Skirting board is one of the finishing elements that is attached to the bottom of the wall. Thin boards covered gaps in ancient times. Then the manufacture of one strip of skirting took a lot of time and effort. In the Middle Ages, this element became part of the decor of the room. It was decorated with carvings, inlays and precious metal inserts. When a special machine was invented, which made it possible to remove thin, smooth sheets (veneer) from a solid wood, the skirting boards became multilayer, that is, the base was made of ordinary wood, and a thin layer of precious breeds covered the top. In the richest houses, rooms were decorated with planks with a surface of mosaic veneer. The baseboard has a “twin brother” - a fillet. If the first is attached to the wall, then the second is decorated with a joint with the ceiling. Skirting boards in the interior play an important role, because without this minor detail, the repair in the room will look unfinished.In the article, we will talk about what types it is classified into and how to choose this element correctly for a specific situation.
The baseboard was originally used solely for protective purposes. He covered the unprotected gap between the floor and the wall, from which the wind was blowing and drawing cold. Also, this element allows you to hide the flaws of builders: bumps or curved slits. For wall decoration, moisture-resistant materials are not always used, which calmly withstand contact with household chemicals (paper wallpaper, plaster). During wet cleaning of floors without a baseboard, it is easy to hook an unprotected piece with a mop and spoil part of the coating. Inside the hollow models there is a special trough in which the wiring is placed. Skirting board is a great disguise for ugly communication lines.
In modern versions, even a heating system can be placed inside the traction (the architectural designation of the relief "girdle"), which will heat the room along with the batteries in parallel with the batteries. For decorative purposes, some models are equipped with light bulbs or sockets. An organically selected pair of floor skirting-ceiling fillet unobtrusively emphasize the height of the walls.
The skirting board will help to complete the design concept, because this element also corresponds to certain styles. For example, neat stucco molding will fit the classics, imitation of a steel surface will emphasize high-tech, and a white strip of decor will add a casual refinement to Provence.
Types and materials
Skirtings are classified according to the materials from which they are made. The largest group consists of elements from wood and its derivatives. They, in turn, are divided into the following subtypes:
Massive.These skirting boards are made entirely from solid wood of precious or ordinary species. Such models are attached to nails or self-tapping screws, since a whole piece of wood can become wrinkled over time and lose its shape. The bonnet caps are carefully masked with putty. This option is of high cost and emphasizes the beauty of expensive parquet. It is not advisable to buy a wooden plinth if it is planned to be painted further. Of the shortcomings of these models, only a meager color scheme is noted within the shades of brown.
Veneered. They are a two-layer combination of a simple wooden base and a front sheet of veneer with a beautiful natural pattern.
From MDF. The material has become a budget replacement for natural wood. MDF is made from wood pulp (sawdust) with the addition of a special resin-based bonding agent. Such skirting boards have a rich gamut of shades, but are much inferior in strength to massive ones. They do not recommend decorating them with passage rooms.
From LDF. Material similar to MDF, which has a lower density and weight. Attached to the wall with screws, glue or clips. It has a low cost, easy to cut, but does not withstand systematic wet cleaning.
Suberic. The original model, which, unfortunately, has a set of shortcomings. Cork skirting boards have a pleasant shade, texture and bend well. They are made either entirely from cork, or from a wooden base and porous veneer. Such a floor belt allows moisture to pass through and does not withstand mechanical stress: with a strong kick, the material will simply burst. The main advantages of cork are softness, pleasant roughness and elasticity when touched, they are absolutely useless if this element is made of it.
Liquid tree. A relatively new material, which is a combination of wood waste with synthetic bonding additives.These skirting boards are coated with paint, veneer and laminated. They bend well and can follow the contours of rounded walls. The service life is much inferior to natural wood. Externally, the composite material is similar to a potpourri of a wooden pattern and smooth stone base. Wood and its derivatives are considered the most environmentally friendly and safe materials because of their naturalness.
