Laminate Floor Molding Types

Installing laminate floor molding is an essential part of the process of completing a laminate flooring job. Laminate floor molding provides you with a finished look and gives the laminate the expansion joint that it needs. Here are a few basic laminate floor molding types and what they are used for.

T-Molding

T-molding is one of the most common types of laminate floor molding available in the market today. As the name suggests, it is shaped like a "T." The middle point goes down to the ground and the two side points are there to cover the edges of two different types of flooring. This type of molding is designed to go from two different flooring types that are the same height. It is ideal where two hard surface floors meet.

For example, you could use it where laminate and tile meet. You could even use it if going from one type of laminate to another. Installing this T-molding is essential as it allows the laminate to expand and contract according to the temperature and humidity in the room without being damaged. It also helps cover the edge of the laminate. Since laminate is a floating floor, you need something there to hold it down around the edges.

End Mold

An end mold is another common type of laminate floor molding. This type of transition piece is usually shaped like an "L". One part of the "L" covers the edge of the laminate while the other part is attached to the ground. This type of transition is commonly used where the laminate meets an outside door to give it a finished look. It is also commonly used when the laminate is installed next to a carpet. Because of this, it is sometimes referred to as a carpet reducer. If installing laminate and carpet, installing the end mold before the carpet is important. This gives the carpet installers a definite edge onto which to tuck the carpet.

Reducer

A reducer is another commonly used laminate floor molding. A reducer covers the edge of the laminate and then reduces down to a thinner surface. For example, this is what you would use when going from laminate to vinyl flooring. Because of this, many people refer to them as vinyl reducers. This will give you a gradual slope down to the thinner surface.

Stairnose

The stair nose is another type of transition piece that is commonly used with laminate. This is used where any type of step or stay will have laminate installed up to or on it. If you are doing an entire staircase in laminate, you will need to put a stair nose on the edge of each step. This provides a rounded surface on the edge of the step and gives you something to lock into with the laminate. Otherwise, you would have an unfinished area on the very corner of the step where people walk.