All about the curbs (baseboards) for the bath

When installing the bath, it is important to take care of sealing the joint that forms between the font and the wall. For these purposes, special borders (skirting boards or fillets) have been created. They are made of different materials, can be mounted in various ways. Each type of borders has certain features, pluses and minuses that should be considered before buying.

When installing a bath or shower, a gap is often formed. It occurs for a number of reasons:

• walls not erected at right angles;
• wall surfaces with flaws (protrusions, pits and other defects);
• committed violations during the installation of plumbing equipment.

Flooding risks are not the only problem. Difficult conditions are observed in the bathroom - high humidity is often noted here. If water constantly seeps into the gap between the plumbing and the wall, this will lead to the appearance of a fungus. Such microorganisms multiply rapidly, harming the health of households. To prevent water from flowing onto the walls and floor, a bath corner is used. It will reliably protect the room from leakage.

Another important function that the baseboard performs is aesthetic. Slots left after installing plumbing equipment can spoil the overall picture.They make the room untidy and give the interior a sense of incompleteness. Using the border, you can competently and aesthetically close up the formed joint.

Modern borders are made in several structural variations, they can have all kinds of colors and be made from different raw materials. By the method of constructive execution of the product are divided into:

• internal - designed to be installed at the joints before facing works (the border is mounted first, and only after that the tile is laid);
• external - designed for mounting on joints over wall cladding.

And also the sides differ in the installation method. There are flexible self-adhesive and non-self-adhesive solutions. The inside of the former is treated with a specialized adhesive protected from drying by a thin shell. After removing the film, the border must be immediately fixed to the tile. Non-adhesive corners are mounted using silicone compounds or acrylic sealants.

Skirting boards are classified according to the raw materials from which they are made. Let's talk about each variety in more detail.

The border made of PVC has a lot of advantages. It has optimal elasticity and many color options. Plastic resists moisture well, does not deform under temperature extremes. Due to the variety of colors, you can choose a corner for almost any kind of wall cladding. Another advantage of the plastic corner is the budget cost.

PVC products are made as self-adhesive finishing fillets intended for installation on top of tiles, or as internal solutions installed for finishing at the initial stage of cladding. The disadvantages of plastic solutions include fragility.

It’s easy to choose a beautiful and high-quality fillet for the bathroom - these products are sold in various sizes and color variations. Other advantages of ceramic corners include:

• water resistance achieved through a special glazed layer that repels liquid;
• high strength indicators - ceramic products can withstand some mechanical loads (weak impacts, abrasion), while maintaining external flawlessness;
• durability - due to the resistance of such borders to the microclimate in the bathroom and various mechanical influences, they are able to last at least 20 years;
• resistance to chemically aggressive detergents;
• excellent decorative qualities.

Despite significant advantages, not everyone prefers ceramic fillets. There are a number of arguments for this. Corners made of ceramics are expensive, especially when compared with budget-friendly PVC analogues. The most expensive products are European brands.

Ceramic skirting board is laid with tile glue. For its smooth and accurate fixation, experience and utmost patience will be required. Not everyone can cope with the task of sealing joints with a ceramic corner.

Corners made of rubber are highly flexible, so they are recommended for use in places with frequent bends. The material is highly resistant to temperature changes, due to which it does not deform when exposed to hot and cold water. Rubber products are inexpensive, but at the same time fully cope with the tasks assigned to them.

These borders also have some drawbacks. Judging by the reviews, they quickly lose their external presentation when washing with chemically aggressive compounds. Their appearance often suffers when cleaning with powdered substances with abrasive particles.

Metal products have numerous advantages. They are durable, reliable, look stylish and expensive. Such corners are made of stainless metals, they are often coated with special compositions that protect the product from corrosion.

Metal fillets are more expensive than popular plastic or silicone baseboards, but with proper care they will last several times longer. The disadvantages of borders include the difficulty of choosing the best solution for the interior of the room and the design of plumbing equipment. In order not to “miscalculate”, it is recommended to think over the details of the design of the bathroom in advance and provide for the presence of various metal parts, interior items or decor.

For the production of self-adhesive border tape, polymer materials are used. Such products have different widths, so it is possible to choose the best solution for yourself. The border tape is inexpensive. It is easy to install - even a novice will be able to cope with the task of sealing joints.

The disadvantage of this product is its fragility due to loss of aesthetic qualities and loss of sealing during operation. Buyers complain that they have to re-stick the tape every 2 years. If you use tools with abrasives, alkaline or acid compositions to maintain cleanliness, you will have to re-seal joints even more often.

The physical properties of silicone skirting boards are similar to those of rubber products. They have increased elasticity, due to which such borders have found application in sealing joints in places with maximum bends. Silicone corners are inexpensive and look presentable, but they require careful care. They can not be cleaned with abrasives, alkaline and acidic compounds. Otherwise, they quickly lose their aesthetics.

