Is there a name for molding that covers a gap?

[Jamie Buxton]

It is a common use -- molding to cover a seam or a gap. It gets used in furniture, in musical instruments, in housebuilding, and everyplace. Is there a name for it? The best I can come up with is "trim molding", which seems too generic. After all, we have these wonderful and specific molding names like astragal, and purfling, and bolection, and such. Why not a name for molding that covers a gap?

[Charles Wiggins]

Maybe a more experienced noggin might provide more insight, but I think trim molding is about as close as you're going to get. In most cases that I've seen molding is referred to either by profile (e.g., egg and dart, ogee) or specific application (e.g., baseboard, crown). The purpose of trim molding is to decorate and this often involves covering gaps. In fact, I thought that most architectural molding had it origins in covering gaps.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I believe it depends on where the gap is. For instance, between windows, I believe it is called 'mullion'. Around windows, it is called 'case molding'. Where a wall terminates at the floor, it is called 'base molding'. On exterior doors and window, it is called 'brick molding'. If it's to cover up a screw up, it is called a 'Jeffrey Makiel' molding.

Jeff :)

[Rod Sheridan]

I . If it's to cover up a screw up, it is called a 'Jeffrey Makiel' molding.

Jeff :)

LOL, Darn, I was hoping it would be named after me.............Rod.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

In the construction trade a "batten" is used to cover gaps between roof panels, siding etc. It can be used on the interior or exterior.

[Henry Ambrose]

Its called "panel molding".

[Bill Edwards(2)]

BeTRIMming
IsoTRIMorphic

Ah! Trim-o-mine

Mo-Trim

[John A langley]

For the gap between the wall and a cabinet,is called a scribe, which has long since taken the place of scribing a cabinet to the wall

[David Helm]

Try "astrugal". Covers gap between french doors and other uses.

[Moses Yoder]

We always just called it 1/4" putty.

[dan grant]

good one :)
We always just called it 1/4" putty.

[Bruce Wrenn]

We always just called it 1/4" putty.AKA beauty cream. Caulk, putty, and paint makes a carpenter what he ain't!

[Don Bullock]

I have no idea what you call it, but I sure have used a lot of molding to cover up gaps. My wife can't begin to count the number of times I've gone to the "molding store" as she calls it. She's sure that someone out there has a patent on the stuff and is making a mint.

[mike holden]

It is a common use -- molding to cover a seam or a gap. It gets used in furniture, in musical instruments, in housebuilding, and everyplace. Is there a name for it? The best I can come up with is "trim molding", which seems too generic. After all, we have these wonderful and specific molding names like astragal, and purfling, and bolection, and such. Why not a name for molding that covers a gap?

Jamie,
You are confusing function names and shape names. Astragal and bolection are shapes.
As to your question, let me quote from "Theory of Mouldings" by C. Howard Walker: "At the places of contact of the pieces occur joints through which, if the construction is of wood, air and rain can penetrate, and water cause rot. Therefore, these joints were protected and covered by small strips of wood, or cleats, from which most classic mouldings are derived."
So, the proper term for a strip of wood covering a gap is a "cleat", the other part of the name, bead, cove, astragal, scotia, torus, cyma recta, cyma reversa, refer to the shape of the outer surface of the cleat. Cleats may have a specialized name depending on where used, casing, plate rail, crown, etc. but this refers to their placement, not their shape.
Hope this clears this up somewhat, though it may just "muddy the waters" (shrug)
Mike

[Aleks Hunter]

HI Jamie,
On stringed instruments like guitars, the black/white stripes on the edges are called binding, and are made of layers of veneer strips, between the binding and the wood of the soundboard or back there often is a decorative strip which is called purfling, which is also the name of the inscribed strips around the edges of the soundboard of violins, violas, cellos, etc. Sometimes there is a strip between the two bookmatched panels of a guitar's back that is simply called a backstrip. As far as cabinetry goes none of these names really apply. There are myriad forms of molding used in cabinetry for deco reasons and to hide seams, but they are named by their form, like cove, egg and dart, dentil, etc. I do not think there is a generic word for a strip of molding that simply covers a visible joint seam. Perhaps its time to create one and see if it catches on?

Someone mentioned mullion, but that is a structural member between two openings in a window.

[John Coloccia]

Where do you see them on musical instruments? The closest I can think of molding on an instrument is binding.

[Charles Wiggins]

Great info Mike. Thanks!

[Jamie Buxton]

Where do you see them on musical instruments? The closest I can think of molding on an instrument is binding.

