DIY repair plinth installation

In detail: do-it-yourself repair installation of a skirting board from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

When the repair of the floor and walls in the house is almost finished, it is time to install the skirting board. It is this element that completes the finish of the floor, hides minor flaws in the repair and closes possible gaps. Previously, houses were fitted with wooden plinths or made of cement mortar. Today manufacturers produce beautiful and comfortable plastic skirting boards. Installing it is easy enough. Consider how to do the installation of plastic skirting boards with your own hands.

A plinth is a plank that is attached at the junction of the floor and wall. It performs several functions:

Decorative... Finishes the floor surface. Allows you to add color accents.
Leveling... It allows you to hide minor flaws at the junction of the plane of the floor and the wall, close possible cracks or uneven edge of the floor covering.
Protective... Protects walls from damage and moisture ingress during cleaning.

Skirting boards are made of wood, plastic or MDF. You can also find aluminum models on sale.

By their structure and purpose, the skirting boards are divided into:

Conventional... They are made of wood or MDF. These are the classic models found in most older houses.
With cable channels... I rarely make such models from wood, more often they are plastic. Hide all wires and cables that run across the floor. Thus, they play not only a decorative and protective role, but also improve the design of the room. Fastened with self-tapping screws, glue or using connecting profiles and self-tapping screws.

Skirting board structure with cable duct

Connecting skirting board is designed for the installation of flooring on the wall

Video (click to play).

Today, plastic skirting boards are confidently replacing wooden ones. What is the reason for such popularity? The reason lies primarily in the versatility of use and modern design. Plastic skirting board is not afraid of moisture and aggressive environment, does not rot. This allows it to be used in almost any room. On the building materials market, there are models in a wide range of colors, made with imitation of different types of wood and other materials. This allows you to find the best option for a specific design.

Compared to wood, plastic is more durable and its service life is practically unlimited. It is flexible, which allows you to hide small flaws in the curvature of the walls and decorate floors that are not rectangular. Plastic does not require painting and additional processing with varnish or other compounds. It is easy enough to cut it to the required size.

During operation, such a skirting board is easy to clean, it can be washed with almost any detergent. It is resistant to high and low temperatures, does not fade in the sun over time, and does not support combustion. It is also important that it is much cheaper than its wooden counterpart.

So, having appreciated all the advantages of plastic models, we go to the store. When buying, you need to choose products of the same shade, with the same pattern and texture.

Important! Pay attention to the batch number. In different production batches of the same model, the color or surface texture may slightly differ.

If you intend to carry out hidden wiring, then it is better to choose a model with a cable channel. It has a special niche for laying wires or cables, it is flexible enough to hide small irregularities in the wall and is easy to install. Special fittings are sold for plastic skirting boards:

outer and inner corner;
stubs;
couplings.

When buying a skirting board, do not forget about the fittings. Accessories are selected according to the color and texture of the skirting board

Before buying, you need to calculate how many internal and external corners will be passed during installation. End caps are used to complete the profile near the doors. Right and left end caps are available. Couplings do not have a specific fastening side, they connect parts of the plinth.

There are several ways to attach plastic models. This work can be done with the help of special fasteners, special glue "Liquid nails" or self-tapping screws (dowel-nails).

Installation of this type of skirting board can be performed using special aluminum fixing strips or using self-tapping screws.

In the first method of installation, first of all, along the bottom of the wall at a distance of 40-50 cm from one another, the places of fasteners are marked. The distance from the corner should be no more than 10 cm. Holes are drilled in the marked places to a depth of 3-4 cm, into which a plastic dowel is inserted. After that, the fastening plates are fixed with screws along the entire perimeter.

An inner corner is put on the edge of the profile. For better fixation, it can be glued with special glue. The installation starts from the inner corner of the room. The fittings must be snapped on. To continue the strip, put on a coupling. Then, the next inner or outer corner is put on the cut piece of the profile. First, you need to measure and cut the desired length before joining, connect the two strips, and then click the corner. Thus, using the fittings, they continue trimming and installing the plinth around the perimeter of the entire room. Near the doors, the strip ends with a plug.

The procedure for installing a plastic skirting board using special aluminum fasteners

If they still plan to lay a cable or wire under such a plinth, then they simply move it, installing it at an angle to the wall.

Installation of such a profile will not be difficult even for a novice master. There are no traces of fasteners on the finished surface, which is naturally a big plus. If necessary, such a plinth can be dismantled and moved to another place.