Plastic Plastic skirting boards are lightweight, they well follow the contours of rounded walls and boast a wide range of colors: from dark black to acid shades that are not characteristic of natural materials. However, plastic has one significant minus. Plastic must not be heated. At high temperatures, it begins to release toxic and hazardous substances into the air. For this reason, it is not recommended to decorate with plastic elements rooms where the temperature rises strongly or there will be electrical appliances located in the immediate vicinity of the element. Plastics are also represented by a wide range: polyurethane, duropolymer, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride.
Skirting boards made of stone and ceramics. Both materials are remarkable for their monumentality and super strength. Such an element will stand the test of time. Ceramic and porcelain stoneware skirting boards are suitable for decorating tiled floors (in the bathroom and in the kitchen). The most durable elements are marble. Due to the high cost, they are used only in luxury interiors.
Metal. A rare type that can withstand heavy loads. Metal elements are made to order and adjusted in advance to the contour of the rounded walls. Such skirting boards can decorate not only the interior of the house, but also the exterior. Suitable for modern styles: loft, hi-tech, minimalism.
Separately, a special group of metal skirting boards for drywall is noted.They are fixed before the installation of a structure made of this material and play the role of support, which rests with the main load.
There is another classification by degree of flexibility. Materials that reluctantly repeat the rounding of a wall or column include wood, ceramics, metal. Here we are talking about “unscheduled” bends, since in advance it is possible to produce a plinth of a special shape. The tree can be slightly corrected with steam. With ease, only plastic skirtings will be bent at any angle, and elements from the cork will slightly change their shape.
Mounting Methods
Depending on the type of baseboard, the following fastening methods are used:
Self-tapping screws and ordinary nails are used for wood and some of its derivatives.
To fix elements from MDF and LDF, special brackets and clips are used, which are sold with them in the kit. Then they are masked with special decorative trims.
Plastic is fixed with liquid nails. Unfortunately, because of them, the element cannot be accurately dismantled, so after the repair you will have to buy a new baseboard.
Although the part is traditionally fixed on the wall, in some rooms this rule will have to be neglected. If the house is made of timber, then the baseboard is attached as expected. If the apartment has concrete or brick walls, then it is more advisable to fix the part on the floor.
How to choose
Skirting boards can not act as an independent part of the interior. They are always chosen with an eye on some larger element, which is located next door. For example, they focus on the color of doors, windows, furniture, shade of the floor. Material also matters. The tree is universal and can be combined with any walls and floor. Budget plastic fits linoleum, laminate and carpet. Ceramic and stone skirting boards look organically only with marble, granite and tile.
Under the color of the walls
A plinth to match the color of the walls allows you to erase or emphasize the border between them and the floor. In the first case, so that the surfaces do not merge completely, they select a “band” a shade lighter or darker. This technique is a favorite among designers, since the option of combining close in spectrum tones is considered a win-win.
In rare cases, walls, door platbands and skirting boards are selected in the same color. The solution is very fresh and extravagant, therefore suitable for bold modern styles. To emphasize the boundary between the floor and the wall, either a neutral shade of the baseboard or bright is chosen. The latter is rare, since in the color scheme of the element they still prefer walnut, beige, chocolate and coffee with milk. It is not recommended to choose a skirting board in tone with a wall decorated with a coating with variegated drawings. The border between the batten and the floral wallpaper should be strict and accurate.
Under the color of the floor
According to traditional canons, the skirting board is selected to match the shade of the floor covering. Ideally, it should be a couple of tones lighter or darker, depending on the color transition to the wall. The combination of the same shade is considered a win-win. It is not so important if the baseboard is combined with the tone of the wall or window and door openings. Everything above should be combined with the fillet, and the neat, solid bottom will stay away.
Under the color of doors and windows
Designers recommend choosing skirting boards to match the color of door and window trims only if they are made of wood. This element will help to gently integrate openings of a different shade into the interior that look unbalanced in the general palette of colors. For example, in a room with dark flooring and walls, white doors will find support in the form of a baseboard of the same color.
