5 tips for choosing and installing a kitchen skirting board for countertops

The kitchen is renovated., dinner table and kitchen set selected. Now the matter is left to the details and the finishing touches, without which the room does not become harmonious and as resistant to splashes, constant exposure to moisture and temperature extremes. One such detail is a kitchen skirting board for countertops. Often it comes complete with a kitchen set, but if you made furniture to order or just decided to refresh an existing set, the question of choice will sooner or later become relevant. We offer you to understand the main types of baguettes for the countertop and decide how to install a kitchen baseboard.

No. 1. Skirting board features

The kitchen skirting board in structure and appearance resembles floor analog. Them cover the joint between the countertop and the wall (kitchen apron) Why is this necessary? For a number of reasons, because the kitchen skirting board takes on a ton of functions:

• protection of the joint between the countertop and the wall from crumbs, splashes and debris. Even if all surfaces are perfectly even, a small gap may remain between the kitchen unit and the wall. In most kitchens, deviations from ideal horizontals and verticals are significant, so gaps can form very noticeable. Debris and moisture particles that will certainly fall into the gap, in favorable kitchen conditions, will quickly become a place of development mold and fungus. Not only is it unhygienic, it will also be terrible;
• chipboard worktops (the ones that are cheaper than everyone else, which is why they have become popular) are very sensitive to moisture. To be more precise, then moisture is harmful to such a countertop, which gets on unprotected butt. If it is hermetically covered with a plinth, then even the cheapest countertop will last quite a long time;
• kitchen baseboard excellent hides all defectsthat are connected with uneven walls. The gaps between the kitchen unit and the wall can be significant, and with uneven walls, the size of the gap can noticeably vary in different parts. The molding will help to accurately hide this flaw;
• correctly selected baseboard decorates the kitchendoes interior more harmonious and complete;
• almost all kitchen skirting boards have place for laying electric cable, and from the fact that at least part of the wires will be masked, the appearance of the kitchen will only benefit.

From all this, it is clear that the kitchen baseboard is an important detail, the choice of which must be given attention.

No. 2. The most important basics of choosing a kitchen skirting board

Most kitchen sets come with a suitable kitchen baseboard. However, not everyone may like the “default” option, and then you will have to choose the molding to your liking. The question of choice will appear before those who made the kitchen to order. To make the kitchen baseboard look as harmonious as possible, with determining its color, material and texture are guided by the following rules:

• selection of the skirting board of the same material and / or color as worktop. For example, stone countertops perfectly complemented by stone skirtings, wooden - wooden, but combinations of different materials are possible. Plastic skirting boards can repeat the pattern of any material, so they can be considered universal;
• selection of the skirting board for the accessories of the kitchen set, sink, railing or other details. If the handles on the facades are made in bronze, then the baseboard of the corresponding color will look harmonious.

When the skirting board is selected together with the kitchen set, you can immediately test several samples of the baguette by attaching them to the kitchen modules and evaluate the compatibility.

No. 3. Kitchen baseboard material

Among the most common options are plastic and aluminum. Also sold are stone, ceramic, wood and MDF skirting boards.

Plastic skirting board

Plastic skirting boards for tabletops are made on the basis of polyvinyl chloride by coextrusion. From the molten mass, you can create a skirting board of any shape and size. The necessary decor is obtained either by staining in bulk, or laminated with a film with imitation of the texture of noble materials. Usually molding Decorate for different varieties of wood and stone. The texture of the baguette may differ: if glossy and matte products, smooth and shagreen.

The main advantages of plastic skirting boards include:

• nice appearance and a wide variety of colors, so there should be no problems with selection - there is an option for any interior and headset;
• affordable price. Plastic molding will cost less than others;
• ease of installation;
• availability of space for wiring;
• high resistance to moisture and chemicals;
• resistance to corrosion and decay;
• elasticity, due to which the plastic baseboard can fit snugly against a slightly uneven wall. This skirting board is also used when working with complex curved shapes.

Not without a fly in the ointment:

• plastic is afraid of high temperatures, so close proximity to hob may be fatal;
• at low temperatures, the plastic becomes brittle and can be easily damaged, so use it in kitchens country houses and other rooms where they live irregularly, it is not recommended;
• not the highest mechanical strength.

Aluminum kitchen baseboard

Looking ahead, we note that this most preferred price-performance ratio. The aluminum skirting board may have a polished, unpolished or embossed surface. Aluminum moldings with replaceable color insert are also produced. The latter is sold in a small roll, glued after mounting the baseboard and, as it becomes dirty, can be removed and replaced with a new one. This colored finish is chosen to match the color of the headset, countertops or other elements.

The main advantages of aluminum skirting boards:

• high mechanical stability;
• heat resistance, so the distance to the stove may be minimal - the baseboard will not be damaged;
• resistance to chemicals, sunshine and moisture;
• simplicity in leaving;
• high durability;
• ease of installation;
• excellent appearance and versatility. The aluminum baseboard will look great with most countertops made of cheap materials, and will also become a harmonious addition to expensive stone countertops.

