Ceiling plinth for stretch ceiling or PVC insert: choice of installation technology

Recommendation points

• Decorative insert: features, advantages, choice
• Decorative insert selection options
• Ceiling plinth for stretch ceiling
• Which material is better
• Choose a wide or narrow skirting board
• The best ceiling plinth configuration for a stretch ceiling
• Indirect lighting skirting board
• Stucco relief for tensile structures
• Ceiling plinth color
• Curved skirting board

In this article, we will consider the main ways to mask the junction of the stretch ceiling to the enclosing structures. We will figure out when it is better to use a PVC insert, and when to use a ceiling plinth. We will pay attention to the choice of specific models, as well as the nuances of installation.

After installing the stretch ceiling, there is almost always a technological gap of at least 8-10 mm between the curtain and the enclosing structures. This is due to the configuration of the installation profiles-baguettes, as well as possible unevenness of the walls in the junction area. Only sometimes this gap is covered by default, as in some fabric fastening systems. For example, Cerutti has the gaps filled with a retention cord, while Clipso has baguettes with a visible overlapping part.

In most cases, the consumer is forced to order a special insert, which is offered as an option, or to independently select and glue the skirting board for the stretch ceiling. Each of the options in certain conditions has its own functional pros and cons..

Decorative insert: features, advantages, choice

You should start with the terminology, since this element may be called differently by different manufacturers and dealers: insert, masking tape, plug, filler, and so on. In any case, it will be a molded product of complex cross-section made of soft PVC, which, after mounting the tensioning sheet, is simply inserted into the groove of the installation molding by simply pressing and closes the existing wall slots of various widths.

Why decorative inserts are good, and what are their disadvantages:

1. The main advantage of using plugs is the fact that they are removable. If you need to re-glue the wallpaper, or partially dismantle the stretch ceiling canvas (for example, to drain the water after flooding), they are removed from the baguette, and then put in place.
2. Working with plugs is very simple, you can do everything yourself. It is enough to buy a tape of the required length (it is sold in coils), cut it and insert it. You don’t need to glue, putty and paint anything.
3. These profiles are soft and flexible, most of the inserts bend easily around curved structures. An exception can be made up of stubs in the form of corners..
4. Many plugs, installed in their place, merge with the ceiling in color and do not protrude much above the surface. Therefore, the stretch ceiling looks fully decorated, but strict and concise, which may be necessary, for example, in creating a business office interior. Also, plugs should be chosen by those who consider a foam or polyurethane baguette for stretch ceilings in a living room to be too pretentious element..
5. The simplicity of the design of the ceiling with plugs is often regarded as a design flaw..
6. Many decorative inserts, masking the technological gap, do not cover the gaps arising from the unevenness of the walls.

Decorative insert selection options

Decorative plugs are usually offered by companies that produce components for stretch ceilings, often they have nothing to do with the creation of paintings. They have a large assortment, and you need to choose the right one. Let’s list some key points.

Specific insert models are combined only with specific installation baguettes. So, there are products designed exclusively for harpoon systems for fastening the canvas, and there are those that are used for wedge, glazing and similar technologies. Some plugs are installed only in aluminum profiles, there are also universal fillers – for metal and plastic moldings. It is equally important that the width of the insert is the same as the baguette for stretch ceilings.

The fillers, due to the peculiarities of their section, with varying efficiency, overlap the abutment zone and bend around the rounded sections. Let’s consider the most popular ones:

1. T and F section profiles are suitable for perfectly prepared walls. They get around radii well.
2. Caps with a cross-section reminiscent of the letter S are considered the most successful for framing ceilings with uneven walls, or if the walls have a large relief finish (wallpaper with vinyl beads, decorative plaster).
3. Some of the S-shaped end caps have a pronounced wide, soft flange that faces the wall. They are labeled as SL.
4. Remarkable is the gap filler with an L-shaped cross-section (wall angle). With one shelf, it is inserted into the baguette, and with the other, it is superimposed on the wall and imitates the ceiling plinth.

A choice of cap color is often available. The most successful in terms of durability is the shading of the profile in bulk, but sometimes the masking tape is painted from above. There can be several colors for each model. Sometimes plugs are produced, which in color completely coincide with the palette of some well-known manufacturer of stretch canvases, for example, fillers from the Ryazan firm “Engineering Center Gothic” are tied to the “Lakfol” ceilings. Please note that the white color may also differ, for example, there is a slightly creamy, milky one, and there is a “super white” option. Black – may differ in its depth.

Comparative table of decorative inserts

Brand name	Section type	Width, mm	Colour	Features:	Price (rub / rm) *
Optimplast (Belarus)	Corner (L)	15	white	for harpoon attachment, simulates plinth	ten
“Gothic” (Russia)	SL	17	white	for harpoon attachment, suitable for uneven walls	8-10
Asta-M (Russia)	T, F, SL, L	12-17	26 in bulk	can be matched to the color of the ceiling or wall	25
Asta-M (Russia)	any	12-17	in the customer’s color	the palette is not limited	130

* Prices “cut” are taken from the prices of companies specializing in the assembly of stretch ceiling installers.

Ceiling plinth for stretch ceiling

Unlike decorative inserts, curtain rods for stretch ceilings allow you to solve a wide range of design tasks, including hidden lighting. As a rule, foam models are much cheaper than ready-made PVC plugs; they can be bought at any hardware store. At the same time, installation and finishing of skirting boards can cause some difficulties. A separate approach will be needed in the presence of rounded shapes that bypass the stretch ceiling. And one more nuance – if the canvas has to be removed, then the baseboard is subject to mandatory dismantling..

