How to attach plastic skirting boards to the floor. How to fix floor plastic plinths with your own hands

The quality of the finish is very important. It is the little things that create comfort or, conversely, “kill” even the best repairs. In this article, we will talk about how to fix the baseboard so that it is both reliable and beautiful.

It's not about the form and range, but about the materials. The installation of skirting boards often depends on the material. Some installation methods are not compatible with all. So, skirting boards for the floor are made of four types of materials:

• wood;
• plastic;
• metal.

There are different floor skirting boards, as well as ways to install them.

Metal skirting boards are more often installed in offices, although in ultra-modern high-tech, loft, minimalist styles they may be appropriate in an apartment. But, most often, wooden products are used in an apartment or house. In recent years, MFD and plastic have also become popular. They are easier to match the color of the flooring or door, because they are often made using the same technology.

How to fix the skirting board: to the wall or to the floor?

You can fix the floor plinth both to the wall and to the floor. The most common choice is wall mounting. This method is necessarily used if the floor covering has a sufficiently large coefficient of thermal or thermal and moisture expansion or the floor covering is not connected to the base (floating floor). These are the types of coverage:

In all other cases, the plinth can also be fixed to the floor. It's even easier. Unless, of course, it is a concrete screed. Nails / screws fit well into wood, plywood, SVP, OSB. If the walls are even, there will be no problems. If the curves, it will be necessary to look for elastic baseboards. Then it will be possible to hide defects due to the flexibility of the planks.

How to fix the baseboard to the wall: what are the methods, their advantages and disadvantages

Before installing the skirting boards, it is advisable to take care of improving the heat and sound insulation. There is sound insulation on a self-adhesive basis, it is sold pasted on sheets. You can find it at a hardware store or car dealer. Before fixing the baseboard, glue strips of soundproofing to its bottom. It is necessary to stick the strips with some gap - so that the air can circulate. With soundproofing it will become much quieter, the effect will be especially noticeable with a laminate.

There are three ways to attach skirting boards:

• On self-tapping screws or nails, on dowels.
• Gluing.
• On clips or mounting plates.

All three methods are not ideal. All have pros and cons. Two ways - fastening and gluing - can be used both for fixing to the wall and to the floor. The clips are attached only to the walls. Let's analyze objectively all the ways of fixing skirting boards. So it will be possible to choose the best for each specific case.

Through: on screws or nails

Mounting on self-tapping screws or dowels is called through. The plinth is drilled through, part of the fastening goes into the wall / floor. The hat remains on top. From a safety point of view, it's a great way. From an aesthetic standpoint, it's dubious. Fastener caps, if left uncovered, can be quite noticeable.

Through fastening of the MDF skirting board to the wall is reliable, but not always aesthetically pleasing

Of the benefits - if necessary, the strips can be removed without much damage to the wall and the baseboard itself. Especially when installing on self-tapping screws or dowels. They are normally unscrewed, and then put into place. And another advantage - you can more or less normally press the bar against curved walls (with a curvature of 4-5 mm). There are practically no other options. To improve the aesthetics, you can try to mask the fasteners, make them less noticeable. But the specific method depends on the material and will be described in the appropriate section.

If we are talking about plastic baseboards with a cable channel, then there are no disadvantages associated with protruding fastener caps. Hats will be hidden under the lid.

On glue

Gluing skirting boards to the wall works well, but only if the walls are even. Smooth - this is with a maximum deviation of not more than 1-2 mm. Otherwise, it will be necessary to fix the “problem” places at least until the glue sets. It's at least a few hours. Holding hands is too problematic. You can try to prop it up with something heavy, but it doesn't always work. Another drawback is that if you need to remove the plinth, it's not easy to do it. Either with a piece of trim, or a plinth in pieces.

Glue for gluing floor plinths - "liquid nails". When choosing, consider the material of the plinth and wall / floor. Both materials to be glued must be indicated in the instructions. Look at the setting time. It is critical just for not too smooth walls, otherwise you will keep problem areas for a long time.

You can use silicone or acrylic sealant instead of glue. It is better if it is not rigid after polymerization - it remains elastic. For example Silicone-Acrylic Sealant 420. Also make sure it is compatible with both surfaces. What is the best elastic sealant? The fact that when it will be necessary to remove the plinth, the semi-rigid mass can be cut with a knife. And this despite the fact that it holds well even on curved surfaces.

Hidden way to install skirting boards - on clips

There is a newfangled hidden way of attaching skirting boards - on clips or mounting plates. Its essence is that special plates or clips (smaller) are attached to the wall. These clips and plates have specially shaped protrusions. There are just protrusions, there are teeth. On the plinths, grooves are made for them. During installation, the grooves must be “put on” on the protrusions. The idea seems to be good, but installation may be difficult.

Clips for plinths must be set exactly in the level. If there is a laser level - it's easier, otherwise - a lot of trouble. And, even if the clips are set at the same level, it is possible to “plant” the grooves normally only on flat walls. And then, to achieve that everyone "clicked" is difficult. And if not every clip will hold, then the skirting boards move away from the wall. Often you have to additionally "attract" them with the same self-tapping screws. Mounting, to put it mildly, weak. For example, L-shaped brackets do not hold the baseboard if the floor covering - linoleum or carpet - has not yet settled down. They "squeeze" the bar out of the mount. Maybe a little later more reliable systems will appear, but so far, fixing the skirting board to the brackets is unreliable.

There is one more thing: skirting boards are easily removed from clips and mounting plates. But it will no longer be possible to re-install the same strips - the grooves are crumbled and do not hold at all. It is necessary either to file the slats so that a “fresh” section gets on the clips, or to rearrange the clips. Which is not fun at all.

The situation is a little better with mounting on a rail - this is a special bar with grooves. It differs from clips in that it runs along the entire length of the skirting board. The guide is attached to the wall, and the plinth “snaps” onto it. Due to the fact that the guide runs along the entire length, the fastening is more reliable. And you can achieve a fit without gaps. But there is a difficulty here: the floor must be even.

