Base shoe vs. quarter round — profile and proportion compared

Quarter round is a symmetric quarter-circle (equal depth and height, ~¾×¾″); base shoe is taller and thinner (~½″ deep × ¾″ tall) so it projects less into the room. Both hide the flooring gap under the baseboard.

Source: WM/LWM millwork profiles (WM 126 quarter round · WM 127 base shoe)

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What this diagram shows

Two end-profile cross-sections of the small molding that covers the gap between the baseboard and the floor. Quarter round is a symmetric quarter-circle, equal in height and depth (commonly 3/4 by 3/4 inch), so it projects into the room as far as it rises. Base shoe is taller and narrower (commonly about 1/2 inch deep by 3/4 inch tall), so it hugs the baseboard and projects less, which is why finish carpenters prefer it on formal trim. Both cover the flooring expansion gap at the bottom of the baseboard; they differ only in how far they stick out.

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