The Skirting Board, Decoration That is Often Forgotten

The skirting board, or baseboard, is a basic element of decoration that changes the aesthetics of your whole house.

However, its function is not merely decorative. It’s responsible for protecting the wall so that it doesn’t get dirty from shoes or furniture bumping into it, or from products that you use to clean the floor. A skirting board also helps hide the boundary between the floor and the beginning of the wall.

On the other hand, this is also the perfect place to put any wiring needed for a phone or the internet so its useful and aesthetically pleasing.

Like all decorative elements, the skirting board comes in a variety of different styles. However, this decorative element hasn’t always been given the importance it should have. For that reason, in this article, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about the skirting board and some current trends.

Skirting board materials

The material for a baseboard depends on the material of the floor. You should make sure the skirting board matches. In other words, a pine floor should have a pine baseboard, a tile floor should have a tile skirting board, etc.

There are a variety of options on the market that you can combine with your floor to bring personality to a room. Next, we’ll tell you about the most common materials for this great element.

• Tile baseboards. There are different models and they are fixed with cement glue.
• Wooden skirting. You can use this style with a parquet floor or wood floor. Usually, you choose the same style as the floor. On the other hand, as we’ll see later, they don’t always have to match. You fix the skirting with a mounting adhesive.
• Plywood baseboards. This is fixed with mounting adhesive and is one of the most commonly used.
  • Veneered plywood. This replicates wood and you can use it as a natural-looking baseboard.
  • Laminated plywood. This type has a paper covering that looks like wood.
  • Raw plywood. This allows you to choose a color that you like.
• Finger-jointed skirting. A sheet of this is formed when small individual pieces of pine timber are joined together with glue. It comes from renewable forests. It’s a good option for great quality and stability.

Types of skirting boards

Superimposed on the wall

These are the baseboards that you see in most houses. They cover the lower part of the wall. Depending on the type of wall and floor, you can choose one that is higher or lower and with a variety of thicknesses.

Recessed

This type of baseboard can only be installed during a larger remodel project since they require specific installation. The most common way to do this is when using plasterboard partitions.

Typically, you use two plasterboard sections on the walls. Then, you have only one, the one further back, go down to the floor. The baseboard is then slightly recessed into the wall.

Integrated into the wall

This is what we recommend for newly built homes. These baseboards can be made of lacquered wood or plasterboard. This type of skirting board is integrated into the wall. It doesn’t protrude and instead is flush with the wall. As a result, these baseboards are subtle.

Types of installation

Once you’ve chosen the material and the color that best fits your house, it’s important to consider how to install each type of baseboard.

• Nails. One option is to the nail the baseboard in place and then use putty so that the nails aren’t noticeable. The advantage of this option is that it eliminates any space between the baseboard and the floor.
• Clips. This is one of the best options. You place clips on the wall and then hook the skirting board on to them. This is a very simple and practical system.
• Screws. You can use screws for certain types of installations. The downside is that they may be visible, which can affect the aesthetics of the wall.
• Glue. This is the simplest method. You just glue the pieces to the wall.

Baseboard trends: the color white

Currently, the skirting boards that you see the most are white since it’s a neutral tone. They are also typically thin so that they can easily integrate into the decoration. That way you avoid any gaps between the furniture and walls.

Our recommendation is to use the skirting board to enhance the wall and give it a more elegant appearance. One way to do this is to choose a smooth, lacquered style with straight edges. Choosing skirting boards in a style slightly different from the floor can also be a good idea if your floor has a lot of personality.

Keep in mind, however, that there should always be harmony between the floor, skirting board, and doors. The color and material should be similar, if not the same, or at least match in color. For that reason, white skirting boards are a good option, especially if you have white walls.

As you can see, there are skirting boards for all tastes and made in a variety of materials, sizes, and colors. It’s up to you how striking you want your baseboards to be. On the other hand, you should remember that there needs to be a balance with the rest of the house.