When installing shoe molding on a base board over hard wood floor, how should the shoe mold be attached?

When shoe molding is installed on a base board over hardwood flooring, the proper method is to nail it to the baseboard only. This approach serves a few important purposes.

Firstly, nailing the shoe molding to the baseboard ensures that the molding can move with the baseboard, which is important due to seasonal changes in humidity and temperature that can cause the baseboard and flooring to expand or contract. If the shoe molding were to be adhered to the floor, it could lead to gaps or cracks when the floor shifts.

Additionally, this method allows for a cleaner and more professional aesthetic finish, as the shoe molding will maintain its position relative to the baseboard, providing a neat transition between the baseboard and the floor.

Other methods, such as screwing into the wall or gluing to the floor, could limit the necessary movement of the components and potentially lead to problems such as cracking, splitting, or visible unevenness in the joint over time. Leaving the shoe molding floating would not provide stability or the desired finished appearance, making nailing it to the baseboard the most effective choice.