Platbands - a decorative element designed to mask the gap between the door frame and the doorway. They are selected according to the required width and texture, and the color is the same as that of the door leaf. Platbands are made from different materials. There are wooden, laminated, plastic products, as well as veneered and made of MDF.
In this article we will consider what types there are and how to fix the platbands correctly on the interior doors.
Kinds
In order to properly install the platbands on the interior doors, you must initially select the appropriate trims. First of all, you need to pay attention to the material of manufacture:
- Natural wood. Such products are considered universal. They can be painted to any color of the door. Wooden planks are fastened with hatless nails. If the door frame is well aligned with the wall, platbands can be planted on “liquid nails”.
- Laminated platbands from MDF. In appearance, they resemble a natural tree. Decorative elements are matched to the tone of the door. Fastening is done using adhesive or nails without caps.
- PVC This option is more suitable for plastic doors.
- Aluminum and steel platbands. They are usually mounted on the front doors.
Today, the construction market offers platbands of various shapes: curly and carved, semicircular and teardrop-shaped.
Depending on the mounting method, the platbands can be overhead or telescopic. The first of them are fixed to the door frame, the second have mounting grooves.
Instruments
Before attaching trim to interior doors, you must first prepare the necessary tools.
- To perform accurate marking, you will need a tape measure, pencil, plumb line, level and square.
- The miter box will help to cut the workpiece exactly at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Planks are best cut with a miter saw. If it is missing, you can use a hacksaw for metal.
- Hammer nails with a hammer.
How to cut the platband?
Before fastening platbands on interior doors, they must be cut off. After marking the length and angle of the cut it is cut with a miter saw. A feature of this power tool is the presence of an adjustable table, which is installed at the required angle. In order to cut platbands on the door without chips and correctly, they press the side faces of the workpiece tightly against the stops located on the bed. If a gap occurs, the cut will be uneven.
If there is no power saw, cutting the edge of the clypeus at an angle of 45 degrees will help the miter box. You need to buy a tool of high quality, because cheap plastic has deformed resistant elements that distort the size of the angle. The hacksaw for cutting should be with small teeth that will not leave chips.
How to fix platbands on interior doors?
Simple fastening of flat strips is carried out at an angle of 90 °.
Vertical elements on top are tightly joined with horizontal ones. When attaching wooden or MDF platbands that have a complex shape, cuts are made at the ends at an angle of 45 °.
Planks are fixed in 4 ways.
Finishing with nails
Wooden or MDF platbands are easiest to nail with nails that have flat hats. Such fastening is quite reliable, and at the same time, if necessary, the elements are easy to dismantle. Nails can be used in a different configuration, and so that the hats are not visible, they are removed by side cutters. The length of the nails is approximately 40 mm. The size is calculated individually, taking into account the thickness of the bar. After passing through the platband, the nails should enter the body of the door frame by at least 20 mm.
Before fixing the platbands on the interior doors with nails, attachment points are marked on the workpieces, observing the same distances. Most often they take a step of 500 mm. Through this marking, through holes are drilled, the diameter of which corresponds to the thickness of the nail. When docking with the door frame is completed, the platbands are carefully nailed. For aesthetics, the nail caps are painted with a wax pencil.
Fixing with liquid nails
Let's consider how to fix platbands without nails on interior doors made of MDF and other materials. To do this, use liquid nails. The advantage of this method is the absence of a visible place of fixation. The disadvantage is poor mounting and inconvenience during dismantling. In addition, liquid nails can only be used if the adjacent walls are perfectly even. Installation on the door platbands is performed after sawing and trying on the elements. From the back, the bar is lubricated with liquid nails and pressed tightly against the wall surface. In order for it to stick, it must be kept pressed for no more than one minute.
Self-tapping
Let's consider how to fasten platbands on interior doors without a milling cutter. This method is similar to fastening with finish nails, but wood screws are used instead. Their length is 25 mm, their thickness is 6 mm.
Before fixing the platbands on the interior doors to the self-tapping screws, mark the holes for the holes on the workpiece (step - 500 mm). The drill is used with the same diameter or with a small margin (1 mm).
Hats are best drowned in plank. From the front of the workpiece, a hole with a drill is made of a larger diameter. Depth is 1-1.5 mm. Then the platbands are attached with self-tapping screws to the interior doors. The hardware must be tightened so that the cap fully engages in the recess. At the end of the work, the fixation points are painted over with a wax pencil.
Fixing platbands with beaks
This method of attachment does not require the use of self-tapping screws, adhesives or nails. The platband is equipped with a lock, the shape of which resembles a beak.
Let's consider how to fasten platbands on interior doors in this way. Insert the connecting spike into the recess located on the box, and then press until it clicks.
The advantage of this method is the ease of installation and the invisibility of the mounting location. The disadvantage is the delamination of products from MDF during dismantling. In addition, spontaneous destruction of joints is possible over time, therefore, additional processing of the joints with glue may be required.
Work stages
Consider the instructions on how to fix the platbands on the interior doors.
- They attach the platbands along the height of the door and measure out the required length. Then put the bar on a flat surface and use a square to mark a right angle. The excess is cut off.
- Apply a platband with a finished angle to the door frame, align the bottom and around the edges. Note the height corresponding to the inner corner of the door frame.
- After that, starting from the mark made, an angle of 45 degrees is measured using a goniometer and marked with a pencil. The excess is cut off and temporarily set aside the clypeus.
- In the same sequence mark the parallel side. The upper platband is prepared last, after the two side planks are trimmed and attached. This will avoid errors when marking and exclude the possibility of cracks at the junction.
- After trimming both side platbands, they begin to install them. They drive nails into the door frame, in which the hats are removed with pliers, leaving them with an acute angle. To install the platband, a nail length of about 5 mm is left on the surface.
- Hammer nails with a distance of about 50 cm. They are usually located at the bottom, top and 2 in the middle.
- To improve the adhesion of the strap with the box, glue is applied to it. But at the same time its main thing, so to speak, is “not to overdo it”, so that when pressed it does not squeeze out.
- When nailing the bar to the door frame, it is not recommended to hit it directly on it. To do this, prepare a wooden block wrapped in cloth.
- They put the finished platband and level it, after which they put it on the nails through the bar with strong blows.
- After installing two side platbands, they begin to mark the top. Its angles of 45 degrees are not measured with a goniometer, but put it on top of the side planks and draw a place for cutting with a pencil.
Installation of door platbands on interior doors is completed.