With the second method of fastening, the results of the work do not look so aesthetically pleasing, since the screws are located on the surface of the plinth, but this fastening is the most durable. The procedure will be similar to that described above:

On the profile of the plinth, holes 2-3 mm in diameter are drilled every 50 cm. A conical recess is made into the hole.
Installation starts from the corner. The bar is pressed against the wall and marks are made on it with a pencil through the prepared holes.
Holes of 6-8 mm are drilled according to the marks in the wall and dowels are inserted into them.
Apply the plinth to the wall and screw the self-tapping screws into all the holes.

Such a plinth will look more aesthetically pleasing if the caps of the screws are closed with plastic round plugs that need to be matched to the color of the main profile.

The fastening of this type of model is performed using special dowel-nails or self-tapping screws.

Installation procedure for floor plinth with cable duct

Important! For the reliability of fastening, it is better to additionally coat all the fittings with glue for plastic.

First of all, carefully remove the cable channel strip. Holes are drilled in the profile every 50 cm with a 6mm drill.
After that, they put on the inner corner, apply the profile to the wall and mark through the holes for the dowels through the holes.
Holes are drilled in the wall.
Insert the dowels.
A profile is applied and screwed or dowel-nails are hammered in. Gradually installing couplings and corner profiles, they continue installation around the entire perimeter of the room.
Lay the cable in the plinth channel.
Replace the cover.

Unlike the above methods, this one is the least messy and faster. Carefully measure out, cut, install and glue the fittings to the plinth.A strip of the wall under the plinth is pre-primed. Apply a thin strip or drops of glue and press the profile against the wall.

Correctly selected and well-mounted skirting board acts as a decorative element

Fixing plastic skirting boards is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. If you follow all our recommendations, you will be rewarded with a beautiful floor in the house.

Repair in any room involves a variety of work. This includes wall decoration, floor decoration, and replacement of windows / doors. But in most cases - and this is especially true of secondary housing - various dismantling works are preliminarily carried out, concerning almost all elements inside the premises. Dismantling of the skirting board must be done in order to be able to properly install the new floor covering, as well as in order to replace old products. The procedure is quite simple, and therefore you can do it yourself.

The use of skirting boards when decorating the junction of floors and walls is necessary, since this decorative product performs a lot of useful functions:

closes the expansion gap that forms between the flooring and the wall (when laying laminate, parquet boards and other materials);
masks the unevenness of the coating near the walls, formed during the installation of floor finishes;
serves as a cable channel and allows you to lay electrical communications and other cables inside;
allows the walls and floor to harmoniously fit together.

The skirting board performs several functions at once

The complexity of dismantling work in relation to this decorative element will directly depend on what type of skirting board needs to be removed, as well as in what way it was fixed. Therefore, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with all types of products in order to have an idea of how difficult or simple the work will be.

Table. Types of skirting boards.

How to fix skirting boards with self-tapping screws

All types of skirting boards require a specific fixing method and can be installed using:

self-tapping screws (all types);
nails (wooden, veneered);
adhesive solutions (all types);
special mounting fasteners (MDF, plastic, etc.);
chopikov (wooden).

One way to install a skirting board

You cannot remove the old plinth with your bare hands, so you should get the necessary tools. The list below is general - some of the devices, depending on the method of fixing the plinth, may not be needed.

Features of dismantling floor skirting boards

What is required for work:

nail puller or scrap;
screwdriver or screwdriver;
mallet, scapula;
putty knife;
hammer;
clerical or any other sharp knife;
wooden wedges or chisels.

Advice! To carry out the work, you should take clothes that you do not mind. There is not so much garbage and dust when dismantling the baseboards, but, nevertheless, they are there. You can also easily ruin clean clothes if you remove the skirting board that was previously glued to it.

The process of dismantling an old skirting board

The hardest part is to remove the nailed plinth without damaging the walls and floor. In this case, you will have to make a lot of efforts, since the product is usually installed using powerful and long nails, which are rather difficult to tear out from the base. Here you need to use a small crowbar (crowbar), a chisel or a small spatula.

Fastening the skirting board with nails to the parquet floor

Attention! When dismantling a wooden plinth fixed with nails, the efforts should be large, but sudden movements should not be made.

If the plinth is screwed on with self-tapping screws, then the work will be much easier. In this case, using a screwdriver or screwdriver, the plinth is simply unscrewed.

Attention! If the product is equipped with a cable channel, then it is important, before proceeding with dismantling work, to pull out all wires from it, especially electrical ones.Otherwise, there is a risk that the person doing the work could be electrocuted.

