How to choose a plinth for a stretch ceiling?
To date, suspended ceilings are the most preferred finish. They have an attractive and rich design. With their help, you can make beautiful designs with a plasterboard box.
An important role in the beautiful coating is played by properly chosen baseboards.
What is it needed for?
The ceiling plinth is an important detail, which is an integral part of a beautiful and neat stretch ceiling. Such elements perform several tasks, which distinguishes them from ordinary plugs between the ceiling and the ceiling:
- The moldings perfectly mask the gaps between the tension film or fabric and the surface of the walls.
- Thanks to these elements, the interior looks much neater and more aesthetic, and the ceiling finish itself takes on a complete look.
- With the help of properly selected baseboards, you can emphasize one or another style of the existing interior.
- Using skirtings, you can install additional lighting devices, such as LED strips of different colors.
Special features
Today, in stores there are ceiling baseboards of various colors and design designs. It can be simple options with a concise appearance, and rather original products resembling a luxurious baguette.
Despite their small size and inconspicuous features, these details are the final touches of the interior, so it is better not to leave a stretch ceiling without them.
The peculiarity of ceiling baseboards is their flexible structure. Usually, These parts are made of lightweight and pliable materials - PVC, polystyrene and polyurethane foam. Slightly less common are “hard” versions of wood or plaster. They are suitable in cases where the walls in the room are made of timber.
Fans of luxurious and pompous interiors will surely like beautiful skirtings with stucco. Such specimens enjoy enviable popularity, as they have an expensive appearance, suitable for eclectic and fancy interiors. However, plinths with stucco differ complex installation.
Another feature of the ceiling plinths is their ability to hide small irregularities of the bases. That is why these elements should be different flexibility, otherwise many defects with their help can not be hidden.
A distinctive feature of the slats for suspended ceilings is their low weight. They should not be heavy. Otherwise, these parts will not reliably stick to the surface of the floors to which they are attached.
Skirting boards are multifunctional. They not only visually align the surfaces of the bases and make the interior complete, but also allow the installation of unobtrusive lighting fixtures. As a rule, for this selected popular LED strip, which can make the situation much more comfortable and hospitable.
It is worth noting that these important elements differ not only in style and color, but also in form. For example, it can be round and curvilinear copies. Such products are ideal for premises of non-standard planning.
Most often, the baseboards of such unusual shapes are made of more flexible and flexible materials that are not afraid of bends.
Kinds
There are several varieties of ceiling fillets, which have their own distinctive characteristics. Let us consider in more detail the most attractive and stylish options.
For hidden backlighting
With the help of such a beautiful border you can create an interesting effect of a raised ceiling. Using a similar design technique, the interior will be able to give a touch of lightness and airiness.
In addition, baseboards with hidden illumination make the room more attractive, as they provide it with additional volume, if you use LED strips of suitable colors.
Tape with LED bulbs in the inner part of the baseboards. Usually, they have a special "shelf" for such purposes. Moreover, the part of the curb facing the ceiling is often supplemented with a foil consisting of a special reflective material. This detail enhances the lighting and also gives it a unique depth.
These volumetric strips have additional space for mounting spotlights. If you did not find a suitable option for lighting in the store, then it is permissible to fix a simple curb.It must be installed below the mounting tensioning fabric.
However, it is worth considering that the molding should have an appropriate width for the future installation of the LED strip.
Curvilinear
As mentioned above, curvilinear curbs are great solutions if the layout of your home is far from the standard. In addition, they can be used if your ceiling is multi-level, because in such cases, typical plinth will absolutely not work.
Curvilinear options are more flexible. However, such items are much more expensive than standard items. You should not look for a high-quality and inexpensive alternative to such curbs, since it simply does not exist.
With patterns
In search of interesting and beautiful options, you should pay attention to the original baseboards with patterns. Such details will serve as a bright accent of the interior. They can be used in various stylistic directions: from elegant modern to fancy baroque or rococo.
Baguettes with three-dimensional patterns look much more interesting and brighter than typical smooth versions.They differ from traditional baseboards in a more complex installation.
Microplintus
If the walls in the room are perfectly smooth, then the stretch ceiling can be supplemented with special micro plinths. Such parts are suitable for hiding ugly mounting seams, which are located around the perimeter of the available area.
Micro plinths can be easily installed and just as easily dismantled. These options are inexpensive and also have small sizes.
If you want to focus on the ceiling, then these elements fit hardly. For these purposes it is better to use baguette or curvilinear borders.
Different baseboards and types of attachment. Exist:
- harpoon (best);
- staple;
- wedge fasteners.
Materials
Borders for tensioning cloths differ not only in their structure and design, but also in the raw materials from which they are made. Today in stores there are different types of baseboards. Let us consider in more detail the characteristics of the most common varieties.
