Ceiling baguette: decorative features and methods of its installation

A small-sized decorative material, baguette has long been used in the design of furniture, in the decoration of residential premises and frames for paintings. A correctly selected ceiling molding creates harmony, helping to connect the individual details of the space into a single whole. Its installation is not complicated, but still has several secrets. Let's figure out what types of baguette profiles exist, how and with what to properly glue them to different surfaces.

Baguette finishing is appropriate in different styles Source horizonterm.net

Baguettes: why they are interesting

The plank covering the joints between the ceiling and walls is one of the few room decoration techniques that have been preserved over the past centuries and continue to be successfully used in modern interiors. The baguette has many other names: ceiling plinth, fillet, frieze or molding, but these are all synonyms, and there is no clear division between them. A decorative baguette can be called a complex figured product or a simple rectangular strip.

Any correctly selected ceiling plinth will give the room a neat and finished look. Depending on the color, it can serve as an accent detail or work to visually expand the space. Baguettes for the ceiling remain an attractive design method due to the following characteristics:

• Simplicity and quick installation. Even a person far from the construction industry can handle the procedure, and it won’t take much time.
• Budgeting. Many types of ceiling profiles have an affordable price. Even if the frieze is accidentally damaged, it will not turn into a disaster.
• Possibility of masking defects in the finishing of walls and ceilings at the joints.

The frieze gives the finish a finished look Source stroy-podskazka.ru

• Variety of materials and styles. On sale you can find an option for any design, from classic and ethnic, to vintage and modern solutions.
• Easy care. Dry cleaning is sufficient, but if necessary, wet cleaning can be used.
• Additional features. Some types of fillets (depending on the material) allow you to install a flexible LED strip.

Secrets of choosing a style

If we take the style of the interior design as a basis, then all baguettes here can be divided into traditional and modern. The first type is represented by classic gilded, silver or wooden (walnut, mahogany) frames that fit perfectly into interiors of styles such as classic, Scandinavian or modern.

Scandinavian style

Art Nouveau, Art Nouveau style

As for “modern” baguettes, characterized by a predominance of black and other colors in the design of the frame, they will be more appropriate in loft, chalet, and art deco style interiors.

Loft style

Chalet style

Art Deco style

Varieties

A baguette profile is easy to distinguish from its wall counterpart. Since it is attached to two planes, it has two gluing edges: a wider wall and a ceiling. Manufacturers offer a variety of baguettes, which can be divided according to different criteria into the following types:

• Decorative and fastening. The first ones have a pronounced aesthetics and create a complete look. The latter are more durable and flexible and are used as fastening elements for suspended ceilings.
• By type of fastening. Installation on fasteners involves the use of a hammer drill, screwdriver and self-tapping screws. A lightweight option is installation with glue (for example, liquid nails), when it is enough to press the part to the surface and hold it for some time.

Attaching a plinth to a suspended ceiling Source dekorator-s.ru

• To size. There are no strict criteria; the width of the baguette is chosen based on the dimensions of the room: area and especially ceiling height. Since the profile visually “eats up” the space, the smaller the room, the narrower the decor should be.
• According to the form. The ceiling plinth is varied in design, it can have a figured or thickened lower edge, a groove for mounting an LED strip, a complex section of a convex or concave shape, and a decorative insert.

The classification of ceiling moldings according to the material of manufacture includes the following varieties:

• Made of plastic. Products made of solid polyvinyl chloride are intended for use in systems with suspended ceilings as load-bearing structural elements. They are durable and flexible, a popular option is invisible, with different configurations. The small width allows you to minimize the loss of height of the main ceiling.
• Made from polystyrene foam. An environmentally friendly finishing option, lightweight and easy to install, popular due to its low cost. Friezes made of foam can be painted and combined with other decor. Of the minuses: the material is fire hazardous and fragile; the latter must be taken into account during installation.

