Varieties of ceiling plinths by type of material, shape, size, their advantages and disadvantages, simple tips for the selection and use of fillets. Ceiling skirting boards are usually the last thing to think about when renovating. And in vain, because it is the details that give the interior a complete look and add their own "zest" to it. The selection of fillets must be taken seriously so that they not only look aesthetically pleasing on the ceiling, but also cope with their tasks: they mask the joint with the wall with high quality, visually expand the room or make it visually higher.
Classification of ceiling plinths by type of material
For the manufacture of ceiling plinths, natural and synthetic materials of different qualities are used, which affects their cost and performance.
Wooden ceiling plinths
Such baguettes are usually used in classic interiors because they have an aesthetic, spectacular and solemn look. The cost of skirting boards depends on the type of wood. The most expensive models are considered to be cherry, ash, walnut, oak, mahogany, especially if the fillet has decorative carvings. But products from conifers (spruce, pine) are cheaper.
The advantages of such fillets are ecological cleanliness and presentability.
The disadvantages of a wooden ceiling plinth include:
- Exposure to external influences … These are insects, mold, fungus. To level the damage, wood can be impregnated with special antiseptic and even fire-fighting compounds.
- Insufficient plasticity … The products are not suitable for installation in curved areas.
- Complexity in processing … All measurements must be made as accurately as possible, the angles must be measured several times and adjusted with a file to minimize gaps. Otherwise, the formed cracks, covered with putty, will stand out strongly.
Gypsum ceiling plinths
Traditionally, such fillets adorn ceilings in museums and theaters. Recently, it has been fashionable to use them in modern semi-antique designs. Luxurious and graceful custom-made plaster moldings can decorate even rooms with uneven geometry, while store models are suitable only for flat walls. Plaster moldings are durable and sustainable.
Disadvantages include heavy weight and fragile structure. Plaster fillets will cost less than wooden fillets, but more expensive than their synthetic counterparts.
Polyurethane ceiling skirting boards
This synthetic material molding has many advantages:
- It is made in different shapes and colors.
- It suits almost any interior.
- For additional decoration to such fillets, you can purchase rosettes, consoles, columns, creating a magnificent antique design.
- Polyurethane ceiling plinth is durable, lightweight, flexible (because it contains rubber).
- It is resistant to temperature extremes and high humidity. Thanks to this, it can be safely installed in rooms with a high level of humidity (bathroom, kitchen, swimming pool).
- If desired, the polyurethane baguette can be painted in any color.
Among the disadvantages are:
- High cost (compared to other synthetic materials).
- Soft structure, which does not affect the period of operation, but complicates installation. If you press firmly with your finger, the product can be deformed.
In general, among synthetic baguettes, this is the most suitable option.
Styrofoam ceiling skirting boards
Such a baguette is considered to be of average quality between foam and polyurethane, because it has the advantages and disadvantages of both materials.
Such a plinth has its advantages: a clearly pronounced contour of the pattern, a large assortment of reliefs, shapes and colors, relative cheapness, low weight, aesthetic appearance, visual similarity with gypsum counterparts after painting, moisture resistance, resistance to decay, improving the sound insulation characteristics of the ceiling.
In addition, polystyrene fillets do not attract insects, and quality products contain isobutane, which does not deplete the ozone layer.
However, there are significant disadvantages:
- Products are not resistant to chemical and mechanical stress.
- Hardness and fragility.
- Due to their lack of strength and flexibility, they cannot be used for installation in curved sections.
- Compulsory painting is required, as skirting boards turn yellow quickly.
An important point! For painting and gluing such baguettes, you should choose compositions that do not contain solvents, since they can ruin the product itself.
PVC ceiling skirting boards
These products have the following advantages:
- Available in a wide range of colors, shapes and textures.
- Models are made that imitate natural materials (solid wood, marble).
- They are practical and therefore easy to care for. In particular, it is sufficient to wipe with a damp sponge for cleaning.
- Due to the hygroscopicity, PVC products are often used when decorating a bathroom, kitchen, and corridor.
Most often they are installed in rooms, the walls or ceiling of which are finished with plastic panels. In this case, the fillets are fixed directly at the junction.
The disadvantages are:
- Budget view, which significantly limits the possibility of using them in different styles.
- They are installed very simply, but only on flat walls, since they are completely non-plastic.
- Poor tolerance to temperature changes. At elevated temperatures, the plastic darkens and deforms, and at low temperatures, it crumbles.
- Impossibility of staining.
The PVC skirting board is cheap, but it looks the same. The product can be purchased in a collapsible form with an additional fastening strip.
Foam ceiling skirting boards
The cheapest models. They are most often damaged by mechanical and chemical stress. Styrofoam ceiling skirting board is easy to attach, lightweight, does not rot and does not attract insects.
