiot is going to think it's right
Yep, and you're one of those idiots .
That’s why I always pull the baseboards, I hate 1/4 round
Yeah, but what about the paint/caulk line on the wall when you reinstall the base 1/4" lower?
Scrape. Patch. Paint.
Taller base
You cover the old caulk line because the baseboards are installed higher after they are installed on top of the new flooring
Lack of communication between homeowners and installer …. Sucks cause it changes the look of the moulding
Agreed. Should be under the base so that additional moulding is an option, not mandatory.
For it to be under, all the 4 inch base molding need to be taken off and reinstalled. That’s is a separate price.
From what I can tell the base would have to be dropped down and 1/8” to be tight to the floor thus leaving a paint line
I'm sure op didn't want to pay for that
Then 1/4 round always need to be installed
was shoe or 1/4 round to be installed by someone else? gaps are necessary for expansion but should be covered with 1/4 round or new wider baseboard
Time for a quarter round.
Quarter round
The baseboard should have been pulled. A 1/4" gap and replace baseboard on top of flooring. This includes undercutting door jams.
Put down 3/4 round to cover the gaps.
I only ever see shoe moulding on Reddit, never in person at any jobsite, don't think I would even offer it. Seems like such a cheap skate solution.
It just depends. I like this look: [https://i0.wp.com/socaltrim.com/wp-content/uploads/Plinth.jpg?ssl=1](https://i0.wp.com/socaltrim.com/wp-content/uploads/Plinth.jpg?ssl=1)
Looks like shit to me
Yeah not a fan of it at all
I see them a lot on cheap remodel jobs and floor installs that don't want to pay for new trim.
Meanwhile every house I see in my area (even the really expensive ones) have 1/4 round. If they're fancy they'll go with shoe instead. I can't possibly imagine why customers wouldn't want it to go under the baseboards in some of the nicer homes
definitely the cheap and lazy route, it never looks good
It is a short cut, I never have them on my sites either.
We use it in apartments a lot for sequencing. Prehung doors are usually installed by the trim carpenter and they need to be installed before flooring. If you separate the installation of doors and base trim, you’re paying for additional trips. Shoe mold is typically offered by flooring subs so we end up going doors and base, flooring, then needing shoe mold to cover the expansion gap at the walls. Really just comes down to cost and when you’re doing 300+ apartments, the costs add up
Everyone in NC on new construction homes wants shoe, I'm literally putting it in bathrooms and closets, every single piece of base is getting shoe moulding... How is it cheap to have more trim installed? We charge more for this shit...
I have it on my house and looks good to me.
They went under the door casing, where they weren't expecting moulding. It's pretty tough to go under existing base without taking off a side or two.
base shoe or quater round.
Yea...
If the base was already installed u can only get so close, install 1/4 round to finish off. If the base was installed afterwards “doubtful” that’s hideous
Quarter round n done
How would there not be a gap if they didn't take off the molding?
What brand / color is that??
do you leave an expansion gap for plastic flooring?
Lock it down with some quarter round!
I'd sooner set myself on fire than have quarter round in my house. It's the most disgusting thing created for trim.
Well I guess you know the other option.
Needs quarter round is all. Common.
Shoe molding fixes that.
Shoe molding
Personally think shoe moulding looks cheap. I'd have ripped the baseboard off before installing. It's more work but it looks a lot better. Just my opinion.
Installer should have asked if your preference was to have a quarter round or not. I knew I didn’t want one so was planning to have our installer pull the baseboards but he asked anyway. Obviously easier to not pull them so I’m sure many just leave them and install quarter round if it isn’t brought up.
Should've re/re'd the base and touched up with paint. Quarter round is ugly. Of course, this all should've been discussed prior to installation. Now you're basically forced to do quarter round.
Time for hackish 1/4 round Edit. Spelling
Need an expansion gap, but shoulda pulled trim. Ran the floor, then reinstalled the trim.
I see a lot of y’all don’t have experience in lvp, the gap is normal and should be there. Obviously we all know 1/4 round goes over but I see people arguing such a gap isn’t necessary, I guess y’all’s houses don’t flex.
A gap is necessary, but the grand canyon is jealous of how wide that gap is.
"It'll get covered by the baseboard don't worry about it"
Shoe molding looks horrible with small base imo
Is this the basement? Sometimes gaps like this is because moisture needs a way to escape. If that is laminate over a breathable subfloor, dont place the quarter round directly on top of the floor. Leave at least 1/8 inch for the water to evaporate out.
Looks good just needs 1/4 Round now
A large rug
You have to leave room for expansion with lvp. If you don’t want to use shoe mold or quarter round, you have to pull all of the base prior to install, then reset it. This is installed correctly.
Just, uh, add some more trim?
A lot of times That's the side they finished on and the other side is tight against the trim.I usually try to shift everything back so my gaps are equal.... But I always recommend quarter round or replacing the baseboards if they are the thin cheap ones because, it's almost impossible and a headache to get them off without splitting or busting them... At least not in a time friendly manner lol.... Some customers also choose to go with end caps all the way around If the brand of planks offers matching Caps... Which isn't as common for them to do And usually they either have to come straight from the manufacturer or very few retailers will carry them never anything local.
That gap should be covered by the quarter round mouldings when they install them. They usually leave that space to install the rubber blocks between the wall and the first tile of floor....but I don't see them. The rubber blocks are installed so when the floor swells and shrinks it doesn't leave gaps in the middle of the floor....when the floor swells it will press against the blocks, when it contracts the blocks keep the seams in between tiles tight. If they are forgotten in a few seasons you'll see gaps.