I'd been thinking of old-timey upright pianos. And stringed instruments -- viols, guitars, lutes -- have them too. There's often a banding that goes around the edges of the body, and sometimes a band in the middle of the back to cover the seam between two bookmatched parts.

[Jamie Buxton]

...You are confusing function names and shape names...

I understand that some of my examples are shapes and some are functions. My point is that we have a large lexicon to describe moldings, so I am hoping to learn of a name (yes, a functional name) for those moldings that cover a gap. John Langley has one that kinda covers it: scribe molding.

(BTW, I've understood astragal to be a function name, not a shape name. It is molding that covers the gap between two French doors. I've seen it with a T-shaped cross-section, and with a variety of nearly-rectangular cross-sections.)

[John Coloccia]

I'd been thinking of old-timey upright pianos. And stringed instruments -- viols, guitars, lutes -- have them too. There's often a banding that goes around the edges of the body, and sometimes a band in the middle of the back to cover the seam between two bookmatched parts.

The stuff around the edges is called "binding" and the stripe down the back is called a "backstrip". Often, the backstrip actually doesn't cover the joint but is edge glued just like the other pieces. It's typically cosmetic as the joint is usually reinforced on the inside.

If there's a line of material that does not go all the way to the edge of the instrument, like the white/black lines you see inset from the binding on guitars, it's called "purfling". On violin family instruments, a channel is cut offset from the edge, and wood is inlayed. This is also called purfling. The edge on a violin is not a separate piece, but it actually part of the top. It can look like a separate piece of wood that's glued to the outside because of the purfling.

Anyhow, just an FYI if you're interested.

[Peter Quinn]

I think the semantics are all out of whack here. IMU a piece of wood that covers a gap IS CALLED a molding. Almost every molding I have used has as its basic function a gap hiding or filling function. Crown, mullion, batten, cove, astragal, stop, bead, casing, back bands, sill, threshold, shoe, panel molding, base caps, chair mold on top of wainscot, etc. Al these "moldings" can come in a variety of shapes, which bear other names derived from classical greek geometric forms. For instance you can get an "Ogee shoe mold", a thumbnail shoe mold, a P&G shoe mold. Different shapes, each defined by their "elevation" on the floor plan AND their shape. You get a lot of information in some of the names of these "Moldings".

When you check out a good reference on classical architecture there are names for moldings or groups of moldings at every "elevation" on the facade of a structure going up the building. Much of this detail has been eliminated in modern construction, due to both cost and the preference for simpler or cleaner styles. There are a few books on the subject that may add more light , like "Architectural moldings guide" by Howard Walker.

[John A langley]

Peter. Most of what you say has merit I have been in the carpentry and cabinetry trade since 1959. I have worked on the East coast, the West coast and the Midwest and I cannot say that I've ever seen a baseshoe with an ogee design on it.

[Peter Quinn]

Peter. Most of what you say has merit I have been in the carpentry and cabinetry trade since 1959. I have worked on the East coast, the West coast and the Midwest and I cannot say that I've ever seen a baseshoe with an ogee design on it.Well, I've made plenty of them. Most shoe I see these days is a simple 5/8 x 3/4 quarter round. But in some of the older homes (ie very old) and in newer homes that want to look old people are using a modified ogre door stop as a shoe. It's projection off the wall is 7/16"' it's a little taller than generic shoe, maybe 1 1/4", and the ogre shape repeats some other feature in the base mold set but in a smaller way. I have some millwork catalogues from the 1800--1920's and there used to be lots of " shoe mold" options. Now there is basically one at most home centers. It's actually quite elegant in practice. And in keeping with my argument, it's meant to cover the gap between the wider stiffer base mold and any flooring irregularities!

[John A langley]

Peter. Not to be argumentative. You can put lipstick on a pig and it is still a pig. Just like using your screwdriver for a chisel, it is still a screwdriver. Therefore your doorstop may be used for a baseshoe but it is still doorstop. I have also seen people use quarter round for baseshoe, not knowing the difference. I did indicate that I'm old but 1800? :-)

[Peter Quinn]

Peter. Not to be argumentative. You can put lipstick on a pig and it is still a pig. Just like using your screwdriver for a chisel, it is still a screwdriver. Therefore your doorstop may be used for a baseshoe but it is still doorstop. I have also seen people use quarter round for baseshoe, not knowing the difference. I did indicate that I'm old but 1800? :-)

