Floor polyurethane plinth: features of selection and use in the interior

A plinth is an essential element for any interior decoration. It gives the furnishings a finished look and hides the joints of various materials that are used to decorate walls and floors. However, not everyone knows that skirting boards are different and can be made from different materials. Let's consider what distinguishes the polyurethane floor skirting board among others, as well as its advantages and installation features.

Floor polyurethane skirting board: advantages of use

Polyurethane floor skirting boards are more popular than products made from other materials. And this is largely due to the technical characteristics of this material:

• resistance to external factors and a long service life: with careful handling plinth is able to maintain its original appearance for 20-30 years. At the same time, during the service period, it does not lend itself to water and steam, and also does not absorb odors and is easy to clean. Such skirting boards can be easily installed in the bathroom, as they perfectly withstand high humidity conditions;

• polyurethane is not sensitive to temperature changes, and therefore is excellent for rooms in which heating devices are installed. As a result of heating, it does not deform, does not lose its original shape and does not crack;

Useful advice! If you need to decorate an area located in the immediate vicinity of the fireplace, you can safely use a polyurethane skirting board for this purpose.

• simple and convenient installation: due to the flexibility and plasticity of the material, its installation does not require much effort and can be easily carried out independently. Moreover, with its help, various protrusions and uneven surfaces can be designed, which are difficult in the case when it comes to ordinary baguettes. Fitting and trimming is very easy and takes very little time;
• another indisputable advantage - no complicated or expensive tools are required to install a polyurethane skirting board. A regular sharp knife will do. And later, after all the elements are fixed, they can be painted with any suitable paint: water-based, acrylic, etc .;

• As for the maintenance of the polyurethane skirting board, a simple wash will be enough. Being a material resistant to the effects of various chemical elements, polyurethane does not react with any detergents and may well be cleaned of contamination with their help. At the same time, you do not risk damaging its color or texture;
• a large selection of polyurethane skirting boards is another advantage that cannot be ignored. The modern market is rich in offers for every taste and is able to easily satisfy even the most demanding consumer. Differing from each other in width, texture and color, such skirting boards are able to stylistically complement absolutely any interior.

Flexible skirting board for the floor: features of use

The first and main function of the floor plinth is to clearly outline the perimeter of the rooms and at the same time hide the transitions and finishing flaws that were made during the repair process. Plinth plays an important role in the event that carpet or carpeting is spread on the floor. In this case, using a plinth, its edges are fixed.

In addition, if you need to take care of the cable laying, it is worth buying a polyurethane skirting board for the floor, which provides for this possibility. It is sold in stores and on the market alongside traditional models.

Polyurethane skirting boards are many times stronger than products made from many other materials, and their cost is much lower than others, which can be called another positive aspect of using this particular option. Despite the fact that there are both solid and flexible polyurethane skirting boards, the second option is undoubtedly more popular, since it is he who provides the opportunity to design any complexity of the structure and uneven surfaces.

As for the installation of polyurethane skirting boards, this process cannot be called complicated if you pay due attention to the preparation of the necessary materials and surfaces. The plinth is fastened to the floor using special glue, putty or decorative nails. Further in the article, the installation process will be considered in more detail.

How to choose a plinth for your floor: rules for a successful combination

It would seem that there is nothing easier than buying a polyurethane skirting board. However, the choice of this element also requires attention and good taste. Otherwise, this detail can negatively affect the entire interior. And first of all, it is necessary to repel from the three initial data:

• finishing material and color of the floor covering;
• textures and colors of walls;
• style and color of the door.

It cannot be denied that the most daring design solutions involve the use of contrasting colors, but choosing the right shade and decorating the interior with taste in this case is much more difficult. Therefore, most people prefer the traditional solution to this question: plinth in the color of the floor covering or differing from it by 1-2 tones.

If you decide to use walls as a guideline for choosing a plinth, then the easiest way to do this is by choosing among ready-made samples, on which paint or a special composition was previously applied. So the probability of miscalculating with a shade will be the least.

When it comes to matching skirting boards to flooring, certain difficulties arise.After all, if the selection of panels of a suitable color for parquet or laminate is not particularly difficult, then in the case of laying linoleum, carpet or tile, this process is noticeably complicated.

