When the finishing work reached its final phase, it was time for the final touch in the interior design - installing and painting the baseboard. We will look at how to paint a floor plinth in a suitable tone and choose a paint so that there is harmony in the interior. A floor plinth is needed to close the gap between the wall and the floor around the perimeter of the room. In addition, today almost all skirting boards have a cable - a channel that allows you to place cables in it. There is currently a huge range of materials for skirting boards, but we will consider only those types that need to be painted.
Types of skirting boards for painting
Wooden is an environmentally friendly building material, strong, resilient, easy to maintain, durable, and has a respectable appearance. They are installed mainly on parquet, wood and in dry rooms. MDF - made from compressed wood fiber, mounted mainly on laminate, linoleum, and other floor coverings. Beautiful, does not fade from sunlight, environmentally friendly, resistant to pollution, easy to clean, easy to care for, but fragile from a strong impact, inferior to wood in terms of durability. Manufacturers offer ready-to-install MDF products or unpainted planks, the color of which you can choose and paint yourself. Before considering how to paint a floor plinth, let’s decide on the range of paints and varnishes for this work.
Paint for floor skirting boards
When applied, alkyd paints (enamels) form a durable and dense water-repellent film on the surface that is resistant to mechanical damage and detergents. They should be applied to a dried baseboard, since otherwise, when the fillet dries, bubbles will appear on the paint layer, which will lead to peeling of the painted layer. The drying time is short, but a significant drawback is that these materials have an unpleasantly pungent odor. Acrylic enamel is a water-based composition, so the surface of the treatment breathes. In addition, it is moisture-resistant, odorless, easy to care for, does not dry for long, and is characterized by durability and fire safety properties. The list could go on for a long time - these include polyurethane varnishes and paints, oil paints are still in use today, all kinds of varnishes and other modern paints and varnishes. To highlight the texture of the wood, you can simply coat the product with alkyd varnish, if desired, pre-impregnated with stain.
Painting wooden baseboards
Let's look at how to paint a wooden floor plinth. First of all, you need to prepare everything you need for work.
- Wooden plinth;
- Brushes;
- LMB;
- Composition for primer;
- Masking tape, sandpaper;
- Sponge or rags, gloves.
We protect the surface of the walls and floor near the baseboard with masking tape, sticking it around the perimeter. How to paint plastic plinth for PVC panels? If you work very carefully, you can place a wide spatula in the areas of painting and move it as the work progresses. First, sand the planks with sandpaper to remove all roughness and minor defects, then the paintwork will lie evenly on the fillet. To ensure that the paint adheres well to the surface, prime the fillet for better adhesion of the wood and paintwork materials. Paint with a brush; the paint should be applied in a thin layer so that there are no smudges. After it dries, apply a second layer. Remove the tape only after it has completely dried.
Dyeing technology
We figured out what paint to paint the ceiling or floor plinth. Next, we will consider the actual features of the plank processing technology. First of all, you should decide when you will decorate the elements - before installing them in place or after.
How to paint ceiling plinth. Decoration can be done both before installing the planks in place and after
In the first case, painting can be done without the risk of staining the wallpaper. Most often it is recommended to use this method. However, painted ceiling or floor decor in situ may not look particularly neat. The fact is that in this case the joints treated with putty will become noticeable. So, if you wish, you can decorate the planks even after they are installed in place.
Important: If there are any defects on the floor or ceiling edging decor, they must be removed before decoration. Fill all scratches and wash off any dirty stains. Wooden and foam options should be pre-primed.
Before painting, the baseboard should at least be wiped down
How to paint a floor plinth
Wooden or plastic decor is most often used to finish the floor. If you decide to carry out the treatment before installing the planks in place, you can use a sprayer. On the wall, the plinth to be painted is passed with a brush (the width of which should be less than the width of the planks). Move it along, thoroughly rubbing the product and preventing drips from appearing. Usually two layers of paint are applied.
When processing planks, the paint should be rubbed as thoroughly as possible.
Painting MDF skirting boards
After installing the planks, we move on to painting them. To protect the wall finishes and floor coverings from accidental contact with paintwork materials, it is better to protect them with masking tape. It wouldn’t hurt to also cover the floor with a film to prevent accidental drops. Wear gloves on your hands. MDF planks are a porous material by nature, so they require a little preliminary preparation of the surface so that its fibers do not rise when painting. This can be eliminated by sanding the surface with fine sandpaper to remove lint. Then the primer composition should be applied twice. The second layer of primer is applied after the primary layer has dried 100% and has been sanded again. As a result, you will receive a high-quality surface for applying the selected paint and varnish. We will paint with a brush - select the size based on the height of the MDF fillet. Paint in a thin layer to avoid smudges. We wait for the paintwork to dry and repeat painting the planks a second time. Alternatively, the fitted planks can be painted prior to installation. All preliminary steps to prepare them for painting are the same, but you can paint them with spray paint - everything is at your discretion.