Varieties of foam baguettes Source laspihills.com
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in finishing materials and related work

• Their polyurethane. They look very much like plaster; strong and flexible enough not to break in radius-shaped areas. Ceiling moldings made of polyurethane are suitable for organizing hidden lighting. The polyurethane profile is convenient because it can be used in unheated rooms, for example, on a closed veranda or in a country house.
• Made from polystyrene foam. Decor, a type of foam plastic, is made by extrusion. In terms of properties, it is an average option between polystyrene foam and polyurethane; it bends easily. Like foam plastic, it is corroded by solvents, so only water-based paints are suitable for painting. Cheap decor can turn yellow in a year and a half.
• Wooden. A ceiling profile made of wood is not a cheap pleasure. It is suitable for strictly defined interiors with wooden wall panels or with a wooden ceiling; fastened with self-tapping screws. In order for a wooden baseboard to look elegant, it must fit against the walls without gaps, which is only possible with perfectly flat surfaces.

Double wooden plinth for the ceiling Source dekorator-s.ru

• Plaster. Classic decor option; It is not widely used because it is heavy, fragile and afraid of water. Due to its heavy weight, gypsum stucco must be mounted on putty or alabaster, which complicates and increases the cost of the work.
• Aluminum. Strong and durable profiles have practical significance and are used in ceiling frame systems (they fix the canvas when installing suspended ceilings). Self-tapping screws are used for fastening.

Which glue to choose for fixation?

There is no point in buying expensive compounds, since cheap ones cope with the task no worse.

The main thing is good adhesion, in order to make the task easier for yourself and not torment your hands, which will be suspended for a long time if you take glue with poor adhesion.

Popular options are: liquid nails, Dragon and similar, well-known adhesive compositions. They have received good reviews online and therefore we can confidently recommend them to you.

We think that there is no need to specify that the glue should be transparent and not leave marks on the surface after drying. If it has such properties, then this will certainly be indicated in the instructions or on the product label. Read and choose carefully.

Preparation

Even when working with the most popular foam or polyurethane baguettes, difficulties can arise. For example, before gluing baguettes to the ceiling, owners often wonder which edge to glue the frieze to the wall and which to the ceiling. To make the right choice, you need to take into account the design of the baguette profile. The following situations are possible:

• Baguette with original design. In renovations based on original projects, the design of the ceiling profile is often developed individually, so there are no problems with its orientation and installation.

Design of a suspended ceiling with baguette and lighting Source sdelaipotolok.com

What do you need for DIY installation?

In order to glue baguettes well and efficiently, you need not only good glue, but also other devices. First of all, a high-quality device for cutting corners, since this is the most difficult part of installation.

So what do we need:

• Miter box (devices for cutting baguettes at different angles)
• Glue
• Brush
• Spatula (to collect drops of glue under the baguette)
• Hacksaw or construction knife (for cutting skirting boards)
• Clean cloth (to blot up adhesive residue)

In principle, you don’t have to cut the corners yourself, but use ready-made corners. But, in this case, you will end up with more joints, which are not always easy to hide. And a corner framed on both sides with seams looks extremely unaesthetic and spoils the entire appearance of the ceiling.

We strongly advise you that before making a decision and purchasing the entire arsenal for repairing the ceiling, take one plank, a miter box and try to form the right angle.

If it doesn’t work out for you (which is almost impossible), then you can safely go to the corner store. And without a test, don’t get excited and underestimate your capabilities.

What and how to glue the frieze

There are three options available for fixing the ceiling profile: glue, liquid nails or finishing putty. The main thing to do before gluing the baguettes to the ceiling is to make sure the materials are compatible. Some adhesive mixtures may stain or damage PVC or polyurethane decor. Typically the following compounds are used for gluing:

• Polymer based. A wide range of polymer mixtures are available for sale to suit any budget. The only negative is that the glue does not set immediately; the part will have to be pressed for several minutes. It is inconvenient to glue long skirting boards this way.
• Silicone based. Silicone glue is often sold in a tube for a gun and contains antiseptic additives, which is very convenient. However, it is necessary to ensure that the selected composition is compatible with the material of your baguettes.
• Acrylic based. Acrylic glue has quite a few advantages: it is non-toxic, resistant to moisture and aggressive environments. However, it has an unpleasant odor and dries very quickly. If the decor is glued with an error, it will no longer be possible to correct it.