Skirting board with cable duct is installed at the junction of the wall and the floor, giving the finish a complete look

Sometimes skirting boards need to be dismantled in order to replace them with new ones, sometimes - to install fresh flooring and then put back in place. To break is not to build, and in any case, removing the baseboards to throw them away is much easier. But to reuse them, you have to be careful. Consider ways to dismantle skirting boards, depending on the material from which they are made, and on how and with what they are fixed.

We dismantle the skirting board with our own hands

The most difficult to dismantle are the old wooden skirting boards, which were produced in the days of the Soviet Union and were made conscientiously. And they were attached the same way. Yes, such products are still found in some apartments and did not have time to outlive their days, although they lost their appearance under the mass of layers of paint. They can be fixed in several ways - with glue, nails, or to the wall, or to the floor.

Removing the wooden floor plinth

The first step is to look at how the skirting board is attached. If nails were used for this, then their caps will be clearly visible on the surface of the product. They can be recessed into it or, conversely, protrude slightly above the surface.

Old wooden plinth

If the plinth is nailed to the floor, in the place where the nail is found, a crowbar is driven under the plinth with the side with the bent end. It is more convenient to do this if you additionally use a pointed flat blade. Then it remains only to tilt the crowbar, and the plinth will move away. It is not necessary to completely pull it out - the same procedure is carried out for the next nail. And only when the skirting board is raised along its entire length, it is completely removed.

Advice! Very often, in order to tear off a wooden plinth, fixed with powerful thick nails, you have to make great efforts. In order not to damage the floors and protect them from the appearance of dents, a small piece of plywood is placed under the base of the crowbar.

Diagram for dismantling a wooden plinth

Sometimes new wooden skirting boards have to be dismantled in the same way. They can be used again. However, the skirting board may break during work. To prevent this from happening, dismantling must begin from the edge of the wall, and the product should be lifted at a time no more than 1-3 cm. Also, there should not be a large distance between the crowbar and the nail, otherwise the plinth can easily break. After the product has been raised by this amount, it is necessary to return to the first nail and raise it higher. The rest of the joints are processed in the same way until the nails come out completely. If you can't get to the plinth with a crowbar, then you can try to process the product around the nail heads with a chisel, and then remove them (nails) separately and remove the plinth.

Advice! In this case, a small wooden block can serve as a support for the crowbar.

Here, a wooden block acts as a support.

Sometimes it happens that the nails on the surface of the skirting board are not noticeable - most likely, after installation, they were putty. In this case, you will have to act at random, starting from the beginning of the plinth. As a rule, nails were driven in in increments of no more than 70 cm. Usually the distance between them is 50 cm. The first nail will be located about 20 cm from the edge.

It is more difficult to remove a skirting board nailed not to the floor, but to the wall. In this case, it is easy to damage both the plaster and the wallpaper on the walls. This type of fixing is usually found in very old houses. In this case, a thin blade is driven between the wall and the plinth - this is an attempt to slightly expand the existing gap. Next, inserts a wooden wedge and drives in deeper with a hammer. The procedure is repeated in approximately 30 cm increments.Then they return to the first wedge, it is driven even deeper, then the second, and so on. You will have to work this way until the plinth itself moves away from the wall. If the wall covering is not a pity, then you can wield a crowbar.

Removal scheme for skirting boards nailed to the wall

In this case, it is likely that things will go easier. In the same way as in the previous section, you should find all the caps of the self-tapping screws. They can be recessed into the skirting board, or they can protrude slightly above the surface. In order to dismantle the skirting board, it is enough to unscrew all the screws with a screwdriver or screwdriver, and the product can be easily removed. Image - DIY repair installation of plinth

Wooden skirting board, screwed on with self-tapping screws

If the screws were hammered into the baseboard, which is also not uncommon, then you must act in the same way as when removing the baseboard fixed with nails.

It is extremely rare, but still there are skirting boards attached to the base with small wooden chops. This method of installation occurs in 5% of cases. Usually, the technique is used when installing expensive skirting boards made of precious wood. In this case, the attachment points will be unobtrusive - these can be circles that resemble knots on a wood massif in appearance.

Advice! You can find chopiki by the dark rim around them or by the wood pattern. At the plinth, the fibers will go along, and at the chopik - across.

Here, the chopiki are simply drilled out or picked out with improvised means. Sometimes there may be nails or screws under them. Then the same crowbar will be used.

Skirting boards made of MDF are usually attached to the wall using special fasteners and fixed with a latch. These fasteners are screwed to the wall separately, and the decorative product itself is already mounted on them.