White edging in the interior
White baseboard ennobles the interior, makes it more refined and elegant.It is universal and organically blends into any stylistic decision. The neutral color allows you to harmoniously add white doors or windows to the dark environment. With such a baseboard, any interior will look airy and easy. A white border accentuates the high walls. The effect of this technique is doubled if the ceiling is decorated with the same fillet. Although the white skirting board is new, it was as if created for the classic style. The element will add exquisite notes to the luxury of the interior. However, it should be borne in mind that the light edging will have to be systematically washed, as the surface is easily soiled and the floor is not the cleanest place in the house.
Color contrasting floor frames
Contrasting colors in skirting panels are a bold novelty in recent years. They are ideal for extraordinary, creative interiors decorated in modern styles. Since the flooring is usually performed in a neutral range (shades of brown, black, gray), then plinths are selected for furniture and individual details of the decor. In strict classics it is difficult to imagine such an option, while fusion, futurism, eclecticism, ethnicity, flexible in relation to innovations, will calmly accept such a vivid experiment. The living room in a mixed style with orange-violet colors is emphasized by a defiant lilac baseboard. A dark strip of red, yellow or green shade will revive the dark environment. Bright black and blue panel curtains against the background of light walls and a neutral floor will find support in a blue skirting board.
Conclusion
In addition to the color scheme and material, it is necessary to pay attention to the width of the plinth. In rooms with high ceilings, the strip of the lower border should be massive. Narrow skirting boards simply get lost in such rooms. Wide elements are also used to visually increase the space in elongated rooms.
There is a joke among professional designers that the plinth is a real test for a beginner in the design business, since it is very difficult for an inexperienced master to link it to all the compositional elements.If you have doubts about the color schemes “door-window-wall”, your head is already spinning, then bet on the shade of the floor. This traditional version did not yet know defeats.
Skirting board is one of the finishing elements that is attached to the bottom of the wall. Thin boards covered gaps in ancient times. Then the manufacture of one strip of skirting took a lot of time and effort. In the Middle Ages, this element became part of the decor of the room. It was decorated with carvings, inlays and precious metal inserts. When a special machine was invented, which made it possible to remove thin, smooth sheets (veneer) from a solid wood, the skirting boards became multilayer, that is, the base was made of ordinary wood, and a thin layer of precious breeds covered the top. In the richest houses, rooms were decorated with planks with a surface of mosaic veneer. The baseboard has a “twin brother” - a fillet. If the first is attached to the wall, then the second is decorated with a joint with the ceiling. Skirting boards in the interior play an important role, because without this minor detail, the repair in the room will look unfinished.In the article, we will talk about what types it is classified into and how to choose this element correctly for a specific situation.
Content
Role in the interior
The baseboard was originally used solely for protective purposes. He covered the unprotected gap between the floor and the wall, from which the wind was blowing and drawing cold. Also, this element allows you to hide the flaws of builders: bumps or curved slits. For wall decoration, moisture-resistant materials are not always used, which calmly withstand contact with household chemicals (paper wallpaper, plaster). During wet cleaning of floors without a baseboard, it is easy to hook an unprotected piece with a mop and spoil part of the coating. Inside the hollow models there is a special trough in which the wiring is placed. Skirting board is a great disguise for ugly communication lines.
In modern versions, even a heating system can be placed inside the traction (the architectural designation of the relief "girdle"), which will heat the room along with the batteries in parallel with the batteries. For decorative purposes, some models are equipped with light bulbs or sockets. An organically selected pair of floor skirting-ceiling fillet unobtrusively emphasize the height of the walls.
Types and materials
Skirtings are classified according to the materials from which they are made. The largest group consists of elements from wood and its derivatives. They, in turn, are divided into the following subtypes:
Separately, a special group of metal skirting boards for drywall is noted.They are fixed before the installation of a structure made of this material and play the role of support, which rests with the main load.