Styrofoam
If you want to save on the purchase of moldings for suspended ceilings, the foam options - this is what you need.Such products are installed very easily and quickly. Even an inexperienced home master, who has never come across anything like this, can easily cope with this work.
It is worth noting the ease of moldings of foam, which significantly facilitates their installation.
However, do not forget that These baseboards are very fragile, so you need to work with them very carefully. Breaking such a detail is not difficult, and it is unlikely to be repaired.
Handle foam plinths with the utmost care, especially when it comes to strips with a narrow section. These options can not be dropped, kinked or glued to the walls without marking clear marks.
The last rule of installation is explained by the fact that after the direct installation, it will be very difficult to peel off the foam part. As a rule, at such moments moldings just break without the possibility of recovery.
It is worth considering the fact that such a material as foam melts upon contact with chemical agents. That is why To fix it on the walls, special glue should be purchased, from which the molding will not suffer..
As a rule, white foam skirtings are found in stores, but you can find more original copies of pastel shades. For example, it can be pale pink, light green, light blue or sandy.
It is not necessary to look for a specific shade in the retail outlets - it is easier to get a simple white version and paint it in the color you want. For this it is recommended to use high-quality acrylic paint.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane plinth surpasses foam or plastic options in many ways. Products made of polyurethane have a flexible structure that does not affect their strength characteristics. Such options can be safely addressed even if the walls in the room have an uneven surface or noticeable flaws in plastering.
It is worth noting that the characteristics of the density and flexibility of polyurethane in different instances vary from the parameters of rubber products to the technical parameters of rigid plastics. Flexible plinths made of polyurethane are also permissible to use in cases when it comes to designs of non-standard forms.For example, it can be elegant rounded or curved base.
Beautiful baguettes made of polyurethane in their developments are used by many home interior designers.
With these skirtings, you can effectively decorate the situation and draw attention to the stretch ceiling. In addition, framing copies are excellent solutions for zoning space or complement wall niches.
Polyurethane moldings are distinguished by their diversity. In stores there are both narrow and wide options, consisting of several tiers (2-3, as a rule). The surfaces of polyurethane fillets are not only smooth, but also decorated with embossed ornaments of various subjects.
One point should be taken into account: if the stretch ceiling is decorated with multi-colored inserts or is distinguished by a complex combined design, then it is desirable to use plain and simple baseboards that emphasize the beauty and elegance of the patterns.
Despite the practicality and reliability of polyurethane, it has its own weaknesses:
- The first thing to note is the high cost of polyurethane baseboards.They are much more expensive than plastic or foam copies.
- Polyurethane foam moldings are heavier, so they are not recommended to be attached to unreliable bases. So, on the wallpaper, these elements will not hold very tightly, and after a while they may fall off altogether.
- PVC or polystyrene strips can be glued to the floors, finished with flizelin or vinyl, and polyurethane products can only be fixed on the surface of the floors. The most reliable and durable fasteners in this case are special guides.
Polyvinyl chloride
Trims of this material are an excellent alternative to foam products. They are inexpensive, have a strong, but inelastic structure.. Experts recommend using similar parts in the decoration of stretch ceilings that have a square or rectangular shape. This is because the moldings of polyvinyl chloride can not be subjected to bending, because of this they can break.
Today in stores you can find baseboards of this material, differing in different widths and colors. The most popular and attractive products areimitating metal or wood. Surfaces with similar imitations are achieved by applying special paint coatings.
If you use simple white PVC baseboards in the interior, over time you may be upset by the appearance of yellowness on them. Such defects most often occur in the event that moldings are installed in the kitchen or in places of direct sunlight.
Polyvinyl chloride also is a rather fragile material, so with such details you need to be careful, especially in the process of cutting. For this, it is recommended to use an ordinary stationery (or construction) knife. If the treatment requires a wide part, then it is worth cutting it with a hacksaw.
Elements made of PVC plastic have many differences from models of foam or polyurethane. They have a smaller volume, as they are made in a completely different way. Plastic strips are laid so that a triangular box is formed, in which the two sides and the tab play the role of fixatives, and the third facet is decorative. In the middle, such structures have a hollow space, therefore they have a small weight.
The main advantages of such plinths are reasonable price and ease of installation. However, in contrast to the advantages, there is one significant disadvantage: PVC moldings cannot boast of a presentable design. Initially, they look concise and neat, but over time, an ugly yellowness appears on their surface, which adversely affects the external attractiveness of products.
Plastic baseboards are most often used in the decoration of rooms in country houses or offices. For decorating living rooms, they are poorly suited.
