Plinth for the kitchen: do-it-yourself video instructions for installation, features of furniture, plastic, aluminum products, seals, price, photo

Currently, kitchens are a transformer thought out to the smallest detail. Everything you need for kitchen work and a little more can be connected under a single worktop. Plastic base for the kitchen, only a trifle at first glance.

Remove it and you will understand that it is bad without it. About what plinths are and how to install them with your own hands - we will talk now.

general information

In plain language, the kitchen base is a lower bar that runs along the outer and lower edges of the headset and decorates the space between kitchen floor and the headset itself.

Despite its simplicity, this plank consists of essential parts and additional fittings.

Mandatory details include:

1. The body of the lower plank itself.
2. Gasket for kitchen base.
3. Clips for fixing.

Additional accessories include:

1. Docking elements that allow you to connect several planks in a single line.
2. They also include elements for a broken connection or a smooth radial connection. Standard fittings are designed for 90º, 135º or 180º corners. For typical projects, this is quite enough.

In height, the lower planks are available in 3 standard sizes:

1. Low 100 mm.
2. Medium 120 mm.
3. High 150 mm.

There is nothing particularly tricky and clever here, modern headsets, as a rule, have adjustable legs. Therefore, the choice of the size of the lower bar depends exclusively on the taste of the owner.

Traditionally, it is believed that for rooms with high ceilings, high plinths are more suitable. And for standard high-rise buildings, where every centimeter is saved, they set low or medium.

Another criterion when choosing a base is the material.

The base for the kitchen is made of 3 types of material:

1. Furniture, laminated chipboard.
2. PVC plastic.
3. Solid aluminum profile.

In addition to the aesthetic component, kitchen plinths have a purely practical purpose. They cover the space under the furniture. This is especially true when a washing machine and a dishwasher are installed in the room. The wiring for the inlet of water and the drainage system is located precisely in this space.

And secondly, the plank is a natural barrier, thanks to which all sorts of garbage or food remains will not get under the furniture set. For those who have pets at home, this is very important.

Let's analyze in more detail

Next, we will talk in more detail about the pros and cons of materials presented on the modern market.

Chipboard products

This is the most common material. It has existed for as long as furniture is made from this comfortable material.

And if he is still popular, then he has significant advantages.

• The price of the material is the most affordable, largely because of this, the furniture laminated chipboard base, so often ordered.
• The color range of laminated chipboard is simply huge. It will not be difficult to choose a color, both to match the furniture, and to contrast with it.
• If you take proper care of the product, it will last long enough. Only it should be dried in time, covered with a water-repellent compound and an antiseptic.
• This material is characterized by high mechanical strength and resistance to damage.
• Using laminated chipboard, you can refuse to install support adjustable legs. Their function, with success, will be taken over by the planks.

Now let's talk about the cons, they are also present in chipboard.

• The material is tough and quite problematic in processing, making smooth, enveloping transitions from it is not realistic.
• Even if you are very careful in the kitchen, in any case, over time, the corners of the planks will gradually begin to gain moisture and crumble. Because of what, the appearance will suffer greatly.

Let's talk about plastic

The PVC base for the kitchen has a wider list of advantages.

• The price of this material is also quite affordable, with a fairly high quality.
• The material is absolutely neutral to moisture.
• Temperature drops are not terrible for him.
• It has high impact resistance, is resistant to abrasion, is not afraid of claws of pets and other mechanical influences.
• Most models are UV resistant.
• It is lightweight, which is convenient for cleaning.
• Thanks to a wide range of docking fittings, it can be adapted to any furniture geometry.

But he also has tangible disadvantages, which are also worth taking a closer look at.

• Although plastic is very easy to clean, occasional drops or dirt on its surface will be highly visible. Therefore, you will have to take care of the plastic more carefully.
• Aggressive detergents can seriously spoil the appearance of the product, so it should be washed with neutral compounds.

Important: plastic is a flammable coating.
Ignition temperature from 400 ºС.
But this is not the worst thing, the bad thing is that when it burns, it emits a suffocating smoke.
Because of this feature, in some countries it is prohibited for use in childcare facilities.

Metal products

Metal products, in particular aluminum plinths, are rightfully considered the best.

Of the advantages can be called.

• Absolutely environmentally neutral material.
• Does not burn out, does not oxidize, finally does not melt and does not support combustion.
• It is very lightweight, plus it bends easily, thanks to which it transforms into a radius version, which is useful when arranging an author's design.
• Austere, solid look harmonizes well with any kitchen interior design.
• The profile can be either mirrored or matte. Apart from the fact that you can paint it in any color.

There is only one minus here.

• Aluminum products have the highest price in comparison with analogs from other materials.

Getting started with installation

• The installation instructions for the base / plinth are extremely simple. To do this, arm yourself with glue if you are working with plastic or metal. And a screwdriver with self-tapping screws in the case of chipboard.
• Clips on chipboard are attached with 2 self-tapping screws, so calculate the number of screws by the number of legs.

Important: Different headsets can have a different number of mounts, but on average, with a straight-line arrangement of the headset, 1 mount is taken per 50 cm.
If there are pedestals or niches, then a separate mount is placed at each corner.

• Plastic and metal profiles are manufactured with a special groove, into which the clip is inserted and installed in the desired place. The clips are attached to the chipboard with self-tapping screws.
• Before installation, a seal for the kitchen base is attached to the lower edge of the profile using glue. It will not let moisture and small debris in the future.
• Next, mark the location of the legs with a marker and fix the clips in these places. After fixing the clips, you just have to put the base on the kitchen with a light pressure. If necessary, the gaps can be sealed with a sealant.

Conclusion

The general appearance of the room largely depends on the state of the lower edging of the headset. In conclusion, it should be noted that it is better to take the base in the kitchen in light colors or to match the headset.

If the kitchen is small, then the profile should not stand out, otherwise, the room will seem even smaller. On large areas, you can experiment - it all depends on your imagination.

In the video in this article, you can consider the nuances of attaching the lower profile.