Wall molding is used along the top and bottoms of walls to improve appearance along the floor and ceiling by adding a subtle attractiveness to the transition area between the wall and where it meets the floor or ceiling.
Shoe molding at bottom of tile wall.
Tool to cut baseboard and shoe molding.
In my house the quarter round was nearly half as tall as the base molding which looked really silly.
Although this molding serves no structural purpose it does provide a more uniform transition between the floor and wall.
Molding can be bought in long pieces with any number of designs cut into it and is relatively easy to install.
A true base shoe is taller than it is wide enabling it to conceal a large vertical gap without appearing chunky.
Shoe molding is often attached to the bottom of the baseboard to conceal these small gaps.
Baseboard molding installations are very often finished off with an additional thin piece of molding called quarter round or shoe molding that covers the gap between the bottom of the baseboards and the floor.
For example if you want to install standard inch high shoe molding the lower.
Shoe molding at first glance appears to be the same as quarter round.
You should fasten shoe molding using an 18 gauge finish nailer with 1 inch nails.
This molding often gives the appearance of a small protruding shoe at the bottom of the much taller baseboard.
Yet when you look at shoe molding from the side you can see that its height is greater than the length that it protrudes from the wall.
Instead of quarter round use something with a more interesting shape like shoe molding.
Use it in the right proportions.
Shoe molding should be tacked to the baseboard not the floor which inhibits floor expansion beneath the shoe molding.
16 gauge nails are likely to split shoe molding and will be more easily visible on the small surface.