Mounting Methods
Depending on the type of baseboard, the following fastening methods are used:
Although the part is traditionally fixed on the wall, in some rooms this rule will have to be neglected. If the house is made of timber, then the baseboard is attached as expected. If the apartment has concrete or brick walls, then it is more advisable to fix the part on the floor.
How to choose
Skirting boards can not act as an independent part of the interior. They are always chosen with an eye on some larger element, which is located next door. For example, they focus on the color of doors, windows, furniture, shade of the floor. Material also matters. The tree is universal and can be combined with any walls and floor. Budget plastic fits linoleum, laminate and carpet. Ceramic and stone skirting boards look organically only with marble, granite and tile.
Under the color of the walls
A plinth to match the color of the walls allows you to erase or emphasize the border between them and the floor. In the first case, so that the surfaces do not merge completely, they select a “band” a shade lighter or darker. This technique is a favorite among designers, since the option of combining close in spectrum tones is considered a win-win.
In rare cases, walls, door platbands and skirting boards are selected in the same color. The solution is very fresh and extravagant, therefore suitable for bold modern styles. To emphasize the boundary between the floor and the wall, either a neutral shade of the baseboard or bright is chosen. The latter is rare, since in the color scheme of the element they still prefer walnut, beige, chocolate and coffee with milk. It is not recommended to choose a skirting board in tone with a wall decorated with a coating with variegated drawings. The border between the batten and the floral wallpaper should be strict and accurate.
Under the color of the floor
According to traditional canons, the skirting board is selected to match the shade of the floor covering. Ideally, it should be a couple of tones lighter or darker, depending on the color transition to the wall. The combination of the same shade is considered a win-win. It is not so important if the baseboard is combined with the tone of the wall or window and door openings. Everything above should be combined with the fillet, and the neat, solid bottom will stay away.
Under the color of doors and windows
Designers recommend choosing skirting boards to match the color of door and window trims only if they are made of wood. This element will help to gently integrate openings of a different shade into the interior that look unbalanced in the general palette of colors. For example, in a room with dark flooring and walls, white doors will find support in the form of a baseboard of the same color.
White edging in the interior
White baseboard ennobles the interior, makes it more refined and elegant.It is universal and organically blends into any stylistic decision. The neutral color allows you to harmoniously add white doors or windows to the dark environment. With such a baseboard, any interior will look airy and easy. A white border accentuates the high walls. The effect of this technique is doubled if the ceiling is decorated with the same fillet. Although the white skirting board is new, it was as if created for the classic style. The element will add exquisite notes to the luxury of the interior. However, it should be borne in mind that the light edging will have to be systematically washed, as the surface is easily soiled and the floor is not the cleanest place in the house.
Color contrasting floor frames
Contrasting colors in skirting panels are a bold novelty in recent years. They are ideal for extraordinary, creative interiors decorated in modern styles. Since the flooring is usually performed in a neutral range (shades of brown, black, gray), then plinths are selected for furniture and individual details of the decor. In strict classics it is difficult to imagine such an option, while fusion, futurism, eclecticism, ethnicity, flexible in relation to innovations, will calmly accept such a vivid experiment. The living room in a mixed style with orange-violet colors is emphasized by a defiant lilac baseboard. A dark strip of red, yellow or green shade will revive the dark environment. Bright black and blue panel curtains against the background of light walls and a neutral floor will find support in a blue skirting board.
Conclusion
In addition to the color scheme and material, it is necessary to pay attention to the width of the plinth. In rooms with high ceilings, the strip of the lower border should be massive. Narrow skirting boards simply get lost in such rooms. Wide elements are also used to visually increase the space in elongated rooms.
There is a joke among professional designers that the plinth is a real test for a beginner in the design business, since it is very difficult for an inexperienced master to link it to all the compositional elements.If you have doubts about the color schemes “door-window-wall”, your head is already spinning, then bet on the shade of the floor. This traditional version did not yet know defeats.