Installation Guide

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Artistic Finishes, Inc. / 2224 Terminal Road / Roseville, MN 55113 / 888-816-5606 / www.artisticfinishes.com
Installing Base Shoe Moldings with a Glue Down/Nail Down Floor
Application – Used as a transition to vertical surfaces in tight spots
where Wall Base will not fit, such as the toe-kick area under cabinets.
Also used as a substitute for Quarter Round when a lower profile
molding is desired to preserve an existing Wall Base molding.
Installation – Base Shoe moldings should be installed after the
hardwood floor is in place. You must make allowances for an expansion
space between the floor and vertical surface in accordance with the
hardwood flooring manufacturer’s recommendations. The molding
should be fastened to the wall and/or Wall Base molding (not the
subfloor) to assure that the contraction or expansion space for the floor
is not restricted. Pre-drill the molding to avoid splitting. When used to
transition other floors, such as vinyl or tile floors, fast to the wall or toe
plate.
Installing Threshold Moldings with a Glue Down/Nail Down Floor
Application – Typically used at exterior doorways as a transition
between flooring and the threshold. Also used to transition a wood
floor to different floors to make them fit together perfectly, such as high
pile carpeting or tile. The Threshold molding is also commonly used
interchangeably with a Square Nose molding to conceal the expansion
space when the flooring runs up to a vertical object that cannot be
framed by Wall Base or Quarter Round molding. Examples include
fireplace hearths, sliding glass doors and large thresholds.
Installation – Artistic Finishes manufactures two sizes of Threshold
moldings to cover the range of flooring options. When installing
Threshold moldings, it is important not to attach the molding directly
to the hardwood floor, as the hardwood floor must be able to expand
and contract under the lip of the molding in accordance with the
manufacturer’s recommendations. After the hardwood floor is
installed, lay the variable Threshold molding in place. The Threshold
molding should overlap the flooring by ½ to ¾ inch, leaving the balance for required expansion or contraction. To attach
the molding, apply one or two ¼ inch beads of construction adhesive to the subfloor and set the molding in place. If nailing,
pre-drill the molding to prevent splitting and nail to the subfloor behind the lip of the molding. Be sure when nailing, not to
obstruct the floor’s expansion space under the molding.