How best to fix a wooden baseboard

To nail a wooden baseboard with nails - this method of fastening has been known for a long time. According to the standard, nails / dowels / self-tapping screws should be installed at a distance of 80-120 cm from each other at a height of 15-20 mm from the floor. The length of the fastener should be 3 or more times the thickness of the skirting board. Before installing fasteners, holes are pre-drilled in the array. The diameter of the drill is selected 1-2 mm less than the diameter of the fastener. This will prevent the wood from cracking.

Through fastening of the plinth is the easiest and most reliable method, but it has ceased to suit us - the requirements for the aesthetics of the finish have greatly increased. Protruding hats suit few people. There are several ways to make the mount discreet or unobtrusive. Before fixing the plinth, select one of them.

The easiest and cheapest, but not the best, is to "drown" the hats deeper, and close the holes with plastic circles. They are available in different colors to match. The solution, frankly, is so-so. Firstly, plastic, no matter how you choose, is different from wood. Secondly, the profile of the plinth does not allow these mugs to be laid evenly so that they follow the curves. Thirdly, they still fly off and get lost.

You can also cut small chopsticks out of wood and close the holes with them. It will be a little better, but not perfect. All the same, they stand out - the direction of the fibers is different.

To minimize damage to wood, fasten the baseboard to special nails - finishing. Their cap is slightly thicker than the shaft of a nail. But this method is only suitable for wooden skirting boards. And in order to drive a nail into a tree and not damage the wood, you need a chipper and a certain skill. The chipper with its sharp end rests on the head of the finishing nail, on its thick side with a knocking hammer, driving the nail deeper into the wood.

Special nails and self-tapping screws - so that the fasteners are less noticeable

The same result - with minimal damage to the wood - can be obtained using countersunk head screws. They have a small conical head. They are sometimes also called "finishing". During installation, the head of such a screw almost completely goes into the wood. There are even special screws for wooden skirting boards. They differ in that they have two sections of thread with different directions (see the photo above on the right). The second part serves to pull the plank to the wall.

The remaining small hole is sealed with wood putty. When dry, smooth with fine grit sandpaper (400 or less). But this is if the plinth is not dyed and not polished. If the finishing was planned to be carried out after installation.

If the plinth is dark, this trick does not work. The holes from the installed nails are only visible due to the “translucent” unpainted wood. To remove this defect, in stores selling furniture fittings, look for a furniture marker or pencil in a suitable color. Take a piece of skirting board with you, make holes or scratches in it, and test the “candidates” on the spot. The one that will give the best result, you can buy.

How to fix a plinth made of wood in a different way? Wooden baseboards - for mounting on clips - are also sold. But these are mostly imported systems and they cost a lot. And wood, most often, veneered. In addition to the fact that it is easier to choose the color and texture, it also reduces the thermal and moisture expansion. But in wet rooms, such skirting boards, anyway, cannot be used.

What you definitely should not do is to fix the wooden skirting board with glue. Unless if the floor or wall has the same thermal and moisture expansion as the baseboard itself.

MDF plinth fixing

Choosing how to fix the MDF baseboard is more difficult. All three methods can be used: on self-tapping screws / dowels, on glue, on clips / guides. About how to fix the MDF skirting board with glue, it is worth telling in more detail. This method works with even walls - if the deviation is not more than 1-2 mm. First of all, skirting boards should rest in the room where they will be installed for at least a day, and preferably more. Glue is chosen any compatible with wood and wall material. It is more convenient if the glue is in a tube that is installed in the mounting gun. Normal Tytan fix&seal, Soudal fixall. This is from the category of "liquid nails".

First, t to the desired size, if necessary, cut at an angle of 45 °. The glue is applied with a thin “snake”, the bar is pressed against the wall. Try not to stain the front side and walls - it is difficult to remove both liquid and dried. After you have glued, go through pressing along the entire length, achieving the absence of cracks. If the "seizure" of the glue is normal, with a slight curvature of the walls it can be done without cracks. If not, you will have to use cargo in problem areas. Something heavy is needed. If the load has sharp or protruding edges, in order not to damage the baseboard, lay some kind of dense fabric between it and the load. Something like felt, a piece of linoleum with a base, etc.

But even relatively smooth walls are not a joy for everyone. What to do then? How to fix the MDF plinth in this case? If the curvature is large, then there are no options, only self-tapping screws through and through. The installation is exactly the same as described in the section above. The only difference is that it's a little easier to choose the color of the plugs if you want to use them. There is a better option: from the scraps of skirting boards that will inevitably remain, cut circles and seal the hats with them. If the holes turned out to be deep, cover them up, and on top of all the same circles. You can achieve that you simply will not find the place of installation of fasteners.

With relatively small differences - 2-3 mm, you can try to fix it on good guides. But when installing the guide, the floors must be perfectly flat, and this is also a rarity. There is a way to fix the baseboard guide so that it then "puts on" without problems. It is necessary to cut off 5-6 strips about 2 cm wide from the plinth. These strips are used as patterns.

We put two pieces on the edges of the guide, put it against the wall. We twist the screws next to the installed pieces. It turned out that we fixed the edges of the guide at the desired height. Then we install the rest of the "patterns" along the entire length. They do not allow the profile to sag, exposing it exactly at the distance that is necessary. With a step of 50-60 cm, we install self-tapping screws. If necessary, we move the "patterns" to the right place. If you do this, the plinth will fall into place without problems. And there will be no gaps along the floor.

Installation of plastic plinth

Plastic skirting boards are not as bad as they seem. Far from always they have a "very cheap" look. These are no longer those terrible shiny products made of thin-walled, intoxicatingly smelling plastic. The type of modern products is very close to MDF. Of course, you can’t confuse it with wood, but the price is several times less. There are plastic skirting boards with soft edges. They allow you to cover small gaps without much effort. There are models with a cable channel closed with a lid of the same color. Fasteners can be installed in the channel, and then cables can be laid. Convenient, reliable and economical.

