Clean Lines, Polished Spaces — The Finishing Touch
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Besso Floor & Decor.
1-1/4" X 3/8" X 8ft Bevel Wood Doorstop / Shoe Moulding - J8
SKU: 0301047
Besso Floor & Decor.
1-5/8" X 7/16" X 12ft Flat Wood Doorstop / Shoe Moulding - P12
SKU: 03010052
Baseboards, trim and moulding are all names for the milled boards that finish the edges and transitions of a room, covering gaps and adding decorative detail. “Trim” and “moulding” are broad terms for all of it; “baseboard” is one specific type. Together they give a room a finished, intentional look and protect the surfaces underneath.
| Type | Where it goes / what it does | Common materials | Typical size / profile | Era | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseboards | Along the wall base, where the wall meets the floor | MDF, pine, poplar, PVC | 3–7″ tall; colonial, flat, bevel | Tallest in Georgian & Victorian homes; simpler since mid-1900s | The base of a Greek column. Called “skirting” in the UK |
| Casing | Frames the perimeter of doors & windows | MDF, pine, poplar | 2¼–3½″; colonial, flat | Ornate in Victorian, wide & flat in Craftsman homes | The band framing classical doorways. Called “architrave” in the UK |
| Back band | Wraps the outer edge of casing to add depth | MDF, wood | slim stepped profile | Victorian & Colonial Revival detailing | A trick to build up a fuller classical frame from flat trim |
| Doorstop | On the jamb face; the door closes against it | MDF, wood | ~⅝″ thick strip | Standard since machine-milled lumber | Purely functional — no decorative roots |
| Door jamb | The frame the door hangs on | Finger-joint pine, wood, composite | depth 4-9/16″ and up | Ancient; finger-joint & composite versions are modern | The structural frame a door hangs on. “Door lining” in the UK |
| Crown moulding | Where the wall meets the ceiling | MDF, pine, polyurethane | small to tall, decorative | Elaborate in Victorian; minimal or gone in mid-century modern | The top of a Greek temple. Called “cornice” in the UK |
| Chair rail | Horizontal band ~1/3 up the wall | Poplar, MDF | 2–3″; half-round, ogee, flat | Common in Georgian & Victorian rooms; revived in traditional interiors | The cap of a classical dado (pedestal). Called “dado rail” in the UK |
Here’s the simplest way to keep them straight: trim and moulding mean the same thing — the umbrella term for all the decorative boards in a room — while a baseboard is the specific piece that runs along the bottom of the wall. So a baseboard is a type of trim, and “moulding” covers everything from crown to casing to quarter round. Throughout this guide we use “trim” and “moulding” interchangeably and name each specific type as we go.
Baseboards run along the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor, protecting the wall and giving the room a clean, finished base. They’re the most-used trim in any home, and they come in a range of heights, profiles and materials. Taller baseboards feel more upscale and traditional; slimmer ones read as modern.
Baseboard profiles run from simple flat boards to detailed stepped shapes. Colonial baseboards have a traditional, layered profile; flat (or square-edge) baseboards suit modern rooms; and step-bevel or chamfered profiles sit in between with a clean angled edge. Pick the profile that matches your doors, casing and overall style.
Baseboards commonly range from about 3 inches to 7 inches tall, and the right height depends on your ceilings and the look you want. Taller baseboards make a bigger statement and suit higher ceilings; standard heights work in most rooms.
A standard baseboard (around 3–4 inches) is the everyday choice and fits almost any room, while a tall baseboard (5–7 inches or more) gives a more custom, high-end look. Taller trim generally suits taller ceilings so the proportions stay balanced.
If you’re using crown moulding too, keep the two in proportion — a tall baseboard pairs well with a substantial crown, while a slim baseboard suits a simpler crown. Balancing the trim top and bottom makes a room feel considered rather than mismatched.
Casing is the trim that frames your doors and windows, covering the gap between the jamb and the wall. It’s usually chosen to coordinate with your baseboards, and it comes in the same profile families — colonial, flat and bevelled. See our casing collection for the full range.
Like baseboards, casing comes in colonial, step-bevel and flat profiles, in both MDF and wood. Matching your casing profile to your baseboards keeps a room consistent, which is the most common approach.
A back band is a slim moulding that wraps the outer edge of flat casing to add depth and a custom, high-end look — an easy upgrade without replacing your trim. See our back band collection to pair one with your casing.
The door jamb and doorstop are the working parts of a doorway that the casing frames. The jamb is the frame the door hangs on; the doorstop is the strip the door closes against.
A door jamb is the frame lining the opening, carrying the hinges and the latch, and it’s sized by depth to match your wall thickness. We stock jambs in finger-jointed pine, solid wood and composite. See our door jamb collection for sizes and materials.
Doorstop moulding is the thin strip fixed to the jamb that the door closes against, stopping it at the right point. It’s a small but essential piece of every doorway. See our doorstop collection.
Crown moulding runs where the wall meets the ceiling, adding a finished, decorative transition overhead. It ranges from simple, subtle profiles to tall, elaborate ones for formal rooms, in MDF, wood and lightweight polyurethane. See our crown & finishing mouldings.
