How to choose and install a skirting board for your kitchen countertop

A skirting board that hides the gap between the worktop and the backsplash is an integral part of almost every kitchen unit. Our advice site will figure out what skirting boards are for countertops, why they are necessary and how to install this part with your own hands.

Why do you even need a plinth between the apron and the kitchen countertop? For three good reasons:

1. Decorative effect, the skirting board will give a finished look to the entire kitchen set, will become its integral part;
2. To prevent liquids from entering the worktop. How often do you spill something on your countertop? We are sure that often! And if you just wipe the liquid from the working area, then flowing under the countertop can lead to problems. For example, if you have a work area made of inexpensive chipboard. The edges are not protected with a laminated film, moisture can lead to swelling and damage to the entire tabletop. In addition, a humid environment will cause mold and mildew;
3. For protection from debris. All kinds of crumbs and food debris that can also fall into the gap against the wall. It is simply impossible to move the lower cabinets back to clean every time. And it is not known who will start in your kitchen, well, if only ants.

Gaps between the wall and countertop appear because owners rarely level the walls in this place to perfect condition. In fact, the main part of the wall will be hidden by the kitchen cabinets, why waste time, effort and money on leveling it. So it turns out that after installing the tabletop there is a gap.

Of course, if you order a kitchen set according to your size, the master will immediately indicate that you need a skirting board, it will be included in the kit. And you do not have to deal with its selection and installation – everything will be done by professionals.

However, if you just changed the old countertop, decided to replace the baseboard or to assemble furniture in the kitchen with your own hands, our article will definitely come in handy for you..

So, depending on the material of manufacture, kitchen skirting boards are:

1. Plastic. Rather, from polyvinyl chloride. The most inexpensive, easy to install and therefore popular option. A plastic skirting board can quite successfully imitate a tree or stone, of course, upon closer inspection, the fake will be noticeable, but in general, you can choose an option to match the color of the table top and apron finish. The downside is that you should not install a PVC skirting board directly next to the hob; when heated, it will begin to emit hazardous substances. But it is not afraid of moisture;
2. Aluminiev. It costs a little more than plastic, but it is durable, very easy to clean and is not afraid of high temperatures. By the way, the color of the aluminum skirting board can be changed using a special adhesive tape;
3. Ceramic. Often comes complete with backsplash tiles. Such ceramic cutters are already significantly more expensive than the previous two options, but they look respectable and will definitely decorate the kitchen set. The downside is that ceramics can crack, crack, if you drop something on the plinth or hit it;
4. From chipboard. It is not afraid of moisture, it will well complement a wooden kitchen. But on the hob, like a plastic one, it cannot be installed;
5. Stone. Artificial or real. The most expensive option. As the portal already wrote, the presence of a stone plinth will significantly increase the cost of the countertop itself. Such skirting boards cost from 1,500 rubles per linear meter, most often they are made to order along with the countertop itself.

Important! It is clear that the choice of a skirting board depends on what kind of kitchen you have. If the countertop is the most common, chipboard, the headset is also budgetary, then there is no point in spending money on a more expensive plinth – a plastic one will do. But a stone countertop, be it acrylic or granite, requires the presence of the same baseboard, plastic or aluminum next to it will look completely out of place.

In the form of skirting boards, sides for countertops are:

• flat;
• in the form of a corner;
• triangular;
• rectangular;
• rounded.

Skirting boards are usually sold in strips 3-4 meters long. But the width can be very different. The more gap you have between the wall and the countertop, the wider you need the side. Therefore, take measurements in advance, before going to the building supermarket..

Important! The kit should include silicone seals, which will ensure a tight fit of the rim to the table top. In addition, you will need caps to fit around the edges of the plastic and metal skirting boards..

Aluminum and plastic skirting boards are installed in almost the same way. They have a base – a strip that is attached to the tabletop with self-tapping screws. A decorative part is put on top. You can cut such skirting boards with an ordinary hacksaw, after taking measurements. Silicone sealing strips must adhere clearly to the surface, ensuring tightness.

Important! Many experts prefer to glue the plinth on a silicone sealant so as not to insert self-tapping screws into the countertop, not to disturb its surface.

Video on how to install a skirting board on a kitchen worktop: