Moldings 101
Moldings are a necessary finishing touch for many projects, like making floor transitions seamless between two spaces, bridging gaps in flooring heights, or framing the border of a room. They’re separated into three categories: floor moldings, stair moldings, and wall moldings. Here’s a starter guide to help you navigate the selection with ease.
Flush Reducers
[Flush reducers](https://www.flooranddecor.com/prefinished-moldings), like the name suggests, create a completely flush transition from thick flooring like hardwood to thinner types of flooring such as tile or vinyl.
T-Molds
[T-molds](https://www.flooranddecor.com/prefinished-moldings) are used to join two floors at the same height, whether it’s different types of hardwood or other flooring materials.
Baby Thresholds
[Baby thresholds](https://www.flooranddecor.com/prefinished-moldings) are used to meet flooring with a vertical surface such as sliding doors, French doors, or fireplaces where a transition to a different flooring is not needed. The baby threshold provides a clean look and acts as a cover for floorboard expansion gaps without obstructing doors.
Overlapping Reducer
Overlapping reducers compensate for floor transitions at higher levels and between different materials.
Curbs
[Curbs](https://www.flooranddecor.com/search?q=curbs&search-button=&lang=default&tab=search-tabs-products) are raised finishing pieces that are installed on top of a flooring transition. They are common barriers between shower floors and bathroom floors to contain water.
Stair Moldings
Starting a [stair project](https://www.flooranddecor.com/stair-parts) can feel like a climb. But with all the stair parts you need available in one place; you can take your look to the next level in no time.
Overlapping Stair Nose
An [overlapping stair nose](https://www.flooranddecor.com/prefinished-moldings) creates a durable transition from the floor to the edge of the stair step or ledge. There is a slight difference in elevation between the stair step and the nose.
Flush Stair Nose
A [flush stair nose](https://www.flooranddecor.com/prefinished-moldings) creates a smooth and seamless finish on the edge of your step where the flooring meets the transition. Both are at the same elevation with no discernable difference in height.
Base Molding
[Base molding](https://www.flooranddecor.com/unfinished-moldings), also known as a baseboard, is the board covering the bottom of the interior wall. It’s installed in the joint where the wall and the floor meet to cover expansion gaps and uneven, rough-cut flooring material edges.
Shoe Molding
[Shoe molding](https://www.flooranddecor.com/moldings.html) is smaller than base molding. It conceals cut lines on tile and stone installations when there is no need to cover expansion gaps.
Quarter Rounds
[Quarter rounds](https://www.flooranddecor.com/moldings.html) are placed between floors and vertical wall surfaces to cover expansion gaps or conceal cuts similar to shoe molding.
Casing Molding
[Casing molding](https://www.flooranddecor.com/unfinished-moldings) is used to create the frame for a doorway or window and is available in many styles, from traditional to modern, to suit the design of a space and add an architectural element.
Chair Rails
[Chair rails](https://www.flooranddecor.com/search?q=chair+rail&search-button=&lang=default&tab=search-tabs-products) are traditionally installed about three feet from the floor and were originally used to protect walls from chair damage in dining areas. Now, they’re used as a unique element to add character to a space and are available in wood, ceramic, and stone options that are ideal for bathrooms.
Sills
[Sills ](https://www.flooranddecor.com/search?q=window+sills&prefn1=productSubtype&prefv1=Sills+%26+Thresholds&tab=search-tabs-products)are added to the base of the window as a ledge. Stone and ceramic sills are ideal for humid spaces like the bathroom or shower windows.
Want to find the right type of molding for your space? Start your search [here](https://www.flooranddecor.com/finishing-pieces.html), where you can shop baseboards and moldings by material and use.