Shoe Molding - Oak or Pine?


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Old 03-08-08, 08:00 PM
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Shoe Molding - Oak or Pine?

Hello,

New "custom" (term used loosely) home - still under construction. We have 3/4 X 2 1/4 unfinished oak flooring to be stained and poly natural.

Today at my house I noticed the builder has bought pine shoe molding to trim out the oak floor. I assumed that oak wood be used since the floors were oak.

What is the typical shoe molding material for an oak floor?

Thanks.

FF
 
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Old 03-08-08, 08:15 PM
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Smile You want oak!

Pine is cheaper, but is a soft wood. Dents easily...you definitely want oak.
 
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Old 03-09-08, 04:30 AM
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Pine shoe mold is the norm - it will be painted to match the base board.
 
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Old 03-09-08, 05:44 AM
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Thanks for the replies.

I realize pine is softer than oak. I am trying to find out what the "norm" is for oak flooring to determine if i should be expecting an upcharge to have oak. On at least two of our previous three houses the trim was oak (both were spec house) and in all three the shoe molding was always stained in hardwood areas.

The pine shoe mold I noted yesterday was also stain grade and wonder what it will look like if the oak is finished "natural" and the (pine) trim is as well.

thanks for the replies.

FF
 

Last edited by FairwayFatty; 03-09-08 at 05:51 AM. Reason: Thanks.
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Old 03-09-08, 06:09 AM
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The pine will never look like oak, depending on the color of the oak, a light stain might be needed to match the coloring.

On about 98% of the homes I've painted the shoe mould was painted/stained to match the woodwork [base] IMO it looks best that way. Unless I'm mistaken, you can't get oak shoe mould but it does come in quarter round.
 
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Old 03-09-08, 06:20 AM
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I hate to disagree with Mark, because he's obviously very knowledgeable in many areas, but ,I still think oak...if the flooring was already pre-finished, then yes, perhaps painted pine would suffice. If I read correctly, you are having the boards stained, so why not do the "classier" stained, oak, shoe?

Are you replacing the baseboards, as well? Are the baseboards painted or stained? I would think the shoe and base should be alike, so I suppose if you have painted base moldings, it won't matter about the shoe. I'm of the " all or nothing" mindset...If your going to invest the money in the flooring, why not upgrade your moldings.


BTW/ I'm in Northern Virginia.
 
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Old 03-09-08, 07:31 AM
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I think it's another..."what do you like" thing. Standard for me has always been oak if stained, pine if paint (of course that would change if it was pine flooring). Anyway FF, I'd have them make a test piece to show you what it would look like.

Mark, we used to carry a 'hardwood' shoe (in Hampton Roads, VA), though I don't think it was "oak". The grain and the way it took stain was pretty darn close, better than pine.
 
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Old 03-09-08, 09:59 AM
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Imho - oak would be the way to go, finished 'natural' to match the floor, presuming the base is also finished the same way. You mentioned "...unfinished oak flooring to be stained and poly natural". Is the flooring going to be stained then poly'd..or just poly'd??
Whose laying the hardwood floor? The contractor? - if so, why skimp on the shoe.?
.
Another question for you...- How thick is the baseboard @ the floor/base? Do you/will you really need a shoe molding anyway? Depending on the profile of your base, you may not even need a shoe to cover the gaps...if the installation is consistantly accurate throughout. Shoe/cove, etc is commonly used to cover the gaps...but if your base is thick enough at the floor, IT will cover the gaps left at the walls....especially on a new install. (fwiw).
.
Here, one can get oak in 1/4 round, shoe or cove.
 
 

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