Rubber
Rubber moldings that contain rubber are the softest options that are great for adding a stretch ceiling. Similar products can be used for both standard and curvilinear and rounded bases, as they are distinguished by a flexible structure.
They contain silicone components, so they are quite pliable and plastic.
Polystyrene
Products made from polystyrene are flexible and durable. They represent the middle ground between the foam and polyurethane options.Such designs can be used in the design of rooms with non-standard walls. For example, it may be rounded surfaces. Due to its elasticity, polystyrene specimens are easily adjusted to such bases.
Wood
If you want to choose a luxurious and solid baseboard, then you should look at wood products. Of course, the cost of such copies is very high, but they look elegant, and also give the interior a special style.
Rich wooden baguettes are great for ensembles in classical or neo-classical styles. In such interiors is not recommended to use cheap strips made of plastic or foam, as they can ruin the whole situation and significantly reduce the price of it.
Design
Many owners underestimate the role of the ceiling plinths in the design of a harmonious interior. But it is precisely these inconspicuous details that often perform the function of the finishing touch, emphasizing this or that style of furnishings.
Classic
So, in classic interiors, you can use elegant baseboards with embossed patterns or luxurious moldings with moldings. Such details will look great in a single tandem with matte stretch ceilings.that are perfect for classic or neo-classic furnishings.
As for the colors of the details, it can be both discreet and luxurious. For example, it is permissible to use concise white versions that easily fit into the classic interior, made in any shades. And you can turn to the artsy options with gold or imitation bronze.
For classic interiors, the most successful are the baseboards of wood. Such products look very solid and expensive, but, as a rule, have impressive weight. Wood moldings should be purchased only if the walls in your home are sufficiently reliable and durable.
Modernity
The situation is simpler with the selection of baseboards for modern stylistic trends. In such interiors, you can use simple designs that have concise smooth surfaces, devoid of stucco and elegant patterns.
Such products can be accessed in the interior design in the style of hi-tech or minimalism.
Country music
Wooden skirting boards should be used in the decoration of the decor in country style. In such interiors, wood is a key raw material, without which you just can not do. Moreover, the material can be not only carefully polished, but also slightly rough.
Fanciful directions
If we are talking about the pretentious style of the interior, then it should pick up expensive baseboards made of quality materials. It can be a beautiful polyurethane plank, decorated with stucco and rich relief ornaments, or an expensive construction made of natural wood with carved details.
In no case in such ensembles can not install instances of plastic or foam, as they will stand out from the general image of the room, cheapening it.
Which to choose?
Choose a plinth for a stretch ceiling should be based on the following important criteria.
- Purpose of the room. So, for the kitchen is to pick up products from materials that are easy to clean and are not afraid of moisture. It can be inexpensive PVC or more expensive polyurethane.
- Types of Mounts. If the mounting of the molding is originally provided for by the design of the mounting profile, then it is better to give preference to this option.Most often, these types of baseboards are sold complete with a common tensioning system. A product of polyurethane (otherwise it is called "insert") is also often included in the order when buying a stretch ceiling.
- Interior Design. Select the ceiling plinth, in accordance with the style and color scheme of the interior. For example, spectacular decorative items are more suitable for a classic setting, and for modern trends you can purchase a laconic model with a smooth surface. If there are columns in the room or the ceiling has curved bends, then you should purchase a quality version of polyurethane.
- Weight. Pay attention to the weight of the plinth. It should be light (an exception may be a product of wood).
Installation Tips
In order for a decorative plinth to be firmly fixed on the base, the following recommendations should be followed.
- The wall should be cleaned from dust or dirt.
- Before installing the baseboard can be painted. To do this, it is not recommended to use latex paints, since they may turn black under the conditions of temperature drops.
- If you want to glue wallpapers on the walls, it is better to apply them after the baseboards are installed, since they will be safer on the ceiling (without finishing).
- If the wall is painted with water-based paint, then this process should be completed before the installation of the plinth. The main thing is to wait for the complete drying of the coloring mixture.
- Instead of the usual plinth, you can use a special lath that closes the gap between the wall and the ceiling. To fix it, you do not need to use glue or silicone.
- Do all the work carefully so as not to damage the fragile baseboards.
From the following video you will learn how to attach the baseboard to a stretch ceiling.
Successful examples and options
White skirtings with 2-3 tiers (steps) will look spectacular with walls and ceilings of different color. For example, it may be a white matt ceiling with spotlights and burgundy walls.
Luxurious carved or patterned trims will be the perfect complement to the pretentious interior in white tones. They can be supplemented with golden paint to give a more expensive image.
Baseboards, the color of which contrasts with the ceiling - this is a bold decision, which is especially common in modern styles. Fashionable and progressive will look tandem black moldings and white stretch fabric.