All about polyurethane skirting boards

Skirting boards are protective panels that hide the distance between the wall and the floor. They are made from different materials, they can have different sizes and designs. The product also serves as a decorative function - it complements and transforms the interior of the room. When finishing, polyurethane floor skirting boards have gained particular popularity. Consider their advantages and disadvantages, design and installation rules.

Polyurethane is a material characterized by increased resistance to various influences. It does not change its performance and does not deform at high temperatures or humidity. Polyurethane does not absorb odors and is easy to clean from various contaminants.

There are other advantages to polyurethane skirting boards.

1. Flexibility. Due to its elasticity, the panel fits snugly against curved walls without creating gaps.
2. Easy installation. Polyurethane skirting boards are well cut, drilled and amenable to other types of processing - this greatly facilitates and speeds up the process of their installation. Installation does not require special knowledge, skills or the use of specialized equipment.
3. A wide range of profiles in various colors and shapes. In terms of the number of colors, polyurethane strips are significantly superior to metal, cork or wood products. There are also options for painting on sale - in this case, you can give the strips any color, implementing any design idea.
4. Environmental Safety. No toxic substances are used in the production of such skirting boards.
5. Combination with all types of floor coverings. Polyurethane skirting boards are suitable for parquet, linoleum, laminate or carpet.
6. Durability. Subject to the rules of operation, the skirting boards will retain their decorative and original appearance for 5-15 years.

Polyurethane withstands careless kicks, it is easy to clean, it can be polished or painted with various dyes an unlimited number of times. However, like other decorative products, such skirting boards also have disadvantages. These include heavy weight and the possibility of damage to the product due to improper cutting. Some consumers find that polyurethane trims are expensive. The price for such products is low, but when compared with plinths made of plastic or foam, it becomes obvious that the latter will cost 1.5-2 times cheaper.

Domestic and foreign manufacturers offer several varieties of polyurethane skirting boards. They have different design and operational features.

1. Increased flexibility. They are indispensable for finishing rounded corners or columns. Such panels are also called radius panels.
2. Self-adhesive. The back surface of such products is treated with a special adhesive, protected by a thin film. When installing the panels, the shell is removed, the plinth is securely attached to the wall surface. These solutions are mainly used for finishing ceilings.
3. Hidden. These models are designed to be installed in line with the wall surface. They perfectly hide the joints and are able to fit perfectly into any interior and room style. Such skirting boards do not accumulate dust behind them - this is one of their main advantages.
4. Connected. Thanks to their special design, they allow linoleum or other elastic cladding to be installed on the wall.

Polyurethane skirting boards can transform and complement any interior. There are many variations in the execution of such products - manufacturers offer models in any colors and stylistic solutions. Correctly selected planks are able to fit into both modern and classic interior styles.

Skirting boards are:

• multi-colored - from white and delicate pastel tones to bright and dark;
• smooth;
• with one or more edges;
• with embossed patterns and ornaments;
• imitating stucco molding.

Manufacturers offer polyurethane skirting boards in various sizes. Standard heights are from 4 to 7 cm and lengths are 2-2.5 m. However, there are also non-standard variations on sale. They come in larger or smaller sizes than traditional panels.

For typical apartments with 2.7 m ceilings, products from 5 to 7 cm in height with a width of 23 mm are most often chosen. As a rule, they have a built-in cable channel. Non-standard plank lengths - 1.2 and 3 meters.

In order for the interior decoration to be in harmony with each other, it is important to take seriously its selection. Skirting boards are no exception. When choosing them, it is important to pay attention to colors, sizes and other parameters.

When choosing the color of the skirting board, it is important to take into account the design of the floors, the texture and tone of the wall decoration, the design and color of the door leaves. You can use contrasting strips, but in this case it will be much more difficult to decorate the room with taste. In order not to miscalculate, designers are advised to give preference to skirting boards 2 tones lighter or darker than the floor cladding. And also a good solution would be to select skirting boards of the same color as the floor finish.

Interesting interiors in which the skirting boards become a continuation of the walls. However, in this case, it is worth considering that the surfaces must be painted or covered with plaster. Designers do not recommend combining wallpaper with patterns with floral polyurethane strips. You can match the tone of the planks to the color of the door trims.

The dimensions of the panels should be selected taking into account the dimensions of the room and the height of the ceilings. For small rooms, it is unacceptable to use wide and high planks (from 8 cm and above). In this case, they will visually make the space heavier, it will seem even smaller and lower. For small spaces with a standard ceiling height of 2.7 m, small skirting boards (up to 5 cm) are best suited. With their help, you can "outline" the perimeter of the room and save space.

First of all, you need to calculate the material. To do this, using a tape measure, the perimeter of the room is determined, the resulting value is divided by the length of 1 plinth. Products must be taken with a 10% margin, taking into account the cost of trimming. You can fix the strips with a special adhesive for polyurethane, as well as using self-tapping screws or nails. They are camouflaged with the help of special decorative overlays sold in the same hardware stores as the skirting boards.

For installation, you will also need a clerical cutter, a miter saw or a small hacksaw for metal. After purchasing everything you need, you can start installing the panels.

Before installing the skirting boards, make sure the wall and floor surfaces are clean and dry. It is important that by the beginning of work the finishing of the walls and floor is fully completed.

In order to accurately and evenly place the skirting boards, you need to make a preliminary marking. To do this, attach the plank to the corner of the wall and make notes around the edges. The same manipulation is performed with the adjacent wall. The crossed lines will indicate the desired cut angle. In most cases, it is 90 degrees. However, there are also uneven walls that require individual adjustment.

After marking, the corners are trimmed. For these purposes, you can use a miter box (template). With its help, you can observe the angle with maximum accuracy and make a neat cut.

One of the fastest and most common ways to fix polyurethane skirting boards is by gluing them. The adhesive used must not contain solvents. Adhesives based on them contribute to the formation of cracks at the joints of the panels. In addition, the adhesive should not leave marks when it hits the floor or skirting board.

It is necessary to install the planks from one of the corners of the room. To fix it, you need to apply glue to the grooves of the planks, paying special attention to the brushed edges. Next, you need to press the element against the wall and do not let go until the composition "grabs" with the surface. Manufacturers indicate the exact time in the instructions for the glue. To hold the plinth, if necessary, you can use the tools at hand.

Due to the unevenness of the walls, after fixation, the skirting board can be detected from the surface - in this case, it is recommended to eliminate the defect by using a stud. After the glue has completely dried, the carnation is removed, and the hole left from it is removed with the help of putty and painting.

After the performed manipulations, the traces of glue should be removed with a spatula and a wet sponge. If gaps are formed, they must be sealed with a transparent sealant. Then you can start decorative painting the baseboards.

To give the product a shade, paints based on acrylic or latex are used. They are applied from a spray bottle. It is recommended to paint the skirting boards before installing them. Otherwise, there are great risks of damage to the wall decoration. If, nevertheless, there is a need to repaint the planks, you must first seal the walls with masking tape.

Polyurethane skirting boards can be painted in bright, calm or neutral colors, decorated with bronze, gold or silver composition.

The plinth is an important and irreplaceable decorative item. With its help, you can hide various defects formed in the process of wallpapering, as well as make the interior more interesting and original. The examples below illustrate how elegantly you can decorate a room using polyurethane skirting boards.

You can find out how to install a polyurethane skirting board with your own hands from the video below.