Quarter round and shoe moulding are small floor mouldings that cover the expansion gap where a baseboard meets the floor. Quarter round has a rounded quarter-circle face; shoe moulding is slimmer and more upright. Both are the finishing touch on a flooring job. Shop quarter round & shoe.
Transition mouldings bridge the change between two floors or finish the edge of a stair, keeping floors safe, tidy and able to move with the seasons. See our transition mouldings.
A T-moulding joins two hard floors of the same height, while a reducer steps a higher floor down to a lower one — hardwood to tile, for example. The right one depends on whether the two floors are level with each other.
Stair nose finishes the exposed front edge of a stair tread, giving a rounded, safe edge where the flooring stops. It’s essential wherever flooring runs to the edge of a step.
Chair rail is a horizontal band that runs about a third of the way up the wall, both to protect the wall and to add a decorative line — and it’s the classic cap for wainscoting. It comes in half-round, ogee and flat profiles. See our chair rail collection.
Chair rail is often used as the cap on wainscoting or panelling, finishing the top edge of the panels with a clean line. Paired with panel moulding below, it creates the picture-frame or board-and-batten look.
Beyond the structural trim, decorative mouldings add detail to walls, ceilings and cabinetry. Panel, cove and accent profiles are how you get a custom, architectural look.
Panel moulding frames wall panels and built-ins, and is used to create picture-frame panelling on walls for a traditional, upscale feel. It’s applied in rectangles or squares to add depth to a flat wall.
Cove moulding has a concave profile that softens an inside transition — between wall and ceiling, or on cabinetry and stairs. It’s a simple way to add a gentle, finished curve.
Plinth blocks, corner blocks and rosettes are decorative blocks that sit at the base and corners of casing, giving a traditional look while simplifying the joints — the casing butts into the block instead of being mitred. They’re a classic detail for period and transitional homes.
Shiplap and wall panelling turn a plain wall into a feature, with horizontal boards or panelled sections that add texture and character. They’re popular for farmhouse, coastal and transitional interiors, in pine and MDF. Ask our team about the panelling options that suit your space.
Trim comes in a few core materials — MDF, solid wood, PVC and polyurethane — and the right one depends on the room, the finish and your budget. For most painted interior trim, MDF is the smooth, economical standard; solid wood suits stain-grade work; and PVC or polyurethane handle moisture where wood can’t.
MDF (medium-density fibreboard) is engineered, smooth and knot-free, which makes it excellent for painted trim, and it usually comes pre-primed and ready for topcoats. It’s the most popular, most affordable choice for painted baseboards, casing and crown.
Standard MDF can be used in bathrooms and basements as long as it’s sealed and kept away from standing water. Prime and seal every cut edge and caulk the seams so moisture can’t get in; for consistently wet spaces, a moisture-resistant board or PVC is safer.
Where moisture is a real concern, moisture-resistant MDF, PVC or polyurethane trim won’t swell or rot the way standard MDF can. These are the smart pick for bathrooms, laundry rooms and below-grade basements.
Solid wood trim — usually pine or poplar — is the choice for stain-grade work and rooms that need extra durability. It can be stained to show the grain or painted, and it stands up to knocks better than MDF.
Pine is an economical softwood that takes paint or stain and suits both painted and natural looks. It’s widely used for trim, though its softer surface and knots show more than a hardwood.
Paint-grade pine (often finger-jointed) is made to be painted and is very economical; stain-grade pine is clearer, knot-free wood chosen to look good under a stain or natural finish. Pick paint-grade if you’re painting, stain-grade if you want the wood to show.
Poplar is a smooth hardwood that paints beautifully and resists dents better than pine or MDF, which makes it a favourite for painted trim in busy rooms. It’s a step up in durability for a modest increase in cost.
PVC and polyurethane trim are moisture-proof and won’t rot, warp or absorb water, so they’re ideal for bathrooms, basements, exteriors and anywhere damp. Polyurethane is also lightweight and holds crisp detail, which suits decorative profiles; flexible versions can follow curves.
So which should you choose? In short: MDF for smooth, affordable painted trim; solid wood for stain-grade or high-traffic rooms; and PVC or polyurethane for wet areas. Here’s how they compare.
MDF is the least expensive and gives the smoothest painted finish, but it’s the least moisture- and dent-resistant. Solid wood costs more and can be stained or painted, with better durability. PVC and polyurethane cost more again but are the only fully moisture-proof options.
For most living spaces you’re painting, MDF is the practical, budget-friendly winner. For a high-traffic hallway or stain-grade trim, choose wood; for a bathroom or basement, choose a moisture-proof material. Match the material to how the room is used.
For painted trim in a normal room, primed MDF gives the best value — the smoothest finish for the lowest cost. Step up to poplar only where you want extra dent resistance, and to PVC only where there’s moisture.
Trim profiles set the style of a room, from clean and modern to detailed and traditional. Coordinating one profile family across your baseboards, casing and crown is what makes a home feel pulled together.
Traditional and colonial profiles have layered, stepped detail that suits classic and heritage homes. They add warmth and character, and pair well with taller baseboards and detailed crown.
