Poll-if you have hardwood floors and painted baseboards, what type of shoe moulding?

[Sharon in SC]

We're trying to decide how to finish off the old house to sell. Painted shoe moulding will be less costly and faster. When I researched last year for the same decision to be made on the new to us house, I learned that there is no right or wrong way to do this - personal preference was the answer. Dh wants to make sure we don't do anything that will detract from the sale of the house. I thought a poll might be fun to see how the majority of homes represented here on the boards have been done. Thanks for participating!

[chai]

We had white baseboards with wood floors. I think that the white moulding looks like it is a part of the baseboards.

[Sharon in SC]

"Good answer"! :-P

[Jennifer in MI]

We opted to use wood to match the floor. Our floor guy came out with samples of everything - stained baseboards, painted baseboards, stained shoe molding and stained foot molding. We did every combo and decided we liked painted baseboards and shoe that matched the floor.

[Sharon in SC]

Yes, that was our personal preference. That is what we did in the new house. Although, my 15yo dd who actually has a very good artistic eye, prefers the look of the painted shoe mould for the same reason chai expressed. We compromised - the tiled areas have the painted shoe mould in the new house. ;-)

Obviously, though, provided the painted shoe mould is an equally viable option, we prefer *that* for the old house for the reasons I stated in my original post. We'll just have to trust that the meant to be new owners will feel the way chai and my dd do! :-) You know, personal preference and all that. If the current poll results are any indication, it sounds like the painted shoe mould *is* an equally viable option....

[Tarheel Heather]

And if you paint to match the moulding it gives the illusion of taller walls. When you stain the eye stops at the trim. Does that make sense? :)

[Sharon in SC]

Taller walls is good in a home with 8ft ceilings! :-) (BTW, I noticed your "location" as being on your way to SC. Welcome, assuming that's not Southern California!) :-)

[Ellie]

shoe molding that wasn't painted to match the baseboards. Of course, most of the houses I've lived in haven't had both baseboards and shoe molding, so what do I know??

In *this* house, the floors downstairs are stained dark oak, with white baseboards and shoe molding. It may just be that way because when the house was built there was much more carpeting downstairs (all carpeted upstairs) and the original owners gradually replaced the carpet with hardwood. IOW, I'm thinking the painted shoe molding and baseboards were painted white downstairs and up, and it was just left that way when the hardwood was installed.

But I think it would look strange to have shoe molding that wasn't the same as the baseboards.

[Miss Peregrine]

What is shoe moulding?

[Sharon in SC]

Shoe moulding is the narrow strip of wood that sits on top of hardwood floors in front of baseboards.

[Tarheel Heather]

Taller walls is good in a home with 8ft ceilings! :-) (BTW, I noticed your "location" as being on your way to SC. Welcome, assuming that's not Southern California!) :-)


As soon as we find a house, turns out the one we were under contract with has termite issues and the bank won't pay. UGHH!!:( Now we're looking again.

[Sharon in SC]

I'm trying to remember -weren't y'all looking in the Upstate (versus Lowcountry or the Midlands)?

[Tarheel Heather]

That would be closer to home (Charlotte). We are looking in Florence and Darlington. Finding a house there is harder than either one of us expected.

I would much rather be headed towards Greenville/Spartanburg or Fort Mill. Oh well, no such luck. At least we'll be closer to the beach :o.

[Sharon in SC]

Yes, we love the Upstate, too, though that is not where we reside. :-) I'm afraid I am unfamiliar with the Florence/Darlington region in terms of residence. I trust, with you, that you'll find just the right home soon!

[Tarheel Heather]

Are you, I would love to be in Charleston too, I know that's not gonna happen!

I think we are going to drive our realtor nuts!

[Sharon in SC]

We're in the Midlands but from Charleston. Both of our families are still there so it is most definitely still "home" though we've been in our current location for more than 20 years so it's "home", too. :-)

[shell in SC]

Now that I think about it. . .my sisters new house has the shoe moulding stained to match the floor. I thought that it looked strange that way so I guess my preference also would be that it match the baseboards.

[Scarlett]

I had wood floors put in where carpet was and only have the base board--which is painted. It looks fine too. I thought for sure it would need the 1/4 round....which I assume is what you mean by shoe molding.

[elegantlion]

My dh is a contractor and we've always painted to match baseboard. I think it gives a cleaner look.