It is even more difficult to provide a combination of doors and skirting boards. The best design solutions provide for a smooth transition from the skirting board to the door trims of the same color, which allows you to create the effect of a continuous line.

How to choose a skirting board by color

If you decide not to take risks and do everything according to the traditional rules of interior design, then you should adhere to a simple recommendation: the plinth should merge with the floor covering and not stand out in any way. Although the use of a shade 1 tone lighter or darker is not excluded. Such a deviation has practically no effect on visual perception.

Many users say that they don't like the combination of carpet or tile with baseboards of the same color. In this case, designers are advised to make a choice in favor of a fundamentally different shade. At the same time, making the edging darker or lighter depends on what effect you want to have on the perception of space: a dark one will make the room more comfortable, and a light one, on the contrary, will make it more spacious.

There are times when the owners want to pick up panels that will become an extension of the wall. This option is quite acceptable, however, it should be understood that this option is available only if the walls were decorated in a minimalist style, for example, painted or plastered. Moreover, they must be monochromatic. It is strongly not recommended to combine variegated, patterned wallpaper with embossed colored plinths. This combination never looks good in the interior.

If you prefer door trims as a guide, then in this case not only the shade of the panels used should match, but also their thickness, and in any case, you will need to buy a wide skirting board. It is also worth noting that sometimes the edging for the floor is selected, focusing on some other decorative elements, although this is quite rare.

Today, white skirting boards have begun to gain popularity. Such a solution can significantly transform the interior, provided that all decorative elements are combined with each other. Think in advance about the color, texture and shape of each element to make sure that such a decision is appropriate before purchasing materials. It is even recommended to draw an interior plan using a special computer program.

Choosing bright, contrasting skirting boards also requires careful planning to avoid mistakes and color inconsistencies. Pay attention also to the fact that wooden floors do not combine well with contrasting colors, and in this case it would be much more appropriate to choose panels of the same color.

How to choose a skirting board for the floor: panel sizes

The sizes of skirting boards for the floor are different and are selected based on several indicators: the color design of the interior, the height of the ceilings and the overall size of the room. Obviously, for a small room with a low ceiling, it is strongly not recommended to use wide and high skirting boards for the floor. Here you should give preference to thin skirting boards, which will not take up much space, but only visually outline the perimeter of the room.

In large, spacious rooms, the use of thin narrow skirting boards is also unacceptable. They will disrupt the visual perception of space, change and deform its geometry. Better to give preference to wider skirting boards, which are fixed directly to the wall.

The standard size of the plinth is considered to be a width of 45 to 70 mm, however, on sale you can find a wide variety of models, which will be both much smaller and much larger than these sizes. A wide polyurethane floor plinth can easily reach 20 cm. The main thing is that the height of the room allows the use of an edging of this height.

Polyurethane skirting board for the floor: prices for the main types

This is not to say that buying a flexible plinth for the floor is very expensive. But at the same time, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the pricing policy for these products in advance. Also pay attention to the cost of professional skirting board installation. The installation price can also vary greatly, and before contacting the first announcement, it is recommended to carefully study the reviews about this master or the company you are planning to contact.

As an example, consider the pricing policy of the most popular companies that provide the opportunity to buy polyurethane skirting boards of any size at affordable prices:

Manufacturer	Size (w × d), mm	Length mm	Material	Price, rub / pc
Orac Decor	20x20	2000	duropolymer	210
NMC	19x12			240
Perfect plus	54x16			272
	79x13			314
	69x15			340
Fabello Decor	30x20	2440	polyurethane	348
Europlast	70x17	2000	composite material	400
	80x22			527
Perfect plus	99x14	2000	duropolymer	560
Europlast	70x13		polyurethane	674
Perfect plus	126x16		duropolymer	780
	100x15	2400	polyurethane	842
Fabello Decor	80x12	2440		940
Orac Decor	200x22	2000	duropolymer	2023
Perfect plus	100x15	2400	rubber + polyurethane	2040

 

You can buy wide skirting boards (from 15 to 18 cm high) from Cezar for 690-1050 rubles. Thinner models will cost between 300-500 rubles, depending on the complexity of the texture, etc. Among the offers of companies, it is difficult to find skirting boards for the floor, the price of which exceeds the mark of 2,000 rubles, but they are worth their money, as they are able to transform the interior and add sophistication and style to it.