However, it is flammable and emits poisonous vapors when burning. After installation, such a fillet must be painted to give strength and hide the relief of the domain structure. Caring for a baguette is also inconvenient due to the softness of the material.
Varieties of ceiling plinths by size
There are several types of ceiling plinths in width:
- Narrow … Their width ranges from one to five centimeters. Suitable for low rooms. In addition, they are used to decorate walls and niches.
- Average … Most often they are used for finishing ceilings, with a height of 2.5 to 2.7 meters.
- Wide … Fillets with a width of 16 to 35 cm are used to decorate overall rooms, the height of which is from three meters.
The standard sizes of the ceiling plinth are 1, 2, 1, 5, 2, 0 meters in length.
Types of skirting boards by shape
Depending on the relief and coating, there are three types of fillets: injection, extruded and laminated. They differ in the manufacturing method, and, accordingly, in the type of surface, and in some operational properties.
In the production of injection fillets, the method of sintering raw materials in special forms under a press is used. In this case, the granules are not destroyed.
Extruded molding is made of synthetic materials (polyurethane, polystyrene, PVC), which are pre-foamed by extrusion. The ceiling molding is light, practical and embossed (with an oblong groove).
In production, three methods are used:
- Foaming inward … Raw materials are melted to a porous structure and filled in a special form. Then it cools and becomes denser, after which it goes through a calibration procedure with smoothing. This technique is used to create original reliefs and complex profiles. Most often, polyurethane and polystyrene are processed in this way.
- Free foaming … Raw materials are placed in a special calibrator, where foaming and solidification occurs. Therefore, it turns out smoother and harder. This method is used to make simple polyvinyl chloride baguettes.
- Combined method … In this case, the raw material is foamed in separate sections, and therefore convex sections are formed on the profile.
As for the laminated models, they have a smooth texture due to the application of a special composition to the front part.
Recommendations for the selection of ceiling plinths
First, decide on the purpose of the skirting board. Traditionally, it is fixed at the junction of walls and ceiling, but there are also more original design solutions:
- Fixation at a distance of 30 cm from the ceiling covering with LED lighting installation.
- Bottom panel trim. In this case, the plinth acts as a kind of border.
- Decoration of niches or separate zones. By attaching fillets to the wall in the form of a square or diamond, you can select an area for photographs or panels.
To choose the right model for the room, you need to take into account many parameters. First of all, the width of the ceiling plinth is taken into account. In this regard, a few tips:
- The wide fillet visually smoothes the corners, giving the room a more rounded appearance.
- In order to well mask the unevenness and differences at the joints between the walls and the ceiling, it is better to use wider baguettes. The narrow ones do not cope with this task in full.
- A wide ceiling plinth is the best option for masking the gap that forms when installing tension or suspended structures.
- The larger the ceiling area the profile occupies, the smaller the room appears.
- For finishing compact rooms with low ceilings, a fillet with a width of 3.5 cm is most suitable.
The color of the molding plays an important role. To correctly "fit" the product into the interior, consider the following features:
- White moldings and white ceilings visually increase the height of the space, and therefore this is the best option for decorating rooms with a height of up to 2.5 meters.
- To make a high and overall room more comfortable, the colors of the walls and ceiling molding should be dark. In classic interiors, you can perfectly emphasize the style with chocolate shades.
- Do not combine more than three primary colors in your interior. The fillet should be in harmony with the color of the ceiling or walls. You can also choose a contrasting model, but in this case it should "overlap" with other decorative details.
Ceiling skirting boards come in a variety of shapes. You can purchase a product with a complex, fanciful pattern, but note that it is more difficult to fit during installation. At the same time, simple baguettes are considered universal and classic.
If you plan to do it yourself, then pick up the right tool right away. For wooden models, a hacksaw with large teeth is suitable, and for plaster and polyurethane models - with small ones. Styrofoam can be cut with a sharp clerical knife.
As for the adhesive composition, its selection depends on the type of baguette. Gypsum and polyurethane products are usually fixed on a finishing putty, and polystyrene and polystyrene foam - on a solvent-free polymer glue. Wooden fillets are screwed with self-tapping screws, deepening the caps into the base and then puttying them with a monochromatic composition.
Don't forget about quality. The baguette should be flat, without deformations, with a uniform pattern and a uniform texture. If the product crumbles, emits an unpleasant odor, has traces of mechanical or chemical action, then you should not purchase it. Check the product certification and vendor license to avoid buying a fake. What are the ceiling plinths - look at the video:
Today the market offers a variety of options for fillets of different sizes, shapes, colors, textures and quality. Before choosing a skirting board, consider your budget, room height and room interior design. To make it easier to understand, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the main varieties of baguettes before buying, compare the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
