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Types of skirting boards for the floor

Modern repair is not complete without such a product as a plinth. These are thin rigid or flexible strips used in the finishing decoration of the floor space. Products are produced in a huge range. Let us consider in detail what types of floor skirting boards exist, where they are used and how they are installed.

General classification of skirting boards

The range of floor moldings is impressive, they are divided according to several criteria. So, by appointment allocate:

1. Versatile profiles that can be used in residential and commercial construction. Therefore, they are the most in demand;
2. Flexible, recommended for rooms with complex shapes, as well as for decorating the base of columns, arches, etc.;
3. Cannelure, with which you can mount the floor covering with an institution on the wall. Basically, this type of product is used in medical institutions, laboratories and other facilities with special requirements for cleanliness;
4. Frame or carpet, allowing you to form a decorative strip of finishing material for the floor. A very good solution for the so-called author's or design repair;
5. Special, characterized by high rates of resistance to mechanical stress, intended for public, trade and commercial organizations.

Universal skirting boards for all occasions.

Flexible plinths. The plinth is extra resistant.

Format can be distinguished:

• Classic curly fillets;
• Modern straight slats;
• profiled products.

Plinth of a classical form. Planks are straight. Profiled plinth.

To size distinguish:

• Small skirting boards, the height of which does not exceed 40 mm.
• Standard moldings up to 70 mm in size on the front side - a universal molding for any objects;
• High profiles with a useful width of up to 150 mm - for rooms where the distance from floor to ceiling exceeds 3 m.

Plinth small. Standard planks.

The length of the products varies from 1.5 to 2.5 m, and the thickness is 2–2.5 cm (rarely 3–4 cm).

According to the method of fixation manufacturers offer:

• Products installed using ordinary self-tapping screws or dowel-nails;
• Planks with a self-adhesive strip applied industrially on the wrong side;
• Skirting boards glued on "liquid nails" or any other strong adhesive.
• Moldings mounted on original fasteners: "clips", mounting strips, etc.

Plinth on dowels. Plinth on glue. Skirting boards.

The most practical type of skirting boards are profiles fixed with fasteners. They can be installed on walls lined with decorative plaster or wallpaper, PVC panels or clapboard.

By decorating method plinth profiles are divided into:

And finally, the most important classification feature is the raw material from which the moldings are made. Let's take a closer look at this group.

Classification by material of manufacture

Floor planks are made from:

• polyurethane;
• wood;
• Metal.

Each type of floor plinth has a unique set of properties, so before choosing, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with a brief description of each type of product.

Plastic moldings for the floor

The most extensive product group is made from thermoplastic polymer mass, better known as plastic. Perfectly combined with almost all types of floor finishing materials, from laminate to ceramic tiles. Thanks to their wear and water resistance, they can be used in living rooms, baths and toilets, offices, shops, clubs, even outdoor balconies and terraces.

We produce PVC skirting boards:

• Rigid, tinted in the most popular colors. In budget collections, the surface is smooth and slightly glossy. The more expensive ones go through the stages of deep or surface texturing, so they perfectly imitate natural wood moldings. In addition, the premium series have the so-called soft edge edging - a rubber strip glued to the main bar, which provides a good fit to the floor and walls;
• Colored flexible profiles, called edging. They can be used both for walls and for decorating arched or doorways, columns, bay windows, paintings, mirrors, false fireplaces and much more;
• White, which can be fixed in its pure form, or painted after installation. For their production, foamed plastic is used, which has good adhesion. Thanks to this property, the paint compositions fit perfectly on the baseboard.

Table 1. Pros and cons of PVC skirting boards

Polyurethane skirting boards

The urethane group elastomer is sometimes erroneously given the name duroplast or a subspecies of PVC. However, it is not. Polyurethane is classified as a separate type of polymer, surpassing even rubber in some properties.

The peculiarity of floor profiles is that they are made from a rigid and semi-rigid variety by extrusion or casting. Finished products can be of increased strength or flexible, easily adapting to objects of complex shapes. The surface is white for painting, straight shape with partial profiling, less often curly.

table 2. Advantages and disadvantages of polyurethane profiles

High-density MDF skirting board

MDF plinth to match the color of the doors.

The products of this group have a thermal expansion rate identical to wood, therefore they are excellent for laminate, parquet, multi-layer or solid board. In the range of well-known manufacturers:

• MDF products for painting;
• Planks tinted or painted;
• Profiles pasted over with a colored decorative film with an even or textured surface structure.

The front side of MDF products is smooth, profiled, curly. The size range depends on the manufacturer, and the length can reach 3 m, thickness - 2 cm, and height - 15 cm.

Table 3. Advantages and disadvantages of MDF skirting boards

Wooden baseboards

This type of profiled products is considered elite, as it is made from solid wood of valuable species (beech, oak, ash, etc.). The surface can be clean or treated with varnish, oil, stains. Some factories even produce veneered planks.

Wooden profiles are great for all types of wood flooring, as well as floor or wall materials that imitate natural textures: laminate, multi-layer board, vinyl tile, linoleum, wood-effect porcelain stoneware, etc. There are no unified standards, so the dimensions, profile shape, number of cable channels vary over a wide range.

Table 4. Advantages and disadvantages of solid wood moldings

The most resistant to damage, wear and water type of floor profiles are products made of aluminum, stainless steel or brass. Produced mainly for industrial and commercial facilities. Although, as you can see in the photo below, some designers use metal strips to create high-tech, avant-garde or minimalist interiors.

To protect and give the surface decorative properties, aluminum skirting boards are painted by anodizing or powder enamel. Brass-plated products do not need such a tread layer. Some manufacturers offer profiles covered with a decorative film that imitates wood in texture and color.

Table 5. Pros and cons of metal skirting boards

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