Modern trim is flat and square-edged, with clean lines and minimal detail. It suits contemporary interiors and works well in slim, understated profiles — or built up wide for a bold, architectural frame.
Farmhouse style mixes simple, chunky trim with shiplap and panelling for a relaxed, characterful look. Flat profiles, wide baseboards and painted finishes are the signatures.
Choosing trim comes down to matching it to your home’s style, coordinating the pieces, and picking the right material for each room. A little planning up front keeps the whole home consistent.
Start with your home’s era and your doors: traditional homes suit colonial and detailed profiles, modern homes suit flat and square-edge. Choose one style direction and carry it through.
For a cohesive look, coordinate your baseboard, casing and crown — same profile family, same finish. They don’t have to be identical, but they should clearly belong together. Our design team can help you put the combination together.
Installing trim is a matter of measuring, cutting clean corners, and fastening without splitting the material. The basics are the same across baseboards, casing and most mouldings.
Measure each run, then cut the corners to fit — outside corners are mitred, and inside corners are either mitred or coped. Test-fit before fastening, since few rooms are perfectly square.
Outside corners are joined with 45° mitre cuts so the profiles meet in a clean diagonal. Cut and test-fit each one, adjusting the angle slightly to close any gap from an out-of-square corner.
Inside corners are often coped — one piece is cut to match the profile of the other — which gives a tighter joint than a mitre and won’t open up if the walls move. Coping takes practice but is the pro’s choice for inside corners.
Fasten trim with finish nails into the studs and framing, then fill the nail holes and caulk the edges before painting for a seamless look. A brad nailer makes the job much faster.
Caulk the top edge of the trim to the wall so there’s no visible gap, and fill nail holes with wood filler. Whether you caulk the bottom to the floor depends on the floor — see below.
Caulk baseboards to the wall, but be careful at the floor: on tile or other rigid floors, a thin bead of caulk gives a clean, finished line, but on floating floors (laminate, click vinyl) leave the bottom free so the floor can expand — quarter round or shoe moulding covers that gap instead.
On a fixed floor (tile, glued or nailed), caulking the baseboard to the floor is fine. On a floating floor, don’t caulk or nail the baseboard to the floor — the floor needs to move underneath, so use quarter round nailed to the baseboard (not the floor) to hide the gap.
You can install baseboard over tile or thick flooring — fasten it to the wall so it sits on top of the finished floor, and use caulk or quarter round to close any small gap along the bottom. Scribing the baseboard to an uneven tile line gives the cleanest result.
Most trim is painted, and the finish makes a big difference to how crisp it looks. Prime first (or start with pre-primed trim), then finish in a durable semi-gloss or satin that stands up to cleaning.
Pre-primed trim arrives ready for your topcoats, saving a step; prefinished trim comes with the final colour already applied. Unfinished wood should be primed on all faces first if you’re painting, or sealed if you’re staining.
White and off-white are the classic trim colours, but you can absolutely paint trim to match your walls for a seamless, modern look, or in a contrasting colour to make it pop. A durable semi-gloss or satin sheen is the most practical for trim that gets touched and cleaned.
The best way to choose trim is to see it in person — and we make that easy across the GTA. Visit a showroom to compare profiles and finishes, buy online or in store, and use delivery or pickup when you can’t make it in.
Trim profiles, materials and finishes look and feel different in your hand than on a screen — the depth of a colonial profile, the smoothness of primed MDF, the grain of poplar — and our customers make their most confident choices when they can see, touch and compare them in person. Visit our Markham (171 Esna Park Dr) or Etobicoke (2025 Kipling Ave) showroom to browse the full range, see installed displays, and get hands-on guidance from our team. It’s the single best way to get the right trim the first time, and we’d genuinely love to help you choose in person.
You can browse and buy trim online, or come in and shop with our team — many customers do both, using the site to explore and the showroom to finalize. Whichever you choose, our staff and in-house designers can help you match profiles, materials and finishes across your whole project.
When you can’t come in, we deliver. Delivery is available on select orders across the GTA — it’s free on orders over $1,500 (before tax) within 20 km of our showrooms, and a delivery fee (from $60) applies on smaller orders or longer distances, based on order size and distance. You can also pick up your order from our Markham or Etobicoke showroom, and contractors can schedule pickups so materials are ready when you arrive.
Besso is your source for the trim itself and the guidance to choose it. For installation, our team can walk you through what’s involved and help you plan the exact materials and quantities you’ll need, so your installer has everything ready. Ask us in the showroom and we’ll point you in the right direction for your project.
Besso brings every type of baseboard, trim and moulding together in one place, so you can coordinate your whole home’s trim — baseboards, casing, crown and all the finishing details — without shopping around. But the real difference is seeing it in person: at our Markham and Etobicoke showrooms you can compare profiles and materials side by side, feel the difference between MDF, wood and PVC, take a sample home, and get complimentary design help to put the combination together. We’re proudly Canadian-owned with a 4.9 Google rating, we support contractors with reliable stock and scheduled pickups, and we offer delivery across the GTA when you need it — but we’d love to see you in the showroom, because that’s where the best decisions get made.
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