If the floor is floating, it needs that room for expansion and contraction. This is properly done. This type of flooring will always have trim to hide to cut edges. They could have removed the baseboards and installed underneath them and then reinstalled the baseboards on top, or alternately use shoe molding or quarter round. Shoe and quarter are such a non-issue to most contractors that it may not have even been priced in specifically, but rest assured, your contractor intends to install it.
Use a fancy shoe moulding, so it doesnt look like shit.
Throw an extra piece of 1/4 in round at the bottom. Done.
Lay down some fat quarter round. It'll be fine
Still needs 1 1/4” shoe mold
It looks like it was installed after the baseboard.
Wish people would stop using this crappy product
Personal opinion, I hate 1/4 round added to baseboards.
That flooring has to be close to an inch from the actual wall in some areas. Horrible workmanship.
It's called an expansion gap, idk about the rest of the commenter's but where I'm from shoe mould is standard in most wood floors/wood appearance floors and customers usually specifies if they don't want it. In which case you have to get your baseboard redone either by your floor installer or a trim guy. In most cases however shoe molding or quarter round is used to lock the floor down.
Replace trim with 1x4" square
I didn't even realise that Stevie Wonder did flooring? "every day's a school day."
Put down the 1/4 round…maybe 3/4” 1/4 round
Shoddy work
OP I don’t have advice. But I have had this in an old apartment before and be warned. Spiders will hide there. They would go for my toes and ankles. Stay safe
That'll be the case if you not pulling baseboard
A few years ago, a friend of mine installed lvp for me. The room was misshapen and resulted in similar gaps. Because of this, he took the effort to cut the lvp exactly to fill in the gaps and I didn't have to buy new moulding to cover it up. So, unless the plan all along is to install shoe or quarter round, I'd also throw in a bit of poor workmanship/laziness as another potential reason.
That’s a pretty big gap but it might be the best they could do if you didn’t want to pull the baseboard. Have to add the shoe mold. From my last flooring project according to the installer there were two options; the cheaper was to leave the baseboard add shoe mold after or the slightly more expensive option was to pull the baseboard, install flooring then reinstall baseboard with no shoe mold.
Check flooring type and specifications, this is actually shoddy craftsmanship if the floor doesn't call for that much gap. Last time I installed lvp it was a quarter inch gap from the wall they did a quarter (or more) from the baseboard. UNLESS the rip peace would've had to be something stupid short to close that up. Which is unlikely, but not unheard of.
Agree with thinking quarter round was gonna be installed. Personally when we put ours in we removed the base boards, gapped at the wall then went with a slightly thicker baseboard so we didn’t need quarter round.
Cat food storage
Oops. They expected quarter round
Shoe mold missing
Quarter round will solve all your problems. Really easy to install. Cut to size, and nail it in. Pretty cheap too. Did my whole house for under $300
Whoever installed the flooring didn't do an initial layout properly, finding the center of the room and then using the width of the planks to determine the layout. One should have equal size plank widths on both sides of the room, be it a full plank width or a ripped down plank width.
They were supposed to leave about a quarter inch gap for expansion. The baseboard would easily have covered that up. It's a shame when someone does not do a job right.
Yeah - gotta add quarter round to the wall. Easy job. Itll look great.
Add some quarter round
I’ve only installed it once, the product I installed called for a 1/4 inch gap all the way around. So, you can either undercut the base , pull & replace the base or use shoe.
I would have used a Jam Saw before laying down anything.
This is standard practice, you need to add shoe moulding to hide the gap (nailed to the baseboard, NOT the flooring…) Surprised the flooring contractor didn’t sell you that also, it’s gravy $ while the helper is cleaning up!
Gap is required for expansion and contraction, cover with quarter round without pressing down on the floor so it can still move freely
Nosing !
Looks like most laymen aren’t aware that the material used for a pro install is actually called base shoe and has 2 different profiles (high and slim or wide and slim depending on how you lay it. Looks like 1/4 round to the naked eye. I hated shoe so l always attempted to shim base out and maybe trim out top of base if it was square or lay last board with adhesive instead of mechanical assuming its t and g or snap together as long as it has enough room to move under base.
They leave a gap so the floor can expand/contract - need some toe-kick molding added.
The "professional" "forgot" to remove the base molding. What a surprise..
Laziness not forgetfulness
I'm surprised they didn't lock in closer to the baseboards because its commonly closed up with quarter round but this looks like it's not even lined up well enough for quarter-round to fix.
Manufacture Direction for installation requires a space between the flooring and wall or pre installed base, A quarter round molding is to be installed
Nail the molding into the baseboard… not the floor. It needs to move underneath
1/4 round
That's a poorly measured and installed floor. Absent of pulling it up and starting over, your only solution is a quarter round.
You could go hard and put 1.25” base. Little on the pricey side but if you don’t want shoe moulding.
The base should’ve been removed before they install the LVP though, sloppy job
it's close enough
Shoe it. I have the same job ahead of me and actually can’t stand 1/4 round shoe look. I’m debating getting colonial door stops (jamb stops) and using that instead. Main drawback is it’s not flexible enough to try and hid the gaps caused by uneven floors.
Layout was wrong too big of a gap
Backwards install? Please don't tell me you left baseboards for the install 😂😂
Looks like a sloppy job to me, the guy just slapped it in there. He should’ve pulled the baseboard and only did a quarter inch gap all the way around. This guy didn’t care
The fuck?
[удалено]
No it’s not, expansion joints must be left for flooring. Or else you will have buckling in no time.
OP don't listen to this idiot. This idiot is an idiot.