What can be annoying is the plastic corners and connectors - here they look like “an amateur”. But normal plastic can be washed down with a good saw and docked perfectly. Especially if you have a miter saw. But the miter box will go. Only get a special blade for a hacksaw - for plastic. If this is not found in nearby stores, use a metal sheet. If you want the joints to look flawless, fine-tune the match using fine grit sandpaper. And by the way, if the plinth consists of several parts, you assemble it and then saw it all together. Only in this way will all parts be the same.

Another point for easier joining at outside corners. They often "leave" when drilling. We take double-sided tape and fix them to the wall in the desired position. In the process of installing skirting boards, segments can also be “grabbed” to each other with adhesive tape, but already ordinary.

How to fix a plinth made of PVC or another type of plastic if it does not have a cable channel (groove) into which the fasteners are installed? It can be glued, but there are mounting systems on the rail.

All of the above is also true for plastic skirting boards. The only difference is that before applying the adhesive, it is better to degrease the plastic using a suitable solvent (white spirit, for example).

How to attach a skirting board to a plasterboard wall

There should be no problems with gluing - plasterboard walls are usually even. But when using fasteners - self-tapping screws - there are nuances. The most important thing is not to twist so that the plaster does not burst. There are a few more points.

• If a starting profile is launched along the floor, there can be no problems, but it is necessary to use self-tapping screws for metal, and of good quality.
• Try to get into the racks. They should be located every 60 cm, which just coincides with the norms for installing fasteners.
• If there are no racks (GKL is glued, for example), you can either try to use longer self-tapping screws - to gain a foothold in the wall material, or use special self-tapping screws for drywall. They can be plastic or metal. Both of them are normal. They differ from ordinary ones in that their carving is much deeper. Due to this, the load is distributed over a large surface.
• If necessary, you can use special butterfly dowels.

In general, how to attach the skirting board to the plasterboard depends on how it is mounted. It also depends on what kind of skirting board you are fixing.

Installing a skirting board is a responsible issue, requiring accuracy and compliance with the profile mounting technology. Firstly, because it has an aesthetic function, because a properly selected skirting board gives the room a finished, harmonious and well-groomed look, and secondly, it performs a purely practical task, closing the joint between the wall and the floor.

A shaped profile for a floor made of plastic, wood, MDF, polyurethane, stone, expanded clay and even metal hide not only technological grooves and finishing defects, but are also an important part of the interior of the room, the correct installation of the floor plinth is a chord of good repair. In the article we will understand in detail: how, where, with what, in what way and what plinth to install, and what installation features you will have to face depending on the type of flooring.

Installing a profile made of wood has its own characteristics, before gluing the plinth to the floor, it is necessary to properly join the corners

Where to mount

The choice of skirting boards for the floor is very large, the planks differ in their shape, size and configuration, as well as in the material from which they are made. We will also tell about the features of fastening depending on the material and shape in our article, and now we will figure out where to properly fasten the plinth.

The presence of two planes: wall and floor, determines two ways of fixing the plinth. How to understand which installation option is preferable? The simplest solution to the problem is to attach the floor profile to the surface where it is easier to drive the fasteners.

If the house is wooden, the floors are concrete, and the screed is cement, or the house is made of cellular concrete, and the floors are wooden, then it is logical to attach the plinth to wooden surfaces, in the first case - to install to the walls, in the second - to the floor. In the event that all surfaces are concrete, you need to fix the plinth where it is more convenient for you to drill holes for the dowels. Here, the setting mainly depends on the instrument and your preference.

The installation of plastic skirting boards is greatly facilitated by additional elements

Now it is very popular to finish the walls with drywall, build partitions from it, level it with plaster, in this case it is recommended to attach the plinth to a concrete or wooden floor. If the floors are covered with chipboard, OSB and GKL before finishing, then the planks are attached to a concrete or wooden wall. This measure is necessary because the fastening in these materials loosens over time, the dowel comes out of the hole, the plinth moves away from the wall, resulting in an ugly gap, the aesthetic appearance of the room is lost. Well, if the walls are made of GKL, and the floor is OSB, GKL, chipboard, then it remains to use a special dowel-butterfly, which will securely fix the mount. Also, with this installation, it is possible to mount the plinth to the floor to wooden logs, or to the walls to the metal profile of the crate using special self-tapping screws.

What to mount

When the plane is selected, the question arises: on what to fix the floor plinth?

The fastest and easiest way to install skirting boards is with liquid nails. It is enough to glue the back of the baseboard with adhesive and press the bar tightly against the wall or floor. But, firstly, this method of fastening is not suitable for skirting boards made of fragile materials, such as MDF, and secondly, this is a “for ages” installation method, the profile cannot be removed and used if something went wrong, or subsequently repair.

All subsequent methods of installing the skirting board require drilling. Immediately, we note that the optimal gap between fasteners is 300-500 mm. The dowel-nail should enter the floor or wall by 30 mm, but if the surfaces are uneven, then it is better to choose a 3.5 * 40 self-tapping screw, to them dowel No. 6.

Advice: If the plinth does not have a special mounting plate or notches for the clip, then the length of the screw should be equal to the length of the dowel plus the thickness of the plinth.

Inexpensive models made of MDF and wood, as well as some plastic skirting boards, are fastened with self-tapping screws or nails that are driven directly over the decorative layer, penetrating the entire body of the profile. In order for the installation to be done carefully, after drilling the base, hammer in the dowels, attach the plinth to the place of fixation, transfer the drilling points to the plinth. Then, strictly according to the markup, drill the bar through with a thin drill, then take a drill of a larger diameter and make a countersink - a recess for the head of a self-tapping screw or nail. Set the profile in place and attach it. You can hide fasteners with special stickers and a wax pencil, if the plinth already has a decorative coating, wood and MDF are puttied for painting with a special compound, then painted.

Watch the video on how to nail plastic skirting boards, the video will help you understand the main steps of installing a profile with a cable channel.

