Why do you need a skirting board for a bath?
Skirting boards for bathrooms are needed at the joints between the wall and the bathroom, the wall and the washbasin. Options for floor and ceiling play a more decorative role. Although, the former can help with the bay by preventing water from entering the neighboring apartment below.
We will consider different options for this part and see how the skirting board should look, how to choose the most suitable material, how to install it correctly and deal with possible problems that arise during installation.
Content
Why do you need a skirting board for a bath?
From any beautiful tile, plumbing and design in general, the impression will deteriorate if there is a gap between the wall and the washbasin or the bathroom, and the corners are unevenly finished. It seems that the drawback is not so significant. However, those who have faced a similar problem, understand that along with the aesthetic side, the crevice in the bathroom is a source of more serious trouble. In places where water leaks:
- fungi and mold appear, centipedes and woodlice start up;
- there are stains on the floor;
- there is a bay of the apartment below.
Seriously spoils and appearance. The contrast with the finish looks and is not at all attractive. Why does he appear?
The reasons for this lie in the mistakes at the stage of construction and initial improvement. Slots form due to:
- uneven surface of the walls;
- improperly selected bath;
- illiterate installation of the frame, because of which distortions appear.
But this problem is not difficult to solve. The cracks are closed using building materials, sealants, glue and baseboard for bathroom.
Skirting board for a bathroom: requirements and types
The final step in the decoration of the room is the installation of the plinth on the bathtub, floor and ceiling. It gives the bathroom a perfect finished look. Since the room is characterized by high humidity, finishing materials must meet the necessary requirements:
- do not pass water - they should easily tolerate moisture;
- be resistant to aggressive cleaning agents;
- strong;
- possess antifungal properties.
The most acceptable options for a bathroom skirting board are:
- ceramic;
- plastic;
- marble;
- self adhesive.
We study the characteristics of each individually, and the features of the installation mechanism.
Ceramics
If cracks formed more than 2.5 centimeters, then the optimal solution will be laying ceramic tiles. It has many advantages:
- resistance to aggressive environment;
- reliable structure;
- preservation of the original form for a long time, more than 10-15 years.
However, it has a high price (higher than that of tiles). In addition, laying it is not easy. The following materials will be required for work:
- sealant, tile adhesive;
- Bulgarian;
- putty knife;
- construction gun;
- baseboard;
- rubber mallet.
All gaps are sealed with sealant, equal with a spatula. If the gap is more than three centimeters, then an additional rag or formwork is being prepared.
After the sealant has hardened, measurements are taken, the baseboard is cut, armed with a grinder, and the places of the cut are ground with sandpaper. Then glue is prepared, applied to the baseboard and attached. If necessary, level the surface with a rubber mallet. After a day, the upper and lower edges are sealed with sealant.
Plastic
Baseboard for bathroom of PVC becomes an ideal solution if the size of the gap is from one and a half to three centimeters. In addition to durability, it has an aesthetic appearance. Sometimes even floor options are used for the bath. But, and special types are equipped with rubber sides, which easily cope with the function assigned to them.
With a wide gap, a wide plastic profile is selected. Then to hide the gap with this material is more difficult, but possible if desired.
Among the advantages of the material are the following:
- moisture resistance;
- flexibility;
- variety of shapes and colors;
- low cost;
- long service life.
At the same time, before making a decision, you need to keep in mind that this material will turn yellow in two years. To install, you need the skills of a builder. Otherwise, if the sealing is carried out poorly, then the water will continue to seep into the cracks.
To carry out installation, you will need tools:
- solvent;
- masking tape;
- roulette wheel;
- polyurethane foam;
- hacksaw;
- hair dryer;
- sealant;
- knife.
Before starting work, it is necessary to completely close the bath, dismantle the old seal to the end, clean it, treat the surface with solvent and dry the surface.
Then take measurements, and the necessary parts are cut off. If the corners cannot be made, you can use specially designed joining materials.