Acrylic corners are recommended for acrylic fonts. These skirting boards are in great demand, despite their higher price compared to analogues of silicone and plastic. Advantages of acrylic corners:

• various variations of performance - products are available in an extensive color palette, so that you can easily find the solution for any bathroom designs, regardless of the overall color in which the room is designed;
• strength - acrylic can withstand severe mechanical stress;
• durability;
• resistance to chemically aggressive detergents.

The most popular borders are products from the company "Superplinth". Under this brand, corpulent corners are available, suitable for edging any kind of bathtubs.

The disadvantages of acrylic corners include their weak elasticity, which is why they are not recommended for plumbing edging with complex geometric shapes. Otherwise, the product will easily burst with excessive bends.

Borders made of artificial stone are obtained by using acrylic resins, various minerals and pigment compositions, which give color to the finished product. Such corners are hygienic - due to the absence of micropores, they do not absorb moisture and perfectly resist the growth of fungus and harmful microorganisms leading to the formation of mold. In addition, they are versatile - fillets can be used both for sealing joints and for hiding the seams between floor and wall cladding in the bathroom.

The plinth made of artificial stone looks aesthetically pleasing and expensive. It is able to withstand severe mechanical influences, sharp temperature drops. These varieties of borders are absolutely safe for health - they do not emit harmful substances when heated.

With proper installation, stone products can last for more than a dozen years. At the same time, the corners will not fade and will not lose their original color even with intensive use and daily washing. The disadvantages of the products include them absolute inelasticity, high cost and complex installation.

In addition to a variety of species, plumbing shop windows are full of vast variations in size. The width of the baseboard is of great importance, because to some extent the completeness of the design of the bathroom will depend on this type of finish.

Skirting boards are generally up to 30 mm wide. This size is enough to seal small, medium and large gaps. There are also non-standard wide decorative borders 50 or 60 mm wide.

In order to choose the plinth for the edging of sanitary equipment, It is important to consider several factors.

1. The material that the walls are lined with. If the bathroom is finished with PVC panels, it is advisable to choose the corners for sealing from the same polymer.
2. Material for the manufacture of a bath or shower. For example, for acrylic products, it is recommended to select acrylic fillets.
3. The width of the gap between the bathroom and the wall. If the gap is large, it is recommended to give preference to full-bodied curbs in the form of a corner.
4. Colors. The color of the skirting boards should overlap with the colors of the finish or bath. Fillet should ideally fit into the interior and complement it, without breaking out of the general style. Mostly manufacturers produce white borders, less often on sale there are products in light pink, pale blue or pale green. There are decorative skirting boards with curly trimmed edges or stamped.

A home master can also establish a quality border. In order for the edging to be airtight and aesthetic, you should know the procedure. Let's see how to mount a corner using the example of PVC fillets and self-adhesive tape.

Installation of skirting boards involves several stages.

1. Dismantling the old seal. A border that has fallen away or is covered with mold is carefully separated from the wall and the bath with a spatula. After that, the surfaces are cleaned from dust and dirt.
2. Foundation preparation. In order to remove residual impurities, the surfaces are wiped with a cloth soaked in a chlorine solution with water. The use of white spirit is allowed - in this case, the base will be degreased. After that, the walls are given time to dry completely. To speed up the process, you can use a hairdryer.
3. Measurements - measured the length and width of the sanitary ware using a tape measure. After marking is applied on the curb.
4. After measurements, the desired length is cut from the baseboard (It is important to cut the edges at an angle of 45 degrees to obtain beautiful internal angles). Next, a preliminary fitting is performed.
5. Fixing masking tape. The border should be glued over the entire length at the level of 0.2 cm along the upper and lower borders. After the corner is removed, and masking tape remains.
6. Glue application. Sealants or foams handle fillet mounting locations. You need to work carefully so as not to go beyond the masking tape.
7. Fixation. The baseboard is applied to the applied adhesive and lightly pressed. Any excess glue that comes out should be removed with a rag.
8. Sealing. At the last stage, the edges of the curb are unbent and treated with sealant.

To mount the sealing tape, you should carefully prepare the base - remove the old baseboard, clean the surface from dirt and let it dry. Before gluing the tape, marking is applied to it - the length of its segments should be 2-3 cm longer than the measured sides of the bath. After cutting, the material is bent along the entire length and heated with a household hair dryer. The thermal effect gives the tape more elasticity, thereby reducing the risks of its premature departure from surfaces.

It is necessary to start gluing the baseboard from one of the corners. The protective film should not be removed all at once - it is removed gradually, 10-20 cm each. During installation, they try to press the material tightly using the applicator. The joints in the corners are additionally treated with a sanitary sealant. It is not recommended to use plumbing until the glue has completely dried. If it turns out that the tape has peeled off in some places - do not panic. In this case, the material is carefully glued using “liquid nails” or sealant.

Next, watch a video on how to properly install the curb on the bath.