Hidden mounting methods

In modern models of skirting boards, recesses for clips are provided (usually these are profiles made of wood and MDF), in the plastic and metal profile there is a special bearing element that is fixed to the base, after which the upper decorative strip is fixed on it.

Installing the clip is very simple: first, holes are drilled around the perimeter of the room, a plastic dowel is inserted into them. Then a clip is applied and fastened with a self-tapping screw. When all the clips are installed, a veneered or wooden baseboard is applied and fixed into place with a simple push. If necessary, the profile can be easily removed and fixed again.

Installation of floor plinth on clips

The starting base for a plastic and metal profile is also attached in a similar way. Before fixing the plastic plinth, the bearing surface is marked for dowels. When all the holes in the wall or floor are drilled and the plastic dowels are installed, the plank is applied to the installation site, the drilling sites are transferred to it. Then, holes are made according to the marking, and the base is attached to the bearing surface, after which the decorative part of the plinth snaps into place.

How to install a floor plinth that has a fixing bar in its design

Advice: Do not tighten the self-tapping screw a couple of turns with a drill so that the starting bar does not crack from excessive effort. It is better to fix the base tightly by hand, with a screwdriver.

Polyurethane, duropolymer and ceramic skirting boards are attached to the base with special glue or mounting foam. If the walls are even, before attaching the plinth to the floor, you can stick wallpaper, but if the surface has visible defects, then it is first leveled, and only then the plinth is installed. Next, see the secrets of the masters, how to properly install skirting boards, video tips will help you stick the profile in an unusual way, quickly and very carefully.

Features of installing skirting boards made of MDF and wood

The installation of profiles made of wood and MDF is complicated by the fact that these models do not have docking elements, therefore, in addition to a tape measure, pencil, building corner and drill, you will need a special miter box for filing corners and a hacksaw.

It is better to start the installation of a wooden floor plinth from the doorway, from left to right.

Do-it-yourself floor plinth installation, wooden profile installation scheme

First, we cut two profiles under the inner corner. When you are convinced that the joint is even, on one bar we measure the distance to the opening, draw it, and saw it off at a right angle. The second bar, along the long wall, fits entirely so that the joints are invisible and do not spoil the interior of the room after installation; it must be sawn from the other end at an angle of 45 °. All ends are carefully polished. After the parts are fitted, they are attached to the base using self-tapping screws or nails. Fitting and installation of subsequent skirting boards is carried out in the same way. After the skirting boards are installed, the cracks are covered with putty, the surface is polished, then the finish coat can be applied.

Since it is very difficult to install wooden elements without certain skills, we offer you to see how to properly install floor skirting boards, how to fix them, a step-by-step video instruction will help you understand the intricacies of the process.

Installation of plastic plinth

Do-it-yourself installation of plastic skirting boards is much easier than installing wooden counterparts, these models are equipped with corners, plugs, docking elements, so you do not have to saw down the corner. In addition, the profile is equipped with a base that is attached to the wall, and only then a decorative cover is put into the grooves, which has soft edges along the entire length, so it is tightly pressed against the surfaces during installation, and there are no technical holes on the front side.

The fastening of plastic skirting boards begins from the corner along a long wall, so that during installation there are as few scraps as possible. When the wall is marked and drilled, and the dowels are installed, the decorative element is removed from the plinth, the base is applied to the installation site, the marking is transferred to it. Next, an internal corner element is put on the end, and the profile is screwed to the wall with screws. If the walls have smooth curves, then the bar can be easily bent during installation, since the material is very flexible.

Photo-installation instruction, how to nail a plastic baseboard

A docking bar is put on the other end, the next profile is applied and installed. If it is more than necessary, the required distance is measured, 2-3 mm are taken from each side, the profile is cut to size, at an angle of 90 °, the ends are processed with a file or sandpaper. With one end, the plinth is installed in the docking element, a corner is put on the opposite one (external or internal depends on the geometry of your room), after which the base is fixed. When the base is installed around the entire perimeter of the room, a cable is laid in special grooves, after which the upper element is fixed, and plugs are installed near the opening.

Installation of plastic skirting boards does not require sawing at the profile joints at an angle

Advice: In complex and large areas, it is better to lay the cable as the skirting boards are installed, so you do not have to pull it through the cable channel along the entire perimeter.

Success Secrets

We have already found out that the choice of which plane to fix the plinth to depends on the physical and mechanical properties of the base. But for each type of flooring, there are also rules on how to set a profile.

For example, if you decide to lay a laminate or parquet, then the plinth is attached exclusively to the wall. Before fixing the skirting board to the laminate, make sure that there is a technical gap between the flooring and the wall, which is necessary to avoid deformation if the laminate expands during operation. A veneered and wooden plinth is usually installed on a floor made of solid wood, laminate or parquet, if the wall has minor defects, irregularities, it is recommended, in addition to clips, to mount the profile on parquet studs. On floors made of porcelain stoneware or other tiles, it is better to choose skirting boards from the same material for installation, they are attached to the wall with tile adhesive, then the joints are puttied. For attaching skirting boards to self-leveling floors and artificial stone surfaces, there is a special glue that matches the color of the original material very closely.

Properly selected and installed plinth harmoniously fits into the interior

In children's rooms and in rooms with a large glazing area, it is better to install a warm baseboard. For bathrooms, loggias and other rooms with a specific microclimate, PVC profiles that do not absorb moisture are ideal.

We have analyzed several ways how to install a floor plinth, videos and photos in the article explain in stages all the technological nuances of attaching planks of different materials. By and large, the secret to the success of the installation lies in the accuracy of fastening and in the correct choice of skirting boards in shape, material, size and color for different flooring.

Installing a skirting board is the traditional completion of a floor installation or repair. Shaped strips made of plastic, MDF, wood hide technological gaps, unattractive elements, communications if they are laid in special plinth niches. Skirting boards are fastened in different ways to one of two surfaces: either to the floor or to the walls. The choice of the optimal option depends on the type of flooring, on the material from which the plinth is made, on the preferred technology.