Glue in a tube simplifies installation of the baguette Source potolok-exp.ru

How to glue on liquid nails or putty

Liquid nails are a type of construction adhesive. They provide more reliable (compared to other adhesives) fixation of the ceiling profile to surfaces. There are formulations with different properties, and it is important to choose one that suits your decor. Working with liquid nails includes the following steps:

• Surfaces are degreased.
• Glue is applied to the edges in portions (dots) or in a snake pattern (on long parts).
• The frieze is pressed against the junction of the wall and ceiling for 1-2 minutes. Any excess that appears is immediately removed with a damp cloth.

The putty method is used if the decor will be glued to the wallpaper. Fundamentally, it does not differ from working with liquid nails, and is performed as follows:

• The putty is applied in a thin, even layer to the edges. Distributing the putty may be the only difficulty.
• The molding is pressed and held for 1-2 minutes, the excess putty is removed (you can distribute it on the wall).

Making a corner requires adjusting the molding Source kursremonta.ru

Culinary tricks

Any baked goods cannot be stored for too long. The product begins to stale, dry out, lose smell and softness. However, there are some culinary tricks that can prolong the freshness of bread.

How to keep a baguette crispy?

To keep the baguette crispy, the baked goods should be stored in canvas or woven bags. You can also place the product in a wooden bread box, which will absorb excess moisture. Due to this, the product will remain fresh and tasty.

How to soften in the microwave?

There are two ways to soften a baguette in the microwave, which will make the bread fresh and soft again, like the day you bought it.

In the first case it is necessary:

1. Cut the product into small slices, the thickness of which will be no more than 20 millimeters.
2. Moisten the pieces a little with water, but so that they do not soften completely.
3. Pour a small amount of water into a special container with a flat bottom and place the bread slices in it.
4. Cover the container with bread with a lid and place it in the appliance.
5. Set the timer for 4 minutes. Every 20 seconds it is necessary to check the condition of the bread crumb.

The second option is simpler, and is usually used by chefs. It requires:

1. Wet paper towels with boiled water and then squeeze thoroughly to remove excess liquid. The main thing is that the towels do not tear.
2. Wrap the stale baguette in damp napkins.
3. Place the wrapped product in the microwave, setting the timer for 20 seconds.

A damp cloth will soak the baguette with moisture while heating. The slices will absorb the steam and as a result will remain fresh for several hours.

Such methods will be effective if the baked goods are planned to be eaten immediately. After 12 hours the baguette will become stale again.

Is it possible to revive a dried out baguette?

It doesn’t matter, if the baguette has dried out, it can be revived. To do this you need to do the following. Moisten the product with cold water and wrap tightly with foil. Now the product should be placed in a cold oven. Only after this can the oven be turned on and preheated to 300 degrees.

After a quarter of an hour, the baguette will become soft and fresh again. Then the foil must be removed and the loaf returned to the oven for 5 minutes. This will make the baguette crispy.

Video description

How to glue ceiling plinth in the following video:

Subtleties of the process

Gluing baguettes to the ceiling can cause difficulties in the following cases:

• If the walls and ceiling are uneven. The result will be unaesthetic, and the decor will not adhere well, or even fall off. In this case, craftsmen advise to putty the walls or level them with plasterboard (when the defects are significant).
• Stretch ceiling. For tensile structures, there are special plastic baguettes that are fixed with screws or glue. The adhesive must be compatible with the profile material and transparent. It is applied and used in the usual way, the excess is removed with a dry cloth.
• Installation of profiles in corner joints. To obtain the correct angle, the cut is made using a miter box (a carpentry device, a tray that allows you to accurately measure angles of 45 and 90°). If a gap does form, it is masked using a decorative insert or putty. Methods are used to connect both external and internal corners.