What color to choose baseboard for the floor
When choosing skirting boards for the floor, as a rule, they are guided by the type of floor covering. For example, the most suitable baseboard for parquet floors is made of a similar material - wood, MDF. Exactly the same as for ceramic tiles - ceramic baseboard. When deciding how to paint the floor plinth, what tone to choose, the parameters of the room, its geometry, ceiling height, general interior style and, of course, your preferences are considered. The color of the plinth can be selected: To match the color of the floors It is considered classic to select the color of the fillet to match the color of the floor covering. The baseboard should be a couple of shades darker than the floor covering or lighter and serve as a kind of floor-wall boundary. When the elements are monotonous, we visually get an increase in the boundaries of the room. To match the walls It would be a good idea to “tie” the tone of the floor plinth to the walls. If the walls are plain, then this is easier to do. Then, not only the harmony of design and the calmness of the color scheme are noted, but also a visual increase in the size of the room. To match the doorways The color of the plinth is often oriented towards the tone of the doors, or rather the trim, which is visually perceived as a continuation of one continuous line of color in the interior. They should be the same in thickness. Color contrast Often, contrast in color selection has a very beneficial effect on the overall perception of the room as a whole. It turns out that the baseboard is a kind of accent, which should echo the other details of the room in color. These can be any interior items - upholstered furniture or decorative pillows for it, curtains, wall panels, etc. We discussed how to paint a floor skirting - in fact, it seems that it is a small element of the interior. However, there are no trifles when decorating a room - sometimes minor changes add very interesting notes to the overall harmony. Additional information: The use of polyvinyl chloride panels can significantly reduce the time allocated for repairing walls and ceilings. How to paint plexiglass at home for an aquatic environment? At the same time, we can say with confidence that the quality of the work performed remains at the same level, provided that the sequence of actions is followed and the correct choice of materials is used. However, there is one drawback to PVC panels: a smooth and beautiful connection between the ceiling and walls will not work. Ceiling plinths for plastic panels can solve this problem. This element is able to emphasize the design style of the room and hide minor imperfections that are formed when finishing surfaces with plastic panels. Through the use of these structural elements, you can not only bring the interior decor to perfection, strengthen the suspension system and hide unsightly butt joints between walls and ceilings. From the point of view of manufacturability, cornices, baguettes or moldings made of PVC differ from other varieties, both floor and ceiling plinths. The main distinguishing feature is the design of the products. This aspect accordingly leaves an imprint on the method of installation of products. Unlike foam or polyurethane profiles, polyvinyl chloride curbs are attached only to mechanical fasteners. Even a small renovation can dramatically change the entire look of a room, and painting the baseboards is one of those small but interesting touches that will allow you to amazingly transform a room or create a complete updated look after renovation. How to paint metal fence posts to prevent them from rusting? Painting skirting boards (floor and ceiling) is considered the final touch in repair work, but it is recommended to paint them before wallpapering or painting the walls, so as not to stain them. Despite the fact that this product is available in different colors, ceiling skirting boards are painted for the reason that the color of the finished result does not always match the overall color of the interior. Quite often, an element of the desired color cannot be found in small towns where the market for building materials is not so extensive. In addition, not everyone agrees to wait for custom-made skirting boards of a suitable color. Before buying a mixture, it is important to find out the scope of application of the finished products. For a baguette that is supposed to be installed in a bathroom or kitchen, you should not select water-based emulsion or water-dispersed compositions - they will be washed off with water, but latex and acrylic paint are ideal. For the living room and bedroom, skirting boards can be painted with water mixtures - they are safer for health. What color should I decorate the slats in? Usually the plinth, both floor and ceiling, is decorated to match the tone of the main covering. Is it possible to paint the ceiling plinth the same color as the walls? More often it is decorated to match the color of the ceiling, however, this option is quite acceptable. In any case, it is better to choose an option that is slightly lighter than the main coating.
- Glue “Moment”. It sets quickly, but when it gets on the front surface it causes irreparable defects.
- “Eco-naset”, “Titan”. It hardens more slowly and does not require additional ventilation.
- "Liquid Nails". The composition is based on an organic solvent, hardens instantly, but requires careful ventilation of the room after use. It is used in rooms with high humidity and is not afraid of high/low temperatures.
