The kitchen skirting board on the countertop is a rather small detail, but it plays an important role in the overall interior of the kitchen. Indeed, it is from this edging that the perception of the external appearance and the service life of the kitchen furniture depend.
Functions
The purpose of the baseboard is not only to close the unaesthetic appearance of the gap formed between the tabletop and the wall. His role is much more important.
So, installing the baseboard on the kitchen worktop:
- helps prevent household garbage, food debris and small items from getting into the cracks, and as a result, the appearance of unpleasant odors and cockroaches;
- protects kitchen furniture from mold, swelling and deterioration due to moisture, thereby extending its life and maintaining an attractive appearance;
- Helps hide wall irregularities and other flaws that prevent the table from being placed close to the wall.
Baguette selection
If you order a ready-made project, a kitchen skirting board on the countertop is always included. In the case of individual assembly of the kitchen, you can choose a baguette yourself.
The main parameter that you are guided by when choosing a skirting board is material. It is important to consider that the baguette must be in harmony with the worktop material.
For example, for a wooden worktop, it is worth choosing a wooden skirting board or from a laminated particleboard.
Edging made of metal-plastic or artificial stone is most suitable for granite coating.
Aluminum skirting boards go well with steel surfaces.
If the countertop is made of plastic, particleboard or MDF, the optimal choice is a plastic baguette.
Today, the most popular are plastic and aluminum products.
Plastic baseboard
It is made from PVC by coextrusion. In the manufacture of pigments are introduced into the molten plastic, which determine the color of the future product. The result is a natural color product.
With the help of lamination, the skirting board can be made to look like natural wood, stone or metal, which allows it to be used in combination with any desktop surfaces.
The advantage of the product is that the plastic kitchen baseboard for countertops is not afraid of moisture, easy to install, has a wide range of colors and a long service life. The material is easily bent, so it is ideal if the table adjoins an uneven wall. In addition, the price of a plastic product is quite affordable.
Aluminum baseboard
A baguette made of aluminum is superior to the plastic model in that it is more heat-resistant. Therefore, it is often installed in the area of stoves and hobs. In addition, the aluminum kitchen baseboard for the countertop is easily cleaned of dirt, not afraid of aggressive detergents, and its price is slightly higher than the plastic counterpart.
The versatility of the silver shade allows it to be successfully combined with most modern kitchens, but most of all it is suitable for stainless steel countertops or other similar material.
The only thing that aluminum baguette cannot boast of is a wide variety.
Shape and size
Before you purchase a plinth, you need to determine its shape and size. The choice depends on the size of the gap - the wider it is, the more voluminous the fittings should be.
Skirtings of triangular, rectangular, flat, rounded and curved shapes are on sale. The choice of this or that configuration depends on the design of kitchen furniture and the personal preferences of the buyer, but still the majority dwells on products of a triangular shape.
The main thing in choosing is to choose the right size. The kitchen skirting board for worktops may have different sizes . It can be made both in the form of a narrow strip with a width of 5 mm, and have a voluminous wide shape up to 50 mm in size. The length of the product, as a rule, varies from 3 to 4 meters. The choice of size depends on such parameters as the size of the slit, tabletop thickness, furniture design, etc. So, if the gap between the wall and the desktop surface is small, you can use narrow rectangular sides similar to those that are installed on the floor.
Equipment
Since the kitchen skirting board on the countertop is not an integral product, before proceeding with its installation, you must make sure that you have a complete set, which should consist of three elements:
1. The base part. It is a profile rail with special latches.
2. The outer part (decorative profile).
3. Corners and caps. Perform the function of decorative connectors and are installed in the corners and on the end of the baguette. Corners are internal and external.
Mounting Methods
Before deciding how to install a skirting board on a kitchen worktop, you need to know that there are 2 ways to install it: on glue (you can use silicone or liquid nails) and using self-tapping screws.
Installation on glue is easier and simpler, but it has some disadvantages. The disadvantage of this method is that the baseboard is attached tightly. Therefore, if in the future you want to remove it, then the planks are likely to break during dismantling, and there will be traces at the attachment site, which will not be so easy to remove. In addition, during installation in this way there will be no niche that allows you to hide electric wires, because the baseboard will fit snugly against the wall.
As a rule, the adhesive installation method is used for plastic, ceramic and stone products.
Installation on self-tapping screws is best preferred if necessary quick and gentle disassembly of the baguette.
Glue installation
Mounting the baseboard to the countertop is as follows:
- The surface on which the baguette will be attached is thoroughly cleaned and degreased with an alcohol-containing agent.
- On those parts of the plank that will be in contact with the wall and countertop, a layer of adhesive-sealant is applied.
- Next, we apply the bar to the wall and countertop, carefully pressing and holding the time according to the instructions for glue.
- We cut off the decorative strip, taking into account the fact that it should go into the corner a little.
- We wind the edge of the panel under the corner insert and snap into the grooves along the entire length of the guide.
- After installing the decorative lining, we install end caps, inserting them into the mechanism.
Installation with self-tapping screws
In this case, the installation process involves the use of a screwdriver. Most often, the baseboard is attached to the countertop, because if it is fixed to the apron, it can be deformed at the slightest displacement of the table.
To avoid difficulties associated with the installation, it is necessary to perform work in the following order:
- The first thing to do is to measure the countertops and cut a piece of baguette of the appropriate length using a hacksaw with small teeth. Cut off the edges with an abrasive.
- The place where the baseboard will be located is treated with silicone to better seal and prevent moisture from entering.
- We attach the base part (profile) to the installation site.
- Using a screwdriver, we screw the screws into the bar and countertop at a distance of about 30 cm.
- Install the front cover by inserting its base groove until it clicks.
- We close the corners with corner pads, and attach end caps to the edges of the baguette.
- The joints of the connecting elements are treated with silicone sealant.
Fashionable solution
As an interesting and additional option, you can install LED backlight. To do this, use a baseboard made of translucent plastic or polyurethane with a special groove in which the LED strip is placed.
Such an idea will help radically transform your kitchen, give it a touch of modernity and romance. In addition, with the help of the backlight, you can do without turning on the upper lighting at night, so as not to wake any of the household.
Conclusion
The kitchen skirting board on the countertop is a small but extremely necessary detail, without which the interior will not have a complete look, and kitchen furniture will be regularly subjected to destructive effects.
A great place to buy a kitchen skirting board on the countertop is Leroy Merlin. This construction hypermarket has a huge assortment of finishing materials, so you can easily choose the desired option.
Almost any person can install a skirting board. Even with minimal experience, installation will take very little time. But nevertheless, in order to avoid common mistakes, it is better to watch an auxiliary video.