John, I'm looking at the "Mulliner Co Catalogue, 1893 Edt., there are no less than FIVE ogee shoe moldings listed. Each is slightly different, some more complex, some less. I think there are nine shoes total. All this type of detail went away starting in the late 1920's and never came bask. Want to know how many carpenters today call that part of a window which is accurately named a stool a sill? Today you walk into most home centers and they have one shoe profile if you are lucky, maybe two or three crowns, one or two base molds, the variety is gone except in custom work. The place I work for makes and sells a modified door stop that simulates one of these old shoe molds but in a slimmer profile that better suits todays thinner base moldings in terms of scale. I call it a modified door stop because for custom species I happen to chuck up the same ogee knives as the basic ogee door stop to make it on a shaper, but unlike lipstick on pigs, this molding doesn't go on annoying cross country political speaking tours and actually looks good. And unlike chiseling with a screw driver, it does the job well.

If you started working in the 1950's, unless you were doing restorations you may have missed to golden age of millwork. Here in New England houses built in the 50's are not considered old at all!

[John A langley]

Peter I like you. I knew you had to be from New England, only a New Englander would keep a book from 1893. We could go on with this conversion for a long time so for the interest of harmony in will concede to you. PS I spent all my childhood summers on Squam Lake.

[David Helm]

a modified ogre door stop as a shoe

I've seen ogres as rain spouts on very old buildings in Europe, but never as base shoe!

[Jim Heffner]

I guess that where it is used, determines what it is called. In construction work, " gap filler", in woodworking, " accent trim," either way, it hides defects and dresses up the final looks of the piece in question.

[Mel Fulks]

Bolection moulding

[Matt Day]

An astragal is indeed the term for covering the gap between double doors.


Jamie,
You are confusing function names and shape names. Astragal and bolection are shapes.
As to your question, let me quote from "Theory of Mouldings" by C. Howard Walker: "At the places of contact of the pieces occur joints through which, if the construction is of wood, air and rain can penetrate, and water cause rot. Therefore, these joints were protected and covered by small strips of wood, or cleats, from which most classic mouldings are derived."
So, the proper term for a strip of wood covering a gap is a "cleat", the other part of the name, bead, cove, astragal, scotia, torus, cyma recta, cyma reversa, refer to the shape of the outer surface of the cleat. Cleats may have a specialized name depending on where used, casing, plate rail, crown, etc. but this refers to their placement, not their shape.
Hope this clears this up somewhat, though it may just "muddy the waters" (shrug)
Mike

[phil harold]

We always just called it 1/4" putty.
I gave up on caulk and now use 3/4" paint

[Rod Sheridan]

a modified ogre door stop as a shoe

I've seen ogres as rain spouts on very old buildings in Europe, but never as base shoe!

I believe the water carrying type are Gargoyles, the non water carrying types are Grotesques...............Rod.

[Van Huskey]

I believe the water carrying type are Gargoyles, the non water carrying types are Grotesques...............Rod.

I think gargoyles are a sub-set of grotesques as in all gargoyles are grotesques but not all grotesques are gargoyles. The gargoyles are indeed "down-spouts" for running the water away from the walls so it didn't erode the mortor.

[Peter Quinn]

I'd like to thank Spell check auto correct on the iPad for giving me the freedom to use ogres as door stops and shoes interchangeably. Its software like this that will help modernize our world. Now if I could just get these giant concrete grotesques out of the way so I could get back into my house..........

[Roy Turbett]

It is a common use -- molding to cover a seam or a gap. It gets used in furniture, in musical instruments, in housebuilding, and everyplace. Is there a name for it? The best I can come up with is "trim molding", which seems too generic. After all, we have these wonderful and specific molding names like astragal, and purfling, and bolection, and such. Why not a name for molding that covers a gap?


If its an unintentional gap the molding is called a feature.

[Mel Fulks]

Oxford dictionary says origin of"bolection" is unknown . Though many of them are similar bolection is more application than shape.when it was used on wood walls it covered butted pieces.I think panel moulding is the modern equivalent but today it's use seem to be over Sheetrock ,not covering gaps.certainly a new word could be coined,for now I think"bolection" is closest to your question

[Craig D Peltier]

Scribe AKA "Trailer Trim" one guy told me who says cabinets should only be scribed to the wall. Made me laugh so I refer to scribe now as trailer trim with my partner and we always laugh.


For the gap between the wall and a cabinet,is called a scribe, which has long since taken the place of scribing a cabinet to the wall