If you’re working on a project that involves installing new flooring, you will more than likely need to choose a cove base or skirting that works with your application. There are quite a few options from which to choose, and I will cover some of them for you in this article.
In most homes, hardwood or laminate trims are typically used. These can be stained or painted to match the surrounding décor. You can purchase these in different wood types, shapes, and sizes from your local hardware or DIY store. These trims can be a simple wooden trim or a sculpted ornate design.
If you want to have something totally unique, you can contract with a craftsman who specializes in woodworking and have custom trims done to your exact specifications. These, of course, would be more expensive than the standard “off the shelf” types of trim. Although the floor trim serves a purpose of transitioning from the floor to the wall, in your home, it’s more about aesthetics than usefulness.
For commercial applications, a cove base, or "skirting," serves many different purposes. You may have an area that is used by carts, wheelchairs, or other rolling equipment. Especially in commercial environments, walls are susceptible to damage and cove base can help protect the base of the wall from damage by this equipment.
There are three basic categories of cove base (a.k.a. skirting):
Gradus has a full range of PVC cove base profiles (skirtings), as well as a line of metal cove bases. There are benefits to both types of cove base materials.
The features and benefits of metal cove base are as follows:
Capping Seals – Flexible PVC capping seals are used to finish the top of a resilient floor covering where it has been coved up the wall. Capping seals are usually used in conjunction with a cover former.
Carpet Caps – Carpet caps are used to provide a neat finish where carpet or carpet tile is continued up the wall. These are available in several colors of PVC-u, Metallic PVC-u, and Aluminum. Carpet caps can be combined with a cove former where required to help form a cove.
Tile Caps – Tile caps are used where ceramic wall tiles are finished against a resilient floor finish that has been coved up the wall to form a skirting.
Cove Formers – Cove formers are used to form a cove where floor coverings are continued up the wall. Cover formers are usually used in conjunction with a capping seal or carpet cap to finish the raw edge of the floor covering. You can also purchase a one-piece cove former that continues up the wall and ends with a PVC capping seal.
Hopefully, this will give you a general overview of options and ideas for your cove base needs. You may download our latest catalog or contact us for more information.
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