After considering all the advantages of this option, you can decide whether to purchase a polyurethane floor skirting board. The prices for it are quite affordable, and the fastening procedure is so simple that even an owner who is not too experienced in repair work will be able to do it.

DIY skirting board installation: step-by-step instructions for work

The more thoroughly the surface preparation is carried out, the easier and better you can fix the skirting board. For this purpose, silicone or glue designed specifically for polyurethane is perfect. It is applied to the back of the plinth and to the corner cuts.

Another, simpler way of attaching skirting boards involves the use of special screws or nails. They are masked with special overlays, which are sold along with the skirting boards themselves. At the same time, the abundance of color solutions for the skirting boards on sale allows you to easily select the necessary shades.

Preparatory work before installing a polyurethane skirting board

Preparing for the installation process begins by determining the type of skirting board you are going to use. We will consider further how to choose the right color and texture solution for a particular interior, but for now we will only note the fact that the width of the plinth directly affects the visual perception of space. The wider the skirting board, the lower and smaller the room appears. This must be taken into account before making a purchase.

If you need to decorate a small room, for example, a bathroom or a corridor, it is better to give preference to narrower models. Calculations of the required amount of material can be made based on the perimeter of the room, taking into account the margin required for trimming corners.

Useful advice! If you are installing the skirting board yourself for the first time, then you should not expect that you will get perfect cuts the first time.It is better to leave a margin of at least 10 cm to be able to correct mistakes.

No less attention should be paid to the transportation of purchased baseboards. Polyurethane is a rather fragile material and requires careful handling, so in order to avoid breakage of elements, as well as the appearance of dents and unwanted bends, take special care during transportation. In order for the material to adapt in the conditions in which it will be installed, leave it indoors for at least a day.

Related article:

Polyurethane ceiling skirting board: practical and decorative framing

Features and benefits of use. How to properly cut corners and glue the fillet. LED lighting for ceiling cornice.

Before you start attaching the elements, make sure that the surface is perfectly clean of foreign particles of other materials and completely dry. It is important that at the time of installation of the skirting board, all finishing work for the floor and walls must be completed.

For an even and neat placement of the plinth, it is worth drawing a markup that will help to carry out an even fastening. First, mark the places where the slices will be located. To make everything as even as possible, first attach one of the elements to the corner of the wall and mark the level of the upper and lower edges of the plinth. Then repeat the same procedure on an adjacent wall. Crossing, the two traced lines will tell you exactly what the angle of the cut should be.

As a rule, the angle will correspond to 90 degrees, but there are often uneven corners for which the fit must be done individually. To do this, using a simple pencil or a regular knife, make a mark on the baseboard, and then cut along the mark.

Self-cutting to install skirting boards on the floor

After the cuts are marked, you can start trimming the corners. If you follow the technology, then for this purpose it is recommended to use a carpenter's miter box, which allows you to keep the angle as accurately as possible and make an even cut. According to reviews, using this tool makes the job much easier.

With several different stencils, the miter box allows you to cut at an angle of 45, 60, 67.5 and 90 degrees. A 90 degree stencil is used to obtain a direct docking. But to arrange corners, an angle of 45 degrees is often used, although there are completely different situations.

If you decide to use a miter box in your work, the trimming process will proceed as follows: the skirting board you want to trim is inserted into the device from the left side so that it is pressed against the side. Then a hacksaw is inserted into the stencil with the required angle and trimmed. If you decide to do without this special device, then you can use a miter saw with fine teeth or a sharp knife for cutting.

Useful advice! To minimize the material consumption for fitting, the corners are first trimmed, and only after that the plinth is adjusted in length.

Another, perhaps the easiest solution to the problem of fitting the corners of the floor plinth, is to buy ready-made fittings designed for this purpose. The use of such elements will greatly facilitate the installation process and save you from the difficulties associated with fitting corners. The only thing worth considering is that if the walls and corners have too much unevenness, problems may arise with the fastening of the finished elements. In this case, it's best to do the pruning yourself.