It is convenient to set the cut angles of the baguette using a miter box Source stroy-podskazka.ru

Backlight

1. What baguettes can be used for hidden ceiling lighting?

And here there are different options:

• Foam and polyurethane baseboards with a niche for LED strip;

Skirting board for lighting, photo

• Any baseboards and moldings with wide vertical and horizontal shelves. The vertical shelf is used for sticking on the wall with a distance of 5-10 cm from the ceiling, and the horizontal shelf hides the backlight strip from the viewer’s eyes;
• Finally, the tape can be glued to the stretch ceiling molding before its installation. This lighting scheme is only compatible with film ceilings and has an obvious drawback: if the backlight strip fails, in order to replace it, you need to remove and re-stretch the vinyl sheet.

Stretch ceiling lighting is installed after the baguette, but before the film, photo

This is what the backlight looks like after installation, photo

Briefly about the main thing

Baguette is one of the universal decorative elements, so the issues of its selection and installation remain relevant in any interior. Ceiling profiles differ in material and method of use (decorative and fastening); products made from polystyrene foam, polyurethane and expanded polystyrene are widely used. They can be glued before and after wallpaper using various adhesives, putty and liquid nails. To obtain a high-quality result, it is important that the surface of the walls is smooth and that the joints are adjusted using a miter box.

Elements for decorating a PVC ceiling

In rooms with high humidity, for example, in the bathroom or kitchen, it is recommended to install a plastic ceiling molding. In most cases, such elements are equipped with a special groove for connection to a plastic panel. The panels are used to decorate the ceiling or walls. Plastic is practical, able to retain its original color and does not require special care. To cut polyvinyl chloride baguettes, use a hacksaw.

Installation work involves performing the following actions:

• The frame rail is fixed to the surface at the location of the panel.
• Using self-tapping screws or special staples, secure the baguette, cutting off the edges in the miter box.
• The resulting cracks are sealed with silicone sealant.

Advantages of baguette cornices

The use of cornices of this type is justified by a large number of advantages. Among them:

1. Visual increase in space due to floor panels and a smooth transition to the ceiling without a wall gap. Thus, owners of a small apartment can easily change the layout of the room. This is important for typical “Khrushchev”, “lorry” and other architectural ideas in the era of communism.
2. The use of baguettes for curtains is justified if there is simply nowhere to attach a wall cornice. For example, window openings are high, extending into the ceiling. Decorating them in the usual way is difficult; such a curtain risks flying out of its place. This is because, as a rule, the canvases are heavy at such a height - short ones are not used for a high window.
3. For wide window openings, baguettes for curtains to the ceiling are an excellent solution, since there are not always curtain rods of sufficient length. If you use string curtains, the curtains will sag; rod curtains are inappropriate for some fabrics. Baguette cornices made of wood, metal or polymer will not bend under the weight of the curtains.
4. If the owners of the bedroom want to arrange an alcove above the bed , then ceiling baguettes for curtains are a way out without the complex design of canopies. In this case, it is important to take into account the compliance of the remaining openings - the use of other options for cornices is no longer appropriate.
5. The use of Japanese panel curtains is applicable only with baguette curtain rods - opening is easier and the upper edge of the curtain remains invisible to the eye if there are flaws in the fastening. By the way, such curtains are used not only as window curtains, they are used to set up partitions in bedrooms.

There is another important advantage that has a practical purpose - baguettes and curtain rods retain heat. This occurs due to the air space between the windows and the fabric. As you know, the best conductor of heat is air, and window openings are its big consumers. Therefore, the balance has been maintained.