Types of skirting boards and features of their fasteners

To complete the flooring, you can now purchase both traditional wood planks and more economical, easy-to-install products made of plastic or MDF.

Plinth made of natural solid wood

Wood goes well with any type of coating, but due to the high cost it is used mainly for finishing parquet, parquet flooring. There are on the market the usual triangular wooden slats of oak, alder, larch, etc. skirting boards. There are products manufactured according to European standards with devices for installing cable wiring. Wooden slats should not be mounted if the walls are poorly aligned.

Important. Before fixing the plinths from the array, their surface must be treated with a decorative and protective composition: varnish, oil, etc.

Wooden plinth with cable channels - European standard

The fastening of the wooden plinth is preceded by sawing the elements according to the dimensions accurately taken on the object:

Skirting boards with MDF base

These are laths covered with laminated film, foil or veneer. In terms of decorative indicators, they are not inferior to products made from valuable wood species, but they are significantly cheaper. MDF is a fragile material, it is not surprising to spoil it with inept hands. Therefore, basically, the MDF floor plinth is fixed to the walls with the help of special hook-shaped brackets, on which the planks are then put on.

For the design of end sections and corners, "corners" and end caps are supplied with the skirting boards. This constructive solution attracts with the ability to easily remove skirting boards and mount them again after repairing the floor.

Plinth made of practical plastic

Durable PVC planks are not afraid of temperature fluctuations, intense wet processing, and the sun's rays. The polymer profile created on the prototype of a wooden plinth is perfect for laying a floor with laminate, carpet, linoleum, but it looks bad in combination with parquet.

To fix the skirting board, the package includes corner pieces and plugs.

Plastic plinth is usually attached to liquid nails, but then it will be very difficult to dismantle it.

PVC slats designed to work with carpet or linoleum are equipped with grooves for fixing the edge of the floor covering. Light strips provide an opportunity to perform a simple and labor-saving fixing of the skirting board on liquid nails. But it will be problematic to dismantle the profile firmly fixed around the perimeter before the next repair.

Among the priorities of plastic strips include the presence of channels for cable wiring, plugs and devices for forming a neat corner. It does not need to be cut and the flexible profile can be pressed tightly against an insufficiently leveled wall.

Where is it better to mount - to the floor or to the wall?

The presence of two perpendicular planes determines two options for fixing the floor plinth. The natural preference would be the simplest and easiest way. The easiest way is to attach this trim element to the surface, which will include fasteners with less labor:

• In houses made of timber with concrete floors and cement screed, it is recommended to prefer fixing the plinth to the wall;
• In houses made of foam concrete and brick with a wooden floor, it is more reasonable to “drive” dowels or nails into it.

In order to fasten the plinth to the floor with a concrete screed, to the foam concrete walls, you will first have to drill holes for plastic dowels with a puncher. The spacing of points for installing fasteners determines the type and degree of unevenness of the base, the geometric parameters of the rails. The most common distance between the fixation points, both the baseboard itself and the strips or clips for mounting plastic rails, is at least 30, maximum 40 cm.

The choice of the plane for fastening depends on the technical characteristics of the base

Attention. On walls finished or just leveled with plaster, on partitions built using drywall, on structures lined with soft finishing stone, on chipboard plates, the plinth will not hold firmly. In such cases, it is recommended to choose the floor as the basis for fixing.

If, for some reason, fixing the skirting board to drywall or chipboard is the only possible option, you need to purchase special self-tapping screws designed to work in this material or zinc-coated finishing nails for fixing.

In general, it is desirable to locate the attachment points on the metal elements of the frame, if it was used as a structural support.

Overview of ways to fix the skirting board

Liquid Nails

The simplest, most efficient, but irrational from the point of view of subsequent alterations, is the use of the “liquid nails” binder. True, for the installation of a veneered fragile baseboard, this is one of the rational methods. The whole technology includes two processes: treated with glue from the rear, fixed on the floor or wall.

Mounting the plinth on "liquid nails" - the method "for centuries"

Clips and straps for fixation

Plinth made of MDF or plastic with internal fixtures for fixing to a carrier bar or to a clip, does not have holes for screws on the surface. The hidden installation method involves attaching only the supporting element to the base, on which the slats are then hung.

To mount the inside of the structure:

• put the first fastening element on the floor 5 cm from the corner, starting from which the installation will be carried out clockwise, press the clip tightly against the wall, mark a place through the hole for drilling holes for the dowels;
• with a step of 50 cm, holes in the wall are marked and then drilled, the diameter of the drill determines the size of the dowels supplied with the rails;
• using the supplied fasteners, devices of a hidden mounting system are mounted;

Clip-on plinth - convenient and practical

Note. For arranging a room with poorly aligned walls, the step of the location of the fastener points must be reduced.

The final installation of skirting boards on clips or strips is done with a simple click.

Mounting method with dowels and screws

Begin installation with markup. The starting point is the corner of the length of the wall. Before marking, the plastic plinth is equipped with a corner accessory. The edge of the wooden lath is sawn off at an angle of 45º.

• To mark the position of the first point from the corner, you need to retreat 5 or 6 cm.
• The skirting board must be firmly pressed against both mating surfaces. Further, a hole is drilled through the marked first point so that a mark from the drill remains on the wall. The thin walls of the plastic skirting board can be pierced with a simple awl for marking.
• The rail is moved away from the wall.
• Holes are formed in the walls or in the floor with a perforator for subsequent hammering of dowels into them.
• Then dowels are mounted, a plinth is applied according to the markings, self-tapping screws are inserted and screwed into the holes on top of the rail attached to the wall.

Fastening with dowels and screws - marking features

Advice. You can not screw a screw into a flexible plastic plinth until the end if a concave segment is obtained as a result of twisting. Loosen the self-tapping screw half a turn. In general, it is not necessary to overly diligently tighten the screws over the plastic rails, cracks may appear from an excess of diligence.

