ARC Masonry Group
The Foundation
of Style:
Flooring & Trim
Pairing the right textures and transitions to elevate your home’s architectural character starts from the ground up. This guide covers the essential pairings and technical standards for a professional finish.
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood remains a timeless choice that increases home value and offers the ability to be refinished over decades. It is the gold standard for living areas and bedrooms.
LVP and Laminate
Luxury Vinyl Plank or Laminate provides a durable and 100% waterproof alternative. These are ideal for high-traffic areas and moisture-prone rooms like basements.
Tile and Stone
Tile and Stone offer maximum longevity for kitchens and baths. These materials pair best with moisture-resistant trim materials like PVC or treated wood.
Precision and Proportion.
General design standards suggest that baseboards should be roughly 7% of the total wall height. For example, a 5-inch trim is ideal for standard 8-foot walls. Always maintain a 1/4-inch expansion gap between the flooring and the wall to allow for natural movement. Use a 3/4-inch shoe molding or quarter-round to bridge the gap between new floors and existing trim for a professional finish.
Seamless Transitions.
T-Molding should be used for seamless transitions between two rooms where the flooring is at an equal height. Reducers are necessary when the new flooring meets a lower surface such as raw concrete or thin carpet. For the best visual results, ensure all transition strips match the color and species of the flooring rather than the color of the wall trim.
Professional Installation Standards.
Always allow your flooring materials to acclimate in the room for at least 48 hours before beginning the installation process to prevent warping.
When installing trim, cope the inside corners instead of mitering them to ensure a gap-free fit even if the walls are not perfectly square.
Dust-controlled sanding and a professional-grade primer coat to reveal a flawless, paint-ready surface.
