Transition Molding
If you are installing new floors in your home, you may run into the topic of transition pieces. Transition pieces seam floors together so that there are no areas that may look unfinished or unprotected. There are several different types of transition moldings that serve different purposes. Here is some information about each of the transition pieces.
Multi-purpose Reducer
If you have two floors of different thicknesses butting up to each other, a multi-purpose reducer may be the perfect solution for you. For example vinyl meeting up with hardwood, hardwood generally being the thicker product. A reducer has a downward slope on one side of the molding that will create a seamless transition for floors with different thicknesses.
T-moldings
T-moldings are typically for transitioning two floors of the same height. The name comes from its distinctive “T” shape. This transition piece can be installed in doorways between rooms, adding stability. In some cases, certain floors have restrictions with how far they can run due to either their width or length. If this is the case, a T-molding is necessary to divide up the floors so it can run a longer distance.
Quarter-round Moldings
If you are installing a new floor that is a lower thickness than your old one, you may want to consider a Quarter-round molding. A quarter-round molding covers the expansion gap between your floors and baseboards, resulting in a smooth transition. The shape is a quarter of a full circle, and it is installed with the curved edge directed outward.
Stair nose
A stair nose is a piece of molding that basically gives the finish look for your stairs. A flush stair nose will be at an even height with the floor on your stairs. When you are installing any hard surface on your stairs, a flush stair nose is always a good idea to have installed because it will give your floors a clean seamless look.
Threshold
Similar to a reducer, a threshold molding is used when butting up two floors of different thicknesses. Instead of the downward slope, a threshold has a squared off edge. They are commonly installed next to sliding door tracks, but can go pretty much anywhere you need to create a finished edge.