Fastening MDF skirting boards

Quick-Step MDF skirting boards

In order to remove such a plinth, use a wide spatula. It fits under the bottom of the skirting board and acts as a small lever. The skirting board is lifted. Also, the spatula can be inserted into the gap between the wall and the baseboard - in this case, it pulls towards itself. All actions are carried out very carefully. As a result of the work carried out, the plinth will simply snap off and be removed from the mount.

The easiest way is to dismantle plastic skirting boards. As a rule, they are not held as securely as, for example, wooden ones, and usually they are simply screwed to the wall using self-tapping screws and dowels. The attachment point is closed with an insert, therefore the fasteners are invisible from the outside.

Floor plastic skirting board

Dismantling and removing the skirting board with cable channel

It is better to start work from any outside corner. This is one of the most common dismantling methods.

Step 1. Using a flat-end screwdriver, the decorative corner is pushed underneath and lifted gently. Further, it is simply removed by hand.

Decorative corner pry off with a screwdriver

Removing the decorative corner

Step 2. Hands are removed the bar covering the cable channel and the attachment points with self-tapping screws.

Removing the decorative strip

Step 3. Self-tapping screws are unscrewed with a screwdriver or screwdriver. The skirting board is removed.

However, not everyone has external corners in rooms. It depends on the geometric shape of the room. Fortunately, the skirting board can be removed in another way - in this case, dismantling begins from the end part.

Step 1. The end cap is removed from the end of the plinth by hand.

Step 2. Hands pull out the bar covering the cable channel.

Removing the decorative strip

Decorative strip removed

Step 3. Self-tapping screws are unscrewed in any convenient way.

The method of dismantling each type of skirting board is described in sufficient detail, and therefore problems should not arise during the work (at least for those who carefully read the article). As a rule, even for novice craftsmen at this stage of repair, everything goes quickly.At first glance, the plinth may seem like a very insignificant element of the interior decoration of any room, but in reality it is difficult to get a complete full-fledged interior without it. The installation of the skirting board is carried out at the final stage of all work, that is, after the surface finish of the walls, ceiling has been finished, and the floor covering has been laid.DIY plinth installationAccording to its purpose, the skirting board is divided into two main categories: ceiling and floor. It is worth talking about each of these types in more detail.Contents of step-by-step instructions:The skirting board is not just a decorative detail of the interior, but also implements a number of functions, among which it should be noted:

protection of the wall surface from high humidity and, as a result, premature aging of the wallpaper;

reliable masking of imperfections and minor defects that form when laying the flooring. Most often they are concentrated in the area of the junction of the floor and wall;

creating a pleasant and thoughtful room design;

masking of additional cables and wires.

Today, for the manufacture of plinths, numerous materials are used, on the choice of which the basic properties of the decorative and protective element depend. The variety of the assortment is due to the existence of a large number of different finishing materials, and in order to achieve a harmonious color transition between the wall and the floor, it is necessary to choose an element that will best meet these goals.

The most common option is considered to be a wooden plinth. This is an excellent solution for those who have installed laminate or parquet flooring in their apartment. Among the advantages of wooden skirting boards is their environmental friendliness, which, of course, affects the cost. This is the most expensive option of all that are on the construction market, but this is offset by the strength and long service life of the skirting board. Such elements are made from different types of wood, which allows you to choose a detail that exactly matches the design solution of the room.

Plastic skirting boards are highly durable and relatively low cost. In addition, it is worth noting the high resistance of the material to chemical irritants, which is very important in cleaning conditions. You can be sure that the detergents will not have a destructive effect on the condition of the skirting board. Among the disadvantages is instability to low temperatures.

The choice of a suitable decorative element should be based on many parameters. The main criteria are usually aesthetic considerations of the owners, as well as the characteristics of the room for which the skirting board is chosen. If the first factor is purely individual, then the second is easier.When it comes to the features of the room, we mean the surface of the walls. The fact is that not every skirting board is suitable for walls characterized by a large number of defects and irregularities. From this point of view, plastic seems to be an ideal option, since it is highly flexible and has functional elements that can hide flaws - a special edge and fasteners.In order to purchase the required amount of building materials, it is important to calculate the perimeter of the room. It is necessary to arm yourself with a centimeter and measure the length of the room, including the so-called hard-to-reach places, and then divide the resulting figure by the standard length of the plinth - 2.5 meters. Image - DIY repair installation of plinth

Fastening the veneered skirting board to clips

This technology is considered the main one and is applicable for most types of skirting boards. Depending on the material, there may be minor discrepancies, which are clarified along the way. For example, plastic skirting boards are fixed with dowels and screws, and for MDF panels, fastening clips are used.

