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quarter round

quarter round

1 7.2
A small curved strip of wood or plastic used where a floor meets a wall to hide the gap
  • noun
  • /ˈkwɔrtər raʊnd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : moldura de cuarto redondo
  • I recently had some quarter round to put down on top of some new wood floors I installed in my house.

Examples

  • The carpenter recommended using a quarter round to cover the gap between the flooring and the baseboards.

  • The face with quarter round is the only side that needs to look good.

    Blog text (32)
  • They are 1" wide, 2" long, and 1/8" thick with a quarter round on the perimeter.

    Blog text (32)
  • Removing the cabinet means removing the quarter round we just bought to transition the floor to the cabinet... and then buying more because something always breaks in demo.

    Blog text (8)
  • To achieve a professional finish, install the quarter round molding where the floor meets the wall.

  • We applied a new quarter round to enhance the transition between the tile and hardwood floors.

Synonyms

ovolo
vsquarter round
  • Specialized
9.9

Rounded decorative molding with a quarter-circle or oval shape used on buildings

is typically placed where floors meet walls rather than in general architectural use

Surface Forms

quarter round singular

Morphology

quarter + round

The term is compositionally transparent: 'quarter' (one fourth) combined with 'round' (circular) clearly describes an object shaped like a quarter of a circle or ellipse. This follows normal English compounding patterns and a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the piece's shape and likely function (a molding used at floor/wall junctions) without prior exposure.

Etymology

The noun quarter round comes from its shape: a small curved trim cut like a quarter of a round. It sits where the floor meets the wall and hides the 'gap', giving a neat finish.