MDF

Role of baseboard in interior design

It is impossible to imagine modern renovation without baseboards. They are thin and rigid (sometimes flexible) bars. They are usually used in the finishing decoration of the floor space. There are a huge number of different models on the market for related products.

The finishing touch to your floor is important to create a harmonious interior. Manufacturers of parquet and laminate flooring often create branded baseboards that are perfectly combined with floor coverings from their own collections. But it’s quite easy to find a versatile piece that fits into most design projects.

For example, an MDF baseboard is an affordable, perfect and up-to-date solution for framing laminate flooring, parquet boards, for finishing trim of walls, which are covered with MDF-based panels. In addition to the aesthetic appearance, the product has a direct functional purpose:

• it covers the gaps formed at the junction of the floor and the wall during the installation of parquet;
• it hides extra cables and wires;
• it masks the unevenness of your walls and the floor near the joint by closing the compensation hole between these structural elements;
• it provides the color harmony between flooring, wall, furniture and your door.

If your baseboard has chamfers and relief, you can make a harmonious transition to artistic parquet or to the wall relief with its help. In some cases, it is combined with the design of flooring and other surfaces, and it creates a contrast with them in the others.

Kinds of baseboard

The range of skirting boards is impressive. These products are classified according to several criteria:

1. There are universal profiles (used in residential and commercial construction), flexible ones (for rooms of complex shapes, or decorating the base of arches), frame ones (they allow you to form a decorative strip from a finishing material for the floor).
2. There are small models with a height of no more than 40 mm, standard ones with a size of up to 70 mm on the front side and high profiles with a maximum useful width of 150 mm.
3. There are profiled products, modern straight planks and classic shaped dumbbells.
4. Method of fixation. There are products that need to be installed using ordinary self-tapping screws (dowel nails are also suitable), strips with a self-adhesive strip, as well as models glued with “liquid nails” (strong glue will do too), moldings that are mounted on original fasteners.

Another common classification of home depot baseboards is based on the raw materials used during manufacture. Planks for decorating the floor are made of PVC, MDF, wood, polyurethane and metal.

The largest group of products is made of plastic. Such products go well with almost all types of flooring materials: from laminate to ceramic tiles. They are durable and water-resistant, and that’s why they are used in bedrooms, bathrooms, offices, on open balconies and terraces. PVC skirting boards can be rigid, flexible, white or colored.

High-density MDF products are suitable for laminate and parquet. Its front side can be shaped, smooth or profiled.

Wooden profiles are made from solid wood of valuable species, including oak, beech, and ash. Their surface can be cleared or treated with varnish or oil.

Features of crown molding

To hide the curvature of your ceiling and wall joints as much as possible, it is recommended to use the so-called crown molding. However, it’s very difficult to use in attic-type rooms, especially if their joint angle is above 90°. Then it is better to use a flat (wall) profile.

Such a finishing material not only allows you to hide the curves of the joints of structural elements, but also to give meaning and completeness to any design solution. With its help, you can visually change the height of your ceilings, as well as transform the appearance of your room completely. The ceiling baseboard has many different names: baguette, frieze, curb, or balustrade.

If your room is non-standard (it has protrusions or rounded shapes), it is better to use a flexible baseboard for your ceiling. It is characterized by its high elasticity, strength, resistance to temperature changes, and the possibility of using it in the design of swimming pools and baths.

This type of baseboard home depot is made of wood, plaster, aluminum, foam, or polyurethane. Wooden options look rich and luxurious, especially if they are handmade. Aluminum ones are decorative, they are also used to fix stretch ceilings.

Installation

You need to strictly adhere to the rules during the installation of molding. Incorrect installation may damage the product itself or the mount. Use only suitable tools and accessories. You will definitely need:

• perforator;
• hacksaw for wood;
• putty knife;
• screwdriver;
• roulette;
• level;
• knife with replaceable blades.

The stages of work may vary depending on the type of your skirting board. If you use it for a ceiling, it must be painted before installation. It is recommended to fix the cornices for the ceiling before the mill work is done. When installing a plastic product, you should use fastenings on the back side. A carrier strip or clips are attached to the wall. The upper decorative part is inserted into the slot of the fastener. Models made of MDF are attached to a flat wall with special hook-shaped brackets.