Which material is better

It doesn’t matter what kind of baseboard material is used for covering the perimeter of the stretch ceiling, but most often foam or polyurethane products are used, as the most versatile. Nothing prevents the use of plaster stucco or wooden fittings if the walls, for example, are made of timber.

Since the fixing of the plinth near the stretch ceiling is made only to the wall, a profile that has less weight will be more preferable, since it will not intensively act “to tear off”. This material is polystyrene, however, large skirting boards, especially when organizing hidden lighting, are made of polyurethanes – more durable and stable.

Choose a wide or narrow skirting board

It is important to take into account the general style and height of the room. In a low room, a massive polymer stucco molding will look “clumsy”, and a narrow plinth for a stretch ceiling in a high room – “lost”. There is a generally accepted ratio standard:

Width of the vertical shelf of the ceiling plinth, mm	Room height, m
1.5-4	up to 2.5
5-10	2.5-3
from 10	from 3

The best ceiling plinth configuration for a stretch ceiling

To ensure reliable adhesion of the skirting board near stretch ceilings, it is better to use models with a wide vertical part, which allows you to apply two or even three strips of adhesive.

Attention: installation is carried out only to the wall.

Given the small width of the installation gap (about a centimeter), an almost flat wall molding can be used under the ceiling, which, by the way, bends well and compensates for uneven walls.

Indirect lighting skirting board

For organizing a “floating” stretch ceiling, illuminated in a hidden way, special products are well suited, which have a shelf for placing LED strips or fluorescent lamps. Some models integrate a reflective foil coating on the inside, creating a beautiful “double” light.

Sometimes for indirect lighting, large polyurethane curtain rods for stretch ceilings can be used, simply glued at some distance from the fabric or PVC canvas.

Stucco relief for tensile structures

Pattern, ornament, number of edges, rounded or sharp shapes – we select all this according to the design features of the interior. However, it is believed that skirting boards with enhanced decorative properties and a complex section are better suited to simple wall finishes and plain ceilings. And in rooms with an intricate interior and ornate decoration, where artistic stretch ceilings are installed, on the contrary, smooth modest models are preferable.

Ceiling plinth color

Choosing a color scheme for the applied paint, we can either completely highlight the skirting board, or make it match the color of the walls or ceiling. In both versions, it becomes possible to visually manipulate the space. Plinth to match the color of the ceiling will make the room wider and longer, and if the stucco molding will merge with the walls (or have an independent color, for example, copper patina), then the room will look higher.

Curved skirting board

Curved walls are not common, but boxes on the ceiling, which have rounded sides, are commonly used in interior design. To cover the abutment of the canvas to a curved surface, you need a special elastic baguette for stretch ceilings.

These models are produced in addition to the usual running rulers, they have the same section and relief as straight rigid profiles. Flex skirting boards are suitable for external and internal radii. Please note that their cost is quite high.

Comparison table of skirting boards

Model	A type	Dimensions width / height / length, mm / mm / m	Relief	Features:	Price (rub / piece)
M-25 Kindecor (Russia)	plinth	20/27/2	smooth	foam, for small rooms	20
207505 “Format” (Russia)	plinth	32/68/2	large drawing	Styrofoam, wide bearing surface	85
20MG Matteo (Germany)	plinth	130/120/2	combination of smooth part and ornament	styrofoam, for large rooms, suitable for indirect lighting	380
96251 Decomaster (Germany)	plinth	25/25 / 2.4	smooth, there are edges	polyurethane, for low rooms	320
96251 Decomaster (Germany)	plinth flexible	25/25 / 2.4	smooth, there are edges	polyurethane, for external and internal radii	885
C372 Orac (Belgium)	molding	70/280/2	smooth	polyurethane, for rooms above 3 meters, two fixing lines, suitable for indirect lighting	4330
161-51 Frame-Miga (South Korea)	color molding	22/60 / 2.4	ornament	polyurethane, large fixing area, no need to paint	430

A few practical tips for installing stucco moldings under a stretch ceiling:

1. It is better to start before finishing the walls: painting, decorative plaster or wallpaper. However, the tiles must be laid in advance.
2. Gluing is carried out only to walls and ceiling boxes.
3. If the wallpaper is already on the wall, it is advisable to cut it along the stucco installation line.
4. Be sure to prime the wall before gluing.
5. There is no need to use a level, we mark the bottom edge with a template, measure it from the plane of the ceiling. If hidden lighting is implemented, then you should retreat so much so that you can easily attach lighting devices.
6. For fixing, only water-soluble compounds are used (from those recommended by the manufacturer of the skirting board), which, if accidentally hit on the canvas, do not react with it. You can try on scraps of film / fabric (remain after stretching the ceiling).
7. Profiles need to be prepared: sort through, trim the edges, pick up the picture.
8. It is more convenient to cut a polymer plinth with a metal toothed disc on an electric miter saw.
9. Before installation, the profiles should be painted several times (but the finishing layer is applied on the spot).
10. Before plastering the stucco molding and before painting it, the stretch ceiling can be pasted over with paper masking tape.
11. Possible local gaps between the skirting board and the stretch fabric can be sealed with acrylic sealants. First check that it does not leave streaks on the canvas and does not clog into the relief, if any..
12. The skirting board covering the curtain rod can be fixed to the ceiling with self-tapping screws through the top shelf. For this, a strip of plywood on adjustable suspensions is installed along the installation line under the canvas, similar to the technology of mounting a chandelier.

Everyone chooses the method of sealing the technological gap himself, but in any case, the material must be of high quality, the work must be done as accurately as possible. Only then will the stretch ceiling reveal its entire consumer potential.