If you have just moved into an older property then there are probably lots of little jobs that need doing around the house, replacing wallpaper, polishing wooden floors, touching up the paintwork or fitting new skirting and architraves to smarten a room up. Some homeowners like to do these little projects for themselves, whilst others won’t know where to start and have to call in the experts. You’ll find lots of helpful information and local builders online, call around for quotes before making any decisions. The neighbours usually know of a good builder in the area, ask around for some advice, they’ll probably be able to tell you who to contact, and who to avoid. The architrave and skirting boards in your home, although not high priority in a home restoration project, have a significant role to play as they are responsible for finishing off the look to a room. If you get it wrong it’s instantly noticeable, but if you get it right then they can provide a room with a wow factor whilst keeping a low profile. Architraves are used to cover up all the edges between the door frames and walls, and skirting for the gaps between the floor and the wall. The older the period of the property the more decorative the architraves are likely to be, whereas modern apartments and houses generally use plain timber. You’ll find plenty of choices from Colonial and Federation architrave designs, to Victorian boards with different profile heights, these can be improved by incorporating them with skirting and corner blocks for a real period feel. Skirting and architraves also have a practical use as they prevent the bottom of the walls from scuffs and marks, and the walls at the doorways from grubby fingerprints and marks. Architraves can be purchased in various materials and sizes. The most common types are types of timber, from MDF to oak, or plaster is a particularly cheap option. These days you can buy pre-finished architraves, this means once they are fitted there is nothing else to be done, no need for sanding or painting, just measure them up, cut, and glue. Practically every home has skirting boards, but unless you live in a period property modern houses don’t make too much of them. Choosing the right architraves and skirting for your home can really make a statement or provide a great decorative element to a room. Depending on how you draw attention to your skirting boards you can make them a feature or use them for a classy finish to a beautiful room. Most people still have timber architraves and skirting boards and these are very easy to make into a feature by selecting the right colour paint to really make them stand out. These days more and more people are turning to PVC as it offers a low-cost alternative, is known to last for a long time, and needs practically no maintenance apart from a wipe-down now and again. You can fit architraves yourself if you have any DIY skills, otherwise locate a local builder to do the job for you. PVC is manufactured from a calcium organic PVC-U compound which means it is environmentally friendly and needs no sanding or painting. Glue them in place and around doors, windows and room edges and the job is finished. Available in a range of colours and woodgrain, u-PVC architraves can suit all homes and tastes, choose from classic bright or standard white, sophisticated black, a wood effect †rosewood or golden oak, or black woodgrain. PVC is used far more frequently in the construction industry as it’s well-known for its flexibility, low price and durability to look good for a long time. Look online and you’ll see the vast choice of products in PVC, from windows and doors, flooring and cladding, to fascias and soffits, and window boards. Check the products are quality assured and accredited by BBA and CSTB, and BSI kitemarked before making a purchase. In the end, no matter what you decide to do with your skirting and architraves, they are guaranteed to have an effect on its overall look. Ensure they either create a feature to be admired or have a harmonious effect on the room, it is up to you to make the most of them. If you require some guidance or advice look online for products, prices and inspiration.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
