The presence of a ceiling plinth (baguette, fillet) gives the finish a finished look, covering the upper edge of the wallpaper, the technological gap between the stretch ceiling and the wall, the junction of the color shades of color and other visual differences.
Especially for these purposes, manufacturers of building materials offer for sale a variety of types of ceiling skirting boards made of:
- gypsum mixtures;
- polyurethane;
- wood;
- plastics;
- polystyrene.
The most popular ceiling moldings are made of regular polystyrene foam. This is easily explained by the low cost of the material, a wide range of shapes, low weight, simple installation technology and durability.
Methods of attaching a foam skirting to the ceiling
How to glue a foam skirting on the ceiling? First of all, it is necessary to determine the surface material to which the skirting board will be attached. It could be:
- paper, vinyl, polyurethane or liquid wallpaper;
- whitewash, paint or putty;
- ceramic tile;
- plastic panels;
- painted, but not stretch, ceiling.
Bonding the baseboard to the ceiling is used only in cases where the degree of adhesion is insufficient to ensure reliable fixation of the baguette on the wall. As practice shows, the installation of a ceiling plinth is usually performed after finishing the wall. This simplifies the process of painting walls, wallpapering or masonry.
The material for gluing a ceiling foam baseboard can be:
- almost all water-based adhesives;
- acrylic putty and silicone sealants;
- special composition "liquid nails".
Depending on the type of wall decoration, it is possible to mechanically fix foam slats using a construction stapler. This applies to drywall, particleboard, fiberboard and other soft sheet coatings.
Tools and materials for installation
Since the work of fixing the skirting board is performed at height, you will need a stable stepladder or a durable and lightweight desktop. To process the rails you need to cook:
- sharp construction knife with replaceable blade;
- sandpaper with grit P100-200;
- miter box - a device for cutting slats at a strictly specified angle;
- tape measure, metal ruler and pencil;
- building bubble level;
- narrow spatula and paint brush;
- measuring angle 90 °;
- rags or sponge.
From materials you will need to buy a foam plinth and adhesive composition. If you want to have a color frame for the ceiling, prepare a white water-based paint and pigment of the desired color shade. For more reliable adhesion of the plinth rails with the painted and putty wall, get a transparent primer.
Recommendations for choosing a glue composition
What is the best way to stick the baseboard? The fact is that the foam can be damaged by some types of solvents, and the smooth surface of the rails is not always able to provide the necessary adhesion and after a while the baguette will simply fall off the wall. Therefore, experts usually advise using:
- adhesive compositions without active solvents;
- polyurethane foam;
- acrylic putty;
- silicone sealants.
Adhesive compounds recommended for mounting fillets on the surface of the wallpaper. What glue to glue the foam foam skirting board with? Among the best materials are “Moment of installation”, “Liquid nails”, “Titanium” and “Eko-Hacet”.
However, the use of adhesives is quite expensive and therefore they are used only if other options are unacceptable. Before buying, carefully read the instructions for use to make sure that there are no active solvents.
Polyurethane foam - The cheapest option for installing the skirting board. But it is possible to apply it only in the absence of a fine finish of the wall. The skirting board design must have a concave longitudinal groove from the angular side for free expansion of the foam.
Acrylic Putty perfectly fix the baseboard, if the wall is not pasted with wallpaper. It is easily and simply applied to the surface, provides quick grip, simultaneously patches bumps and places of loose contact, and is environmentally friendly.
Silicone sealants can be used in all cases and best of all when covering walls with ceramic tiles. For example, in the kitchen, in the bathroom or toilet. However, this group of adhesives is the most expensive and is rarely used.
Choosing a foam baseboard
When buying a skirting board, factors such as:
- room area and ceiling height;
- style of interior design;
- number of internal and external corners;
- type of ceiling decoration;
- number of suspended levels.
For rooms up to 15 m2 and up to 2.5 meters high, the recommended plinth width should not exceed 5 cm. For rooms up to 25 m2 the width of the baguette should be within 5-7 cm. Wider slats can be used only with an area of more than 25 meters. If the height of the room is more than 3 m, then the size of the plinth can be doubled.
The style of the interior can determine the shape of the surface. The classic finish allows the installation of a baguette imitating gypsum stucco, but hi-tech or eco-decor requires narrow and smooth skirting boards. Light slats around the perimeter visually expand the space, but if the room has a colored stretch ceiling, it is better to paint them to the color of this surface.
Mounting technology
How to stick a ceiling foam skirting? The whole process can be divided into two main stages - preparatory and installation work. At the first stage, it is carried out:
- procurement of materials;
- cooking tool;
- removal of foreign objects from the work area;
- thorough cleaning of surfaces from dust.
Painted or plastered walls in places where the baguette fits must be primed. If there is a ceramic tile coating, it is recommended to apply shallow scratches near the ceiling. This can be done using a small grinder with a diamond disk.
Installation work
How to glue the ceiling foam baseboard? Installation should begin from the most noticeable angle. The order of the actions is as follows:
- cut the ends of the two rails at the required angle and without applying glue attach them to the installation site;
- if the joint is neat, then you can go to the next step;
- when the visible gap is too large, then rework the ends with sandpaper;
- apply the adhesive to the back of the plinth rails, attach them to the installation site and hold in this position until the initial adhesion of the glue;
- drops that protrude beyond the edge of the plinth should be immediately removed with a rag or sponge;
- then go to another corner and repeat a similar operation;
- After fixing the fillets in all corners, install the plinth rails in straight sections between them.
When installing the baseboard, the adhesive must be applied not only to the back of the rail, but also to all end sections. If visible gaps remain as a result of wall irregularities, they can be repaired with sealant or putty.
How to glue corners
Making corners is the most difficult moment of finishing work. It is very important to prepare an exact fit of the slice of adjacent rails. If the angles in the room are strictly vertical, then there will be no big difficulties, the cut angle will be exactly 90 °. But how to make a corner when this condition is violated?
Here you will have to perform a gradual adjustment with sandpaper, periodically applying rails to the installation site. A similar option occurs at design angles that differ from straight lines. In this case, the miter box cannot be used and a gradual adjustment in place will be needed. We considered this question in more detail here.
Is it possible to glue the plinth on the suspended ceiling
Installation of a ceiling baguette is the final stage of work on the installation of a stretch ceiling in a room. It will close the visible technological gap between the canvas and the wall. However, it is strictly forbidden to glue the baseboard to the material of the stretch fabric.
Glue, when hardening, changes its volume and this can lead to the formation of wrinkles on the surface of the canvas, and even to its mechanical damage. When making stretch ceilings, the fillet should be fixed only to the wall surface and be at a distance of 2-4 mm from the ceiling plane. How to do it - see here.