Installation principle of plastic skirting boards

Stage 1.The first step is to take the necessary measurements described above. In order to avoid unpleasant situations, building material is bought "in reserve", that is, 3-5 meters more. At the stage of purchasing a skirting board, it is important not to forget about connecting elements and plugs.

Stage 2. It is necessary to arm yourself with a set of tools, without which installation will be difficult: drill, hacksaw, miter box, dowels and screws.

Stage 3. Next, it is important to cut the plinth using a special tool - a miter box. This is done in order to cut the element at a suitable angle.

Important: in order for the joints of the skirting boards to fit tightly to each other, the material at the ends must be cut at an angle of 45 degrees. We insert the plinth into the miter box, adjust the angle and cut it with a hacksaw.

Stage 4. Layout usually starts from the corner, which is located on the longest wall of the room. You need to step back five centimeters from the corner and make a note with a simple pencil. The following points are placed at a distance of forty centimeters from each other.

Step 5. You need to attach the product to the surface and mark the places where holes will be drilled. For this, a drill with a diameter of three millimeters is used.

Step 6. After that, you should mount the corner and screw the plinth to the wall surface with screws.

DIY plinth installation

Step 7. In the final step, install the top half of the skirting board or decorative tape.

Step 1. First of all, we make oblique cuts so that the connection is not inside, but towards the outside.

Step 2. We nail the part with a nail without a head.

Step 3. We fix the element with dowel-nails.

Step 4. Eliminate defects with putty or varnish.

A ceiling plinth or fillet is a special type of cornice that is used to avoid broken corners in the room and to make the interior design as harmonious as possible.

PVC plinth - cheap, lightweight, functional, but unstable to temperature fluctuations;
foam plinth - economical, easy to handle, but combustible and low in strength;
polyurethane skirting board - durable, flexible, easy to install, resistant to temperature extremes, moisture resistant. Among the shortcomings, only the high cost of products can be noted;
Styrofoam skirting board - relatively affordable, looks good and imitates real stucco molding. Cons - fragile and brittle;
gypsum plinth - high quality, durable, environmentally friendly. Provides an opportunity to develop a unique design. Disadvantages - fragility, bulkiness, high cost;
wooden products are strong, durable, aesthetic and environmentally friendly. Among the disadvantages is a low plasticity rate.

Ceiling skirting boards in the interior

Typically, the choice of a ceiling plinth is based on its parameters. The length of the products is standard - two meters, but the width can vary from one centimeter to twenty. Before giving preference to one or another option, you should understand how the width of the plinth affects the appearance of the entire room.

A wide skirting board visually smoothes the corners of the room, and also helps to hide numerous surface defects and the junction of the ceiling structure and the wall. However, such a solution will only be appropriate in situations where the size of the room allows the use of a bulky baseboard. Otherwise, a wide product will visually reduce the room, make it uncomfortable and low. For compact spaces, thin baguettes are ideal.

How to properly glue the ceiling plinth

To quickly and efficiently install a ceiling plinth, you need a set of tools:

construction knife;
brush;
pencil;
roulette;
ruler;
miter box;
rubber spatula;
sealant;
glue;
directly the skirting board.

Step 1.At the first stage, you should prepare the plinth, lay out the elements along the walls and determine the required dimensions. Corner pieces are cut with a miter box at a 45 degree angle. The "puzzle" of the parts must come together so that there are no problems during installation.

Trimming adjacent fillets

Step 2. It is necessary to take two pre-prepared corner parts of the skirting board, cut so that the ends fit snugly against each other, apply glue to the inside of the elements with a brush.

Corner piece for skirting boards

Step 3. Next, you should attach the plinth with one side to the ceiling, the other to the wall and hold it for one minute, gently pressing the product to the surface.

How to glue a ceiling plinth

Step 4. Then you need to take the next element, apply glue to it and attach it to the end of the skirting board glued from the corner. All other parts are glued in the same way. It is important to firmly press the skirting boards together so that a gap does not form between them.

Step 5. At the last stage, it is necessary to wipe the gaps between the baseboard, ceiling and wall with a sealant.

It is important to remember: if the installation of the skirting board is carried out on a stretch ceiling, then a special polyethylene lining must be used. It is placed between the plinth and the surface of the stretch ceiling. After the installation work is completed, the lining is carefully removed from under the elements.

Following these rules will allow you to get a quick and high-quality result that will delight the owners of the premises for a long time.