After fastening, the caps of the self-tapping screws and the flaws are masked with primer and a wax pencil

The next steps are the same as the beginning. After installing the elements around the entire perimeter, the caps of the self-tapping screws can be masked with a wax pencil, matched to the color of the baseboard. The defects resulting from sawing off wooden planks can be hidden with a primer.

Reading time: 9 min.

The building materials market is represented by a large number of different decorative elements and finishing materials. An important final "chord" of the arrangement of any room is the fixing of the plinth. The plank, fixed along the length of the room, emphasizes the presentable appearance of the room. It hides all the flaws and cables located at the junction of the wall and flooring. Thanks to modern products with a cable channel around the room, you can spread communications that will be invisible and at the same time always available if necessary. How to attach the baseboard to the floor, be sure to figure out inexperienced builders.

Installation of this product is a simple procedure, so do not rush for help from specialists. You can also attach a plastic skirting board to the floor with your own hands. The corresponding steps, which are indicated in the instructions below, will help to verify this.

Types of skirting boards

Due to the wide demand, the variety of products offered on the market rolls over. On the shelves you can see the following types of products:

• made of plastic;
• made from MDF;
• metal;
• wooden.

How to fix floor skirting boards is a question that has been relevant since these products appeared. When choosing a product, you must consider the type of room. Usually in residential apartments, planks made of plastic and wood are installed. Industrial and office premises are equipped with metal strips. Products from MDF are used less often.

Plastic skirting boards recently conquered the market. Fastening plastic skirting boards to a concrete wall – a very popular and demanded method of installation in residential premises. By attaching such a bar to the wall, you can mask the wires. The variety of colors allows you to match the panel to any wall and floor finish. It is not affected by moisture and sunlight. Due to the presence of corners and latches in the fastening of the plinth, they can aesthetically decorate any room, including bathrooms.

Plastic products are universal and designed for installation with carpet.

All plastic products can be divided according to the type of base:

• hard, but at the same time brittle, products made of foamed PVC;
• hollow, but flexible, rigid PVC products.

Do not confuse a plastic bar with a flexible, roll print, which is made from polyurethane.

MDF skirting board are made from wood. From above, they are finished with an aesthetic layer of veneer, which can be of different colors. MDF plinth, fixed to the wall, is indistinguishable from wooden structures, but the cost is cheaper and this attracts buyers. Although in practice it is less popular due to the fragility of the material. Clips - a way to attach such a plinth. Without sufficient experience, it will be difficult to install.

Wooden plinth It costs much more, but it looks presentable. For its manufacture, larch, alder, oak wood is used. Wood products are an ecological and natural product. To attach a wooden skirting board to the floor, you will need experience and a tool for cutting lamellas.

metal plinth of all the options presented, the most expensive, but most durable. It is mainly installed in rooms that are used as offices. Recently, warm devices that are based on metal structures have become common. And now people have another question: what is better to put warm floors or warm skirting boards? Without some experience, it will be difficult to install it. An accurate calculation and sawing of the material will be required.

Advantages of plastic skirting boards

Due to the excellent consumer properties of this type of product, more and more people choose plastic. It differs:

• low price with great operational capabilities;
• the availability of the purchase of goods in any building market;
• a huge range of colors;
• ease of installation - a set for fixing the plinth is easy to purchase (all parts are sold separately);
• undemanding to additional processing;
• tight fit to uneven surfaces, thanks to rubberized edges and relative flexibility;
• the possibility of installation in buildings with increased humidity;
• unlimited service life;
• undemanding to care;
• ease of cutting and fitting parts.

All of the above characteristics bring this product to a leading position in terms of demand and availability.

Mounting methods

For the most reliable fastening of the plinth to the concrete wall, three installation options are used:

1. Adhesive. This installation option is suitable only in the case of a flat surface. If the wall surfaces are uneven, it is likely that over time the product will move away from the wall. This method is applicable in buildings with 90 degree angles. The advantage of the method is the simplicity and speed of fastening (on liquid nails). This method is applicable for MDF products.
2. Straight (screws, nails). This installation option is suitable for many types of products. The process of fastening plastic skirting boards is carried out using self-tapping screws or ordinary nails. After installation, the attachment points are hidden under special plugs and decorative components. This installation method is effective, practical, inexpensive, but not fast.
3. Latches and brackets. This method is suitable for fastening prints made of MDF material and plastic. It is applicable to the design of any buildings, even with curved walls. This option for fastening products is quite fragile. It is unlikely that it will be possible to re-attach the bar to such fasteners, although the fasteners themselves are strong.

Accessories for fixing the skirting board to the floor

For fastening you will need the following items:

1. Connectors are needed to connect parts.
2. For connection in the corners of the room, external and internal corner connectors are required.
3. When making the ends, right- and left-sided "deaf" plugs are used.
4. Brackets are required to install products with a cable channel to the wall surface.

Calculation of the required amount of material

To proceed with the installation, you need to purchase material and fasteners in accordance with the calculations. A reliable calculation will allow in the future to qualitatively and accurately install the product. To do this, you first need to measure the length of the room in which the installation will be carried out. The door opening is not included in the calculation.

The resulting number is divided by the length of the standard lamella. The result of the division is the number of panels to be purchased. When buying, you need to make a small margin, at least 0.5 meters. In the case of an inaccurate calculation, you can make up for the missing amount by purchasing any components.

Then you need to decide on the number of external and internal corners, right and left plugs. This data is obtained by visual inspection of the room. It is recommended to carry out a miscalculation two or three times, so as not to forget anything. We can say with confidence that there will be two pieces of plugs per doorway.

By dividing the length of the room by 50 cm, the number of dowels and screws is calculated, adding two extra fasteners to each corner. It is advisable to purchase at least a few screws in reserve.