How to attach a plinth to the floor with your own hands

The most popular way of fixing a skirting board is by gluing it.For this purpose, a special composition is selected that is most suitable for this type of work. Here are some simple tips for choosing an adhesive:

• skirting adhesive must be solvent-free. Otherwise, you may encounter the appearance of cracks at the joints;
• pay attention to the labeling of the composition: the packaging must indicate that the glue does not leave traces;
• the use of a compound with the effect of "melting" allows you to evenly distribute the load and prevent the appearance of breaks at the joints. It is recommended to use a special joint adhesive.

You must start gluing the skirting boards from the corner of the room, applying glue to the back of each of the elements. Please note that on the back side of the panel there are special grooves, also called shelves. They are necessary so that the adhesive for polyurethane skirting boards can be evenly distributed. For high-quality fixation, the edges are coated with glue, where there will be a joint, and one of the grooves.

It is necessary to hold the skirting board firmly against the wall until the glue has completely seized. The time largely depends on the individual characteristics of the composition used and in some cases it reaches 20 minutes. Of course, manually pressing the skirting board during such a time is difficult, so you can use any materials at hand that can provide the proper effect and allow the panels to stick evenly.

If, after the skirting board has been glued, you find a place where the panel leaves the wall due to surface irregularities, eliminate this imperfection using a small nail. The plasticity of the material allows it to be easily compressed if necessary, and after the glue is completely dry, which takes a day, the carnation can be carefully pulled out. You can remove the resulting holes using ordinary putty and paint.

Also, the final work of this stage involves the removal of excess glue. For this purpose, you can use a sponge or spatula soaked in water. If there are gaps in the joints, a colorless or white sealant can be used to seal them. With the help of putty, the joints are leveled, after which they are painted.

Step-by-step photo instructions on how to install a plinth on the floor, videos and thematic materials will tell you about all the intricacies and difficulties of this process.

Final finishing of the floor plinth

The final finishing of the polyurethane skirting board provides for the application of a coloring compound or glaze. If you plan to paint the panels, then both water-based and acrylic paint are suitable for this purpose, but it is better to apply it before you start gluing, in order to exclude the possibility of getting on the surface of the wall or floor. Glaze allows you to tint the panel and give an additional visual effect that imitates wood, stone, metal or any other material.

Another way of applying the coloring composition is a special coating for skirting boards in an aerosol. If painting will be done after gluing, use masking tape to protect the surface of the walls and floor. In addition, it is necessary to maintain an interval of at least 24 hours after gluing so that the glue is completely dry.

If you need to paint ornate skirting boards, it is best to use a spray bottle. To do this, cover about 30-40 cm of space around the skirting board with waxed paper or masking tape, and then apply the composition in several layers, waiting for the previous one to completely dry before applying the next one. Also, experts recommend applying one layer of dispersed waterproof paint before applying a colored layer.

Useful advice! Make sure to match the color of the door trims and the baseboard.For this purpose, you can purchase panels to match, or use the same color of the dye composition.

Tips for painting polyurethane skirting boards

Consider a few simple but relevant tips that experts give to those who decided to independently choose the color and paint the floor plinth:

1. If you decide to give preference to a bright skirting board, make sure that there are other elements of the exact same color in the interior. These can be photo frames, curtains or pillows.
2. Pay due attention to covering the joints with a putty and carefully removing the excess with a damp sponge. Otherwise, after painting, all defects will become more noticeable.
3. If you used wallpaper as a wall covering, then you should not glue masking tape on them to protect them from possible contamination. Removing the tape can damage the surface of the wallpaper. You can simply apply a sheet of thick cardboard next to the area you are painting at the moment.
4. Take care of comfortable conditions in the room where the painting will be carried out: there should be no excessive humidity, drafts and direct exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Useful advice! Do not neglect the manufacturer's advice, which is always indicated on the packaging of the coloring composition. Including the drying period and the features of applying the material are indicated there.

Another point to pay attention to if you paint the baseboard after fixing it is the width of the brush. Too narrow a brush will not allow you to cope with the task quickly enough, but a wide one, on the contrary, will stain everything around too much. Therefore, take care of the right tool in advance.

As you can see, buying a polyurethane floor plinth is not that expensive, especially when you compare its cost with similar models made of natural wood. In addition, do not forget that, unlike solid counterparts, you can buy a flexible floor plinth for decorating a wall with any irregularities, as well as protrusions and recesses, which is a significant advantage and greatly facilitates the installation process.