- Acrylic “Liquid nails”. This glue is environmentally friendly, dries slowly and does not tolerate freezing.
- Special putty. Used as an adhesive base for overlay plinths.
Sometimes you can find detachable plastic skirting boards. In this case, the decorative edging and the part into which the plastic panel is inserted are supplied separately. When the installation of the ceiling plinth is completed, they are connected to each other with a regular latch. This design is designed to facilitate the installation of plastic ceiling skirting boards. This is especially true for installing the last panel (read also: “How to properly attach plastic panels to the ceiling”).
How to choose a shade
Large stores that sell paints and varnishes offer professional tinting. Based on the sample provided, you can accurately select the shade of paint.
Combination of baseboards with room decoration.
You need to know what is taken into account when choosing the color of the floor plinth:
- If you paint the planks together with the walls, which are also finished for painting, then the distance from the floor to the ceiling visually increases. Another advantage is that the problem of choosing a shade is eliminated.
- If contrast is needed, then most often they choose a combination with other details of the room’s decoration: a door, ceiling or ceiling plinth, furniture, curtains, decor. This option is only suitable for a spacious room.
- If the baseboard is the same color as the floor, the area of the room will visually increase. The shade can be made a little darker.
If an exact match is not necessary, then you can try to select the coloring composition yourself.
To prime or not?
In general, water-based paints adhere well to polystyrene foam and polyurethane, but it is better to try a specific paint. If it “doesn’t stick”, rolls off, or appears in spots, it is better to coat it with an adhesive primer. Take the composition according to the selected type of paint. Read the description carefully: what surfaces can be applied to. Polystyrene foam and polyurethane are rarely indicated, but if plastic is mentioned, the composition is suitable. Then everything is simple: apply a thin layer of primer to the baseboards with a brush before installation and wait for it to dry. Then they go according to the chosen scenario - either installation and then painting, or painting-installation-painting.
It’s easy to paint a primed duropolymer floor plinth
As an economical option for primer, you can use slightly diluted PVA glue. But only the glue must be “fresh” and of normal quality.
Duropolymer can be primed or unprimed. If you bought it unprimed, the paint usually doesn’t adhere well. Primer compositions for ordinary materials, by the way, too. Automotive primers for plastic work well. It is better to take them not in a can, but in a jar and apply them in a thin layer with a brush. The primer itself “sticks” well, and after it dries the paint also lays down smoothly.
How to paint a baseboard
Skirting boards, both ceiling and floor, are used everywhere in modern interiors. And although there are many colors, for a more harmonious combination with the main finish, sometimes they still have to be painted. Of course, the paint for the baseboards must be chosen correctly. There are certain dyeing technologies that must be followed.
We’ll talk about which dye is best to use, as well as how to properly decorate the baseboard in this article.
When is the best time to paint polyurethane baseboards?
According to the technology, skirting boards are installed after the finishing of the walls is completed, the flooring is laid and the lining of the doorways is installed. This is exactly what they usually do. But when to paint polyurethane baseboards (before installation or after) is a question. After all, during the installation process you will putty the joints and gaps between the wall and the baseboard. Then the putty is sanded so that the joint is invisible, then everything is painted. So it’s more logical to paint after installation and putty.
But if you are installing models with ornaments, it makes sense to paint everything at least once before installation. As already said, the brush is simply too inconvenient. And also at the floor level there are generally a lot of difficulties. So, first of all, we paint a plastic, duropolymer or polyurethane plinth with an ornament on a horizontal surface.
Preparation of necessary materials and equipment
If you decide to opt for skirting boards for floor painting and paint them yourself, then you need to prepare all the necessary tools, materials and personal protective equipment.
So, we will need:
- Brushes – they will be needed when painting already installed baseboards with conventional paints.
- Spray gun – we use it in the case of aerosol paints.
- Sandpaper - coarse and fine grain. Coarse-grain sandpaper will be needed for initial processing and removal of large visible defects and irregularities. It will be necessary to remove roughness with fine sandpaper after the primer and the first coat of paint.
- Primer compositions - for application to baseboards before painting for protection from the external environment and better adhesion to paints and varnishes. An acrylic primer is best.
- Protective equipment - mask or respirator, rubber gloves to prevent paint from getting on the skin of your hands.
- Solvent – for degreasing the surface to be painted.
- Paint - it is preferably better to choose alkyd or acrylic compositions; you can also use aerosol or water-based paint.
- Transparent acrylic varnish - will give the painted surface depth of color, excellent shine and protect the surface.
- Napkins or clean rags are useful if necessary to remove smudges and excess paint.
- Putty and putty knife - you can use a car putty to seal deep defects and cracks.