Required Tools

To decorate the premises, you will need the following construction equipment. If it is not at home, then you can order tools from the catalog in the online store:

• Screwdriver, screwdriver with bits for mounting with screws.
• For measurement - tape measure, dowels or screws - for fixing.
• Pencil - for drawing drilling symbols. A felt-tip pen is used on brick and concrete walls.
• For cutting plastic material, a metal file, a construction knife are used. With the help of a grinder, you can cut plastic of any hardness.
• If the product is fastened with nails and dowels, then a hammer is required.
• For drilling technological holes in concrete walls, a drill with perforation and a set of drills is useful.
• You may need a miter box to cut the blanks at an angle.
• Awl - to mark the place of drilling on the plastic.
• If the product is installed with glue, then the glue must be applied with a liquid nail gun or a spatula.

Features of fixing skirting boards of various types

For mounting the product, various fasteners are used. Each fastener corresponds to the material.

Installing a plastic skirting board carried out with the help of glue, mounting clip, self-tapping screws. With the adhesive mounting method, there is no dust, but there is one minus - it is difficult to dismantle, and it is impossible to reuse the bar. Before installation, it is necessary to accurately measure the panels.

The most reliable, but time-consuming is the installation of the product on self-tapping screws. First, on a segment of 50 centimeters, holes are made in the wall, into which, in the future, dowels will be hammered according to the size of the hole. After the bar is applied to the wall and marks are made for drilling. Then, dowels are hammered into the holes in the wall and the plinth is screwed with self-tapping screws.

Advice! When fixing the goods, it is necessary to ensure that under the screws it is not deformed.

If there is no cable channel in the plastic structures, then the self-tapping screws are hidden behind special plugs. If there is a cable channel, the protective strip hides the attachment points for self-tapping screws. Communications are laid (if necessary) in the cable channel - for this you need to remove the decorative bar. Close the cable channel with a decorative strip.

Plastic products are also installed using clips. Installation in this way is possible only with perfectly flat walls.

Installing a plinth made of wood more difficult than the installation of plastic products. The lack of special corners complicates the installation procedure. The connection of the corners occurs in this case butt to butt. With the help of a miter box, the desired part of the bar is cut off.

A wooden product is attached to the floor in the same way as a plastic one, using nails or self-tapping screws placed at a distance of 70–100 mm from each other. After measuring, the screws are first screwed into the bar so that they can hardly be seen from the other side. Then the wall is drilled and dowels are installed; more often than the specified gap, it is not necessary to install fasteners, since the bar is rigid. After applying the product and fix it with self-tapping screws.

Installation of the product on nails carried out in a similar way. Instead of dowels, wooden pins are used here. Fasteners in the form of nails are almost invisible. This technology is only suitable for flat walls, because the nails do not provide sufficient pressing of the panel to the surface. Over time, the bond weakens.

Installation of MDF skirting board It is carried out in two ways: mounting on glue and on self-tapping screws. When mounting the product on the adhesive, the walls must be perfectly even. Installation on self-tapping screws and clips is similar in technology to the installation of wooden planks.

Incorrect installation may damage the bar itself and its fasteners. The work must be done efficiently and without haste.

Installation of plastic plinth

The process of installing a plastic product has already been discussed earlier, but it is worth considering it in more detail:

1. First you need to take measurements, determine the amount of required size of the installed material for installation, the structures themselves, prepare a tool for installation.
2. Then the plinth elements are cut according to the measurements taken.
3. A decorative cover is removed from the cable channel, which will allow you to install the product in the future.
4. The bar is applied to the wall at the installation site to determine the accuracy of measurements. If the dimensions match, the plastic plinth will attach correctly to the concrete wall.
5. Before installation, one inner corner is put on the bar.
6. Then the lamella is applied to the wall and holes are made for the dowel through the plinth.
7. Then a dowel is installed in the hole, and the product is fixed with a self-tapping screw.
8. After that, a second panel is inserted into the previously installed inner corner, and the installation procedure is repeated.
9. The wires are tucked into the cable channel.
10. An outer corner is installed on the edges of the lamella at the junctions of the wall planes, and the panel is fixed again.
11. After completing the fixing of the plastic plinth to the concrete wall and placing the necessary cables, the cable channel is closed with a decorative plug.
12. The seams between the individual elements along the perimeter of the room are connected with a sufficient number of connectors.
13. The final stage is the cleaning of the floor surface in the room where the installation was carried out.

There are cases when the concrete wall is covered with drywall. In this case, installation is simplified. You can attach the plinth to the concrete wall only by screwing screws through it with a screwdriver, without resorting to preparatory drilling of the walls.

Installing a plinth to a stretch ceiling

To make the decoration of the room look harmonious, you should think about masking the junction of the wall and ceiling with the corresponding planks. If you need to fix the ceiling plinth to the stretch ceiling, then see how this is done below.

To fix the ceiling plinth for PVC panels, a special glue is used. There is nothing complicated in this installation method. Glue is applied to the surface of the lamella, and it is pressed against the surface of the wall and ceiling. No connecting elements are used. Planks are adjusted to each other with the help of a miter box.

Plastic ceiling plinths are attached in the same way as the floor plastic plinth.

You can also mount a wooden ceiling plinth to the ceiling. Installation is carried out using a special mastic.

Thanks to the finishing of the ceiling and floor with skirting boards, the repair will look complete.

Foam skirting installation tool:

• stationery knife for cutting material;
• brush for lubricating surfaces with glue;
• simple pencil;
• tape measure and ruler for measurements;
• miter box to form the desired angle of the product;
• rubber spatula;
• sealant for the aesthetic appearance of the final result;
• special glue;
• trim strips.

Plinth in the kitchen

To a greater extent, the installation of slats is required at the junction of the working surface of the kitchen set against the wall. You can attach the skirting board to the countertop using double-sided tape. It is necessary to make an appropriate angle on the surface of the countertop and wall. If the lamella is reinstalled, then another option for attaching the product will do. In this variant, screws are used when attaching the plinth to the countertop. By drilling the plinth, it is attached to the concrete wall.