Loft ceiling plinth. Minimalism in the loft style

A suspended ceiling in a loft style is a must. Only with its help can you quickly achieve the desired effect in creating a rough, brutal interior.

Where did it come from?

The consequences of the Great American Depression were severe. Numerous industries were closed everywhere, and their premises were converted into residential ones. The impoverishment of the population did not make it possible to completely reconstruct production areas. The repairs were carried out using scrap materials. But as a result, a new direction in design was born.

These days the loft style is very popular. Brick wall decoration increasingly resembles a royal castle and is in demand when decorating country houses, various entertainment venues, and cafes.

Industrial features are still the mainstay: high ceilings, large windows, rough finishes using concrete, stone and brick in both natural and improvised forms.

Minimum decor

To create an unusual interior, you need to harmoniously combine the geometry of the space with the shape of its constituent objects. At the same time, everything should be simple, without unnecessary details, so that the feeling of freedom of space is not lost.

The decorative element can be polyurethane, wood or metal beams, reminiscent of supporting floors.

Pipes and electrical wiring are not placed in boxes; they are painted black or metallic.

Requirements for the ceiling surface

The design is universal, it combines any materials. In this case, the suspended ceiling in the loft style should be minimally processed. The best choice would be those coated with protective compounds:

• concrete slab as is, with cracks and inherent porosity;
• wooden lining;
• brickwork;
• metal smooth surface.

But they are not always safe in residential areas. Currently, imitating materials are used: wallpaper, tiles, suspended ceilings.

Advantages of a tensile structure

Finishing the ceiling is the most labor-intensive task. The same wallpaper and tiles require sufficient physical effort, and the effect does not always correspond to the idea. In addition, in case of leaks from the upper floors, they need to be replaced. And this will take a lot of time and effort.

The best solution would be a suspended ceiling, which goes well with brick and metal.

The matte canvas will not draw attention to itself and will focus it on the walls.

Glossy increases the space of small rooms.

It becomes possible to imitate any surface: whitewashed, concrete, metal, brick and wood. Canvases with alternating fragments of different materials will be interesting.

For a whitewash effect, matte PVC, fabric or satin canvases are better suited.

A rough matte light gray fabric will create a semblance of a concrete surface.

Thermal printing with drawings of brickwork, stone and wood on a canvas that matches the color and texture is visually indistinguishable from the originals.

The role of metal will be played by metallized fabric or film; gray gloss will also be appropriate.

Performance combinations

Loft stretch ceilings play a significant role. Thanks to a certain installation method, type and color of the canvas, they make it possible to achieve the desired results.

If the living room is large enough, a broken ceiling with different types of finishes will look impressive. It combines well with wooden beams and ceilings.

A light two-level design with hidden lighting around the perimeter will add volume.

A multi-level ceiling zones the room and places emphasis on its individual areas.

Moderate color

The style does not imply bright colors. The color scheme is restrained, both for the entire interior and for the ceiling surface. Preferred:

• white;
• grey;
• beige;
• terracotta;
• black;
• silver.

The monochrome solution emphasizes the rigor of the design.

Lighting feature

The urban feel is confirmed by the cool tone of the LED lighting of the soaring stretch ceiling. Warm ones are unacceptable.

The backlight can only be positioned at right angles; bends are not allowed.

The abundance of spotlights, rotating, and retro lamps is also welcome.

• An incandescent lamp on a cord without a shade and other unusual shapes of lamps will fit well into the interior. However, we must not forget about precautions. PVC fabric is very sensitive to overheating!

• When choosing LED lighting for the kitchen and bathroom, pay attention to the protection class in conditions of high humidity. And during installation, make sure that all wires are insulated.

Conclusion

The stretch ceiling will harmoniously fit into a spectacular, extraordinary style.

Long service life, aesthetic appearance, the possibility of self-installation without dust and dirt, and an affordable price have been the main advantages when choosing this type of ceiling finish for many years.