Having tried on the workpiece and making sure that everything converges, around the edges, stepping back a few millimeters, glue masking tape. If pipes pass here, they make special slots.
First, a seam is foamed, after which they take prepared planks and press them tightly, fixing them for 7-10 minutes. Another half hour to touch the surface is not necessary, and after this time, the resulting excess is carefully removed.
All joints are treated with sealant, and after drying, remove the adhesive tape.
With small cracks, the baseboard is attached to the sealant without the use of foam. Then it is applied along the entire length of the baseboard and attached.
Marble
This is a natural mountain material. It is always unique, and the highest quality is considered to be one that has even veins and a similar color. It is the best solution for high-quality, effective reliable finish for many years. It is used when they want to emphasize the luxurious design of the room. But it becomes appropriate to use, if the bathtub is made of marble.
Then the combination will be perfect. The same material can finish the floor and ceiling. Among the shortcomings, only one is noted: high cost.
Self adhesive tape
This view skirting boards for the bathroom made of polyurethane. Such a tape does not allow moisture to pass, does not decay and maintains operational characteristics regardless of the temperature difference. Other advantages of the material include the following:
- it is from it that it is easier to carry out installation;
- there is a wide selection of color schemes;
- different widths can be selected;
- simplicity in leaving (it is enough to remove a plaque by means of household chemicals without abrasive substances).
To install such a skirting board, no additional materials are required. It is only necessary to prepare the surface well so that it becomes clean and dry. After that, the protective layer is removed and glued to the surface, gradually unwinding the tape.
Usually, choose one color with a bath. To make the right choice, measurements are taken initially.
Metal
This option can be added to floor options. But it must have anti-corrosion characteristics. This skirting board is not afraid:
- temperature differences;
- blows;
- plenty of moisture.
Often a metal skirting board is used in an aluminum coating. As with marble, it is expensive. therefore it is rarely installed in an apartment. However, the material is spectacular, original and beautiful. It is often used in public institutions, bars, restaurants and medical institutions.
Surface preparation
Whatever materials are planned to be used, they first carry out preparatory work.
In the case of re-installation, completely remove the previous layer and clean the surface. If mold is found there, it is scraped off with a spatula and treated with antiseptic. Then remove the film of fat, wiping with a sponge soaked in alcohol. In the end, the surface is dried with a hairdryer. Optimum tightness is achieved if the gap is filled with silicone sealant. It is applied evenly over the entire surface of the joint. A large gap is filled with mounting foam. You can also use rags.
To help beginners
Those who do this work for the first time, far from it can always work out perfectly. If the angle is uneven, it is treated with silicone sealant. After that, the corners look beautiful. It is better to apply sealant with your finger.
Only white fillets are on sale. If a color other than white is used, this may seem like a problem. But, solve it with ordinary paint. Suitable emulsion or acrylic. If the baseboard is painted, then this must be done before installation. Then you don’t have to worry that the spray will hit the walls and ceiling. At the same time, the sealed joints are stained after installing fillets.
If the skirting board is mounted on the floor or ceiling, and after installation there are strong gaps, they are processed using the finishing putty first. It penetrates the thinnest gaps. After that use sealant. For uneven ceilings, it is better to use gypsum putty or plaster, which eliminates large gaps. To ensure that the seal was not visible, it will turn out if the strokes are carried out vertically, rubbing into the seam.
Putty is applied using a brush, not a spatula. All excess is removed with a sponge. Fine sandpaper putty is sanded when it dries. Before applying paint, dust is removed from the surface, and then a primer is applied. As it is used paint, which is bred with water (2 * 1). After drying, the second applied layer will be the finish.
Conclusion
Given the features of the interior, the material from which the bath is made and other parameters, choose the most suitable option. If the materials are selected correctly and the installation is done with high quality, baseboard for bathroom able to turn into a real highlight for the whole room.
Skirting board for bathrooms