Liquid nail technology

This mounting option is considered the simplest, fastest, but impractical. During subsequent repairs, when the panel is removed, it will not be possible to install it back. This type of attachment is used only once. There will be traces of liquid nails on the walls and on the plank itself. In addition, when dismantled, it can break.

The installation technology is simple. The plinth on the reverse side is treated with glue and glued to the wall, which must be even. Then it is necessary to press the plinth against the floor and the wall at the same time, applying force in the center of the product. After pressing, it is necessary to hold the plinth for several seconds until the composition grabs and the plinth does not lag behind the wall material.

conclusions

Plastic plinth has several advantages:

1. Available in unlimited colors.
2. During operation does not require special care.
3. Installation is easy even for a beginner.
4. They don't rot.
5. The material is not afraid of water, moisture and ultraviolet radiation.
6. Service life more than 100 years.
7. No additional preparation is required before installation.
8. Flexibility and lightness allow for high-quality installation.

The plinth performs three main functions:

1. Protective. Thanks to this solution, the walls are protected from moisture during cleaning.
2. Decorative. The surface of the floor becomes shaped. In many cases more expressive. Accents in this case are placed at will. Leading can be the floor, wall or the plinth itself, if it is in a contrasting color.
3. Leveling. Hides all defects and roughnesses which were formed in the course of repair.

By attaching a ceiling and floor plinth in a living room, you can emphasize the completeness of the repair work. If you want the installation to be done by a specialist, then in the Internet service you can easily find a large number of organizations that will help you in this matter. On the main page, the contacts of the company will be at your service.

The installation of a floor plastic plinth greatly simplifies the production of components by manufacturers, the use of which allows you to do without cutting the profile at an angle, and the ease with which a plastic plinth can be sawn off with a fine-toothed hacksaw.

Accessories are sold separately. You will need side end caps (left and right end caps are sold as a pair), connectors, and inside and outside corners. With the help of a connecting element, the length of the profile is increased in cases where the wall is longer than the standard length of the plinth. Plugs are installed in places where, for some reason, the profile cannot be laid, and at the junction with doorways.

Advice. Calculate the number of accessories you will need to install the skirting board in the room, and buy with a small margin. Without installation experience, you can damage several elements, and the stock will come in handy. They are inexpensive, you need to choose the color of the profile.

Tool for the job

You do not need a professional tool to install a plastic floor plinth. The process is quite simple, and you will be fine with the tool that you have at home:

• You will need a puncher, you will have to drill concrete or brick walls for dowels. For plasterboard walls, a drill will suffice.
• Screwdriver or screwdriver. Even a small number of dowel screws that need to be screwed in to fix the profile are better to tighten with a screwdriver than with a conventional screwdriver.
• Hacksaw with fine teeth for profile sawing.
• Awl. In the plinth, you will need to make a through hole for the dowel-screw.
• Small hammer.
• Roulette and pencil.
• Building level. It is needed to check the horizontal position of the mounting clips.
• Depending on the chosen method of installing the plinth, you will still need glue or liquid nails, mounting clips, and dowel screws.

Checking the slats

The floor plastic plinth does not need to be kept indoors for 48 hours so that it adapts to humidity and temperature. And laying out all the planks before laying and checking the shade of each is a must. It happens that in one package the profiles have a different shade of the same color. Choose planks of a darker shade and plan to lay them opposite the light source. The difference in shade in this case will not be visible.

Installation Features

Work is recommended to start from the far corner of the longest wall. An inner corner is put on the profile, and the bar is applied to the wall. The bar goes into the corners, plugs and connecting element by 3-5 mm on each side. This must be taken into account during installation.

You can install the profile on glue, provided that the walls in the room are even. Otherwise, there will be problems with the fit of the slats in some places. Glue that is suitable for plastic or liquid nails is applied to the back of the profile, after which it is pressed against the wall. Then you need to follow the manufacturer's instructions - do you need to take a break for a few minutes to let the glue dry a little. Press the profile against the wall with force. Excess glue is removed immediately with a rag or sponge. Remember that this method means it is impossible to further dismantle the profile without damage.

For mounting on mounting clips or dowel-screws on the wall with an indent from the corner of 40-50 mm, a mark is made for the first dowel.

Important! Remember that it is recommended to install the product on clips with flat walls. When installing the clips, you must constantly control that they are in the same line.

A hole is drilled in the wall with a puncher and a plastic dowel is inserted. If necessary, it is slightly knocked out with a hammer. For mounting on clips, the first clip is attached to the wall with a self-tapping screw. For installation on dowel-screws, a hole for a self-tapping screw is made with an awl at the location of the dowel in the plinth. The self-tapping screw is twisted, but in such a way that its cap does not damage the profile.

If the wall is longer than the profile, before the last self-tapping screw is tightened, a connecting element is put on the bar, which is cut to size on the opposite side.

In a profile with a cable channel, the self-tapping screw is screwed through the channel and will be covered with a decorative strip.

In a solid plinth, the head of the self-tapping screw is closed with a decorative cap.

Depending on the condition of the walls, holes for dowels are drilled at intervals of 300-500 mm. If the walls are uneven, it is better to reduce the step. Having drilled all the holes on one wall, immediately remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner, it will be easier and more pleasant for you to work.

The wires are laid in the cable channel. You can do this at any time by simply removing the decorative bar. But if you install a skirting board without a cable channel, and you need to run the wires, they are laid either before the screws are screwed in (in this case they will be under the screws), or after you screw them into the dowels. Leave the distance between the wall and the profile within 10 mm, lay the wires and tighten the screws until they stop. The wires will lie on them. To access the wires, you will need to loosen the screws again. Of course, a plinth with a cable channel is much more convenient.

In the form of a conclusion

The work of laying floor plastic plinths is not a problem for any person who has ever held a drill and a screwdriver in his hands. This is one of the reasons for their popularity. When performing the installation, be careful and careful, and you will make the final beautiful touch in the design of the flooring.