IN minuses include only the price, but the difference in cost between plastic and aluminum skirting boards is not very significant.

Designers recommend combining an aluminum skirting board for a countertop with the same base plinth - it will look balanced and harmonious.

Skirting board made of other materials

In addition to the most popular plastic and aluminum models, you can also choose a more exclusive baseboard:

• solid wood skirting board will be a beautiful addition to a wooden countertop.Everything will look gorgeous, but not even the most active culinary processes will be accompanied by splashes of water and dirt, which will be detrimental to the wood. If it is impossible to select another material, then the molding will need to be processed very well protective varnishes;
• MDF skirting board slightly more resistant to moisture than wood, but also more fragile. On top of such a baguette can be painted, finished with veneer or thin lamination, so that in terms of appearance and its diversity, there should be no complaints;
• skirting board made of natural or artificial stone It looks gorgeous, has a high resistance to moisture, high temperatures and sunlight. This is a very durable material that is well worth it. Baguette made of natural stone is generally a luxury. Stone skirting boards are mounted vertically, they are as if leaned against the wall. A significant minus is that the wires in such a molding cannot be hidden;
• ceramic skirting board rarely used and suitable for countertops decorated with ceramic tiles. In terms of performance, this is a very good option. Like tiles, it is not afraid of high temperatures, moisture, aggressive chemicals, it is durable and easy to care for.

Number 4. Skirting board shape

The shape of the outer part of the kitchen baseboard can be:

• triangular;
• rectangular;
• flat;
• rounded
• curly

Skirting width choose based on which gap needs to be closed. Moldings are usually sold 3-4 m long, along with all the necessary accessories: plugs, corners and connecting elements.

Plastic and aluminum skirting boards usually consist of two parts.: the base, which is attached to the countertop with self-tapping screws, and the decorative insert, which snaps after mounting the base. Stone and some aluminum strips are available in monolithic form. There are also baseboards, which consist only of a base, in which any decorative material is then fixed. This is convenient if the headset was made to order from some specific material. Typically, one part of the baseboard is equipped with a silicone seal to ensure complete tightness and protect the ends of the furniture from the smallest drops of water.

Three types of skirting boards are distinguished depending on the type of attachment to the countertop.:

• the base (mounting rail) is completely covered by a decorative strip, on which silicone strips for sealing the structure are on top and bottom. The connection of the elements is ensured by special elements on the base and on the rail. Similarly, plastic moldings are usually arranged;
• silicone inserts are located on the mounting rail, and the outer part is just a decorative strip. This design is more reliable and characteristic of aluminum skirting boards, less often - plastic ones;
• The third option is used only in aluminum skirting boards. The base has a small area and is mounted on a countertop, it is also equipped with a silicone strip. The decorative strip is installed on top, it has a special groove in order to expose the upper part of the sealant.

No. 5. How to install a kitchen skirting board?

From the description of the design of the baseboard, it is already clear that installation will be easy - No special skills required. Roughly speaking, the installation boils down to first mounting the mounting rail, and then snap the decorative part.

Despite the fact that the design of the molding may differ (slightly), The installation principle remains unchanged:

• remove the decorative strip from the base;
• measure the length of the countertop or its individual sections (if it is L-, U-shaped or has another complex shape), measure the same distance on the bar and cut it off with a hacksaw for metal. The ends can be cleaned with an abrasive;
• some masters recommend to process the joint of the countertops and walls before installation sealant;
• the base is almost always made of thick durable plastic, which is easy to work with.The pieces of the bar must be attached to the countertop and secured to it with screwdriver and screws. The mounting step is approximately 30 cm. Self-tapping screws can be taken 18-25 mm long with a hat diameter of 3-4.5 mm. Do not forget to fix the corner and connecting elements in time. They, with the help of special grooves, easily snap onto the base strip;
• the decorative strip should be slightly shorter than the length of the countertop so that the installation in the corners is simple and the appearance is as aesthetically pleasing as possible;
• the decorative strip is neatly bent, inserted into the corners and connecting elements and latched onto the base. It is very simple;
• stubs are installed last. To keep them well, you can process them yourself and the ends of the baseboard with silicone, and when it grabs a little, make the installation.

If an aluminum or plastic baseboard is mounted on a stone countertop, it is better to drill holes for self-tapping screws in advance. If stone or ceramic molding is used, then for installation you can use glue "liquid Nails»: You can even choose the appropriate shade to make the result perfect.

Also, do not forget about the electrical wires that can be laid in the mounting rail after it is finally installed and before the decorative part is mounted.

Finally, we note that the usual kitchen skirting board, which many do not pay attention to at all, can become a distinctive element of the decor if LED backlighting is installed in it. In this case, it is better to dwell on products made of translucent plastic, and if you use the backlight also at the bottom of the kitchen facades, it will turn out completely magical.