How to make a skirting board?

For many years, wood trim is considered a real classic that does not undergo newfangled trends. The modern market offers a huge selection of high-quality floor curbs, only natural wood is valued above all else. In this article we will talk about the pros and cons of this material, try to figure out how to make a skirting board yourself and install it.

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Features of the modern skirting board

When choosing such products, first of all, it should be remembered that high-quality wood has never been cheap. Such borders belong to the middle or upper price category. Even if you understand how to make a wooden skirting board with your own hands, you must initially take care of the right choice of material. Naturally, wood will cost much more than plastic. Now let's look at what skirting boards are, and get acquainted with their advantages and disadvantages.

Types of baseboards

Today in the store you can meet only two options for products made from natural wood:

• Solid wood skirting boards. Their cost is more dependent on the type of wood, in addition, the complexity of the profile, the level of processing and grade plays an important role in shaping the price. As a rule, such borders are classified as elite goods and products of an average price niche.
• Veneer baseboards. They are made from a natural array of less expensive conifers, in particular, spruce or pine. There are also models made of glued beams. After the face profile has already been formed, the veneer from expensive wood is glued onto the plank in an industrial way. The result is a product that is identical to an expensive natural elite array, but it costs much less than the original.

Important! Pressed MDF planks coated with natural veneer also apply to wood products.

Skirting Forms

Long gone are the days when the manufacture of such a product was limited only to models with triangular slices. They differed only in the absence or in the presence of a chamfer. Fortunately, the current woodworking market regularly improves equipment and technologies.

In form, they are divided into the following models:

• Traditional forms. Modern wooden planks are in no way inferior to gypsum stucco or to polyurethane products in terms of complexity of ornament.

Important! High-tech programmable machines allow you to apply patterns that are as similar as possible to those created by hand-carving.

• Running forms. All manufacturers are trying to somehow stand out from the crowd with their unique models. Therefore, there are classic standard goods on sale, the main bar in which has a size of 10 to 25 mm, and models with a non-standard height from 40 to 300 mm.

Important! When choosing the optimal baseboard size, try to build on the ceiling height:

• In urban apartments, the ceiling has a standard height of 2.7 m, so the height of the bar in such cases should not exceed 7 cm.
• For higher ceilings, it is better to buy borders of at least 5 cm.

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What material is the baseboard made of?

Previously, people chose the plinth, starting solely from what material it is made of. But modern designers successfully compose various tree species, so they can easily bypass already established rules.Before you make a baseboard, familiarize yourself with its varieties depending on the material:

• Pine. This type of coniferous species is considered the most popular, because working with it is quite simple. The array itself is very soft, it is easy to cut, process. The variety of colors and textures allows you to use a variety of tinting compositions to achieve an original design solution.
• Larch. Borders made of this material occupy a separate niche in the modern market. It is not cheap, but it is not at all afraid of moisture, due to which it does not rot. Larch borders are ideal for showers or kitchens.
• Oak. It belongs to the elite massif, as it is characterized by unique durability and strength. But they value this material more for its aesthetic qualities.

Important! Models made from bleached, stained, or artificially aged oak are typically used to give the interior solidity.

• Beech. It also belongs to the elite wood varieties, because its characteristics are not inferior to the aforementioned oak. In its pure form, it has an original pink hue, a perfectly even texture.
• Nut. Such borders are distinguished by a noble brown shade. Walnut planks are elastic, mainly used for the manufacture of bent profiles.

Important! Due to its high iodine content, walnut also has certain healing properties.

• Ash. This material has a charming light olive hue. Like a nut, it bends perfectly, the texture is a bit like an oak, but the fibers are more clearly drawn in it.
• Alder. It lends itself to processing, but bends quite difficult. Such slats are afraid of water, even temporary dampness can lead to spoilage and rotting of the border.
• Exotic mahogany and wenge. Mostly they are preferred because of the original texture and color. The array itself is very light and durable, but not everyone can afford it in terms of finances.
• Linden and aspen. The materials are flexible, resistant to moisture, perfectly processed. They are relatively inexpensive, so they in particular finish the baths.
• Cherry. Such borders are in high demand. They are not as strong as oak, but are more resistant to decay and elastic. If you choose such a thin skirting, then keep in mind that over time it will change its color.

Important! When buying a clean border that is not varnished, remember that after you varnish it, it will greatly change the shade. If you want to know how it will turn out as a result of varnishing, then wipe the bar with a wet sponge.

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The nuances of self-assembly skirting boards

Despite the fact that wooden products are much tougher compared to their “counterparts” made of plastic, even a beginner will figure out how to make a plinth of wood with your own hands. The self-installation manual does not cause any difficulties, especially if you have at least once worked with a drill and screwdriver.

Material selection and preparation for installation

Many people ask whether it is possible to make wooden borders on their own, but the main thing in this matter is not to forget that their manufacture is not always economically viable.

Important! All financial and labor costs will pay off only if you choose the right board.

Remember:

• The moisture level of the material should not be lower than 16%. Raw wood cannot be polished; moreover, it cannot be processed on a milling machine.
• Rot, various chips, knots, and other defects are undesirable here.
• The ideal option is a dry, clean, planed board.

Important! The main type of processing at this stage of material preparation is milling. To do this, you need a milling machine or a high-quality manual milling cutter with stops and latches.

Installation of a wooden plinth

Instructions for installing natural wood products are as follows:

• Using a tape measure, determine how many slats you will need, then add 20% to the resulting number.This tolerance is necessary for trimming and docking.
• Begin the arrangement with a door foot or near corner. Move clockwise.

Important! Remember that wood is not plastic, there are no adapters and plugs, therefore, in this situation, competent docking in a straight line of planks and trimming of corners is especially important.

• If the angles are perfectly even in the room, then use the joiner's miter box to cut the slats at an angle of 45 degrees and dock them. Since this situation is rare, it is better to use an even baseboard for marking, apply it alternately to both sides of each corner, then draw along the upper and lower edges of the line strip. The cut angle line is the intersection of these lines.
• Install with self-tapping screws. To fix the strips with them, simply make through holes in them. Or fix them on the wall with clips, then install the baseboard on top.

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Stock footage

From this article you learned how to make a wooden plinth with your own hands, so do not hesitate, choose high-quality material and get down to work. Natural wooden borders, as you know, are preferred by people with an exquisite, well-developed taste. But, nevertheless, it is not difficult to mount them, as you can verify by reading this material.