The new flooring has been laid and makes the room shine. All other projects in the renovation are also almost completed. Now is the right time to choose one of the skirting profiles. If you have never dealt with it before, you will be surprised to learn that there are different profile shapes in baseboards, from the baseboards Hamburger profile to the baseboards Leipzig. An overview reveals the characteristics and differences of the most famous skirting profiles to choose the right variant for your own needs.
Why are there different skirting profiles?
Skirting profiles come in a wide variety - and have for centuries. They can be used to cleverly connect the flooring with the wall. The design of the profiles depends on their origin. In Germany, they are named after city names. Thus, they indicate the city in which skilled carpenters once designed them. In order to find the right skirting board for your own interior design, different models are presented here, from Berlin Profile skirting boards to Weimar Profile skirting boards. They differ mainly in terms of:
- Length and height
- Material
- Color
- Profile shape
The differences between individual skirting profiles become most obvious when looking at their cross-section.
Berlin skirting, Hamburg skirting, Old Berlin skirting: what characterizes these skirting profiles?
One of the most popular variants among the baseboards is known by three names at once: Skirting boards Berlin profile, Hamburg strip and Altberliner profile. The classic harmonizes with almost all floor coverings and interior design styles. Originally, skirting boards Hamburger Profil or sockelleisten Berliner Profil or Altberliner Profil were used to link stucco decorations on the ceiling with the wall. However, they also look great on the floor. Baseboards Hamburger profile are characterized by the following features:
- smooth, even bottom
- fine notches with round highlights on the upper side
- harmonious and attractive appearance
- easy cleaning
- mostly made of wood, but also MDF
Skirting boards Munich: What makes them?
The skirting boards Munich are much less known than the skirting boards Hamburg profile or skirting boards Berlin profile. They inspire with an attractive, unconventional design that provides accents in the room. Characteristic features of skirting boards Munich are:
- smooth, even front side
- perfect for minimalist interior styles
- Top edge slightly rounded
- often made of oak, beech and spruce
- occasionally made of MDF
- can be oiled, lacquered or untreated
- depending on the material used, high-maintenance
At first glance, the Munich skirting boards are very similar to the Weimar skirting boards. The difference from the skirting boards Weimar profile is in the details: the top edge, as listed, is not straight. Thanks to its rounding, it looks very harmonious.
What characterizes a Weimar profile?
In many premises skirting Weimar profile can be found and for good reasons. Weimar profile supports a modern ambience and therefore perfectly fits into the trend towards minimalism. Characteristics of Weimar skirting boards are:
- smooth and straight profile
- straight top edge
- Front side and top edge show a completely smooth surface
- sufficient space for cables on the back side
- available in beech wood, spruce wood and solid oak wood
- partly also available in MDF
- Wood can be untreated, oiled or varnished
Weimar skirting boards thus look very contemporary and elegant. They match numerous interior design styles.
Skirting boards Leipzig: what do they look like?
The Leipzig profile is not as famous as the Old Berlin profile, but enjoys stable demand. This is mainly due to the pleasing curves that characterize the Leipzig profile. At the same time, it does not appear cluttered, because the curves are light and the edges discreet:
- slightly beveled
- available in different plinth heights
- sweeping curves
- ideal for living and business spaces
- available in natural wood such as oak or beech
- also available in MDF wood fiber
- lacquered as desired (for example, in colors such as white or black)
What to consider when choosing a skirting profile?
Whether baseboards Hamburger profile, skirting Leipzig or another model variant is best suited for the room in question, depends primarily on the floor and furnishings. Thus, it is important that the skirting board matches the floor covering in terms of shape and color, as well as moisture-proofing and material properties.
Of course, it is also a matter of taste whether the skirting board should blend unobtrusively into the room or want to set with its accents.
If you do not want to dare any design experiments and want to be on the safe side, choose a profile that forms a unit with the floor in terms of color. With regard to the shape of the profile, the second step is to pay attention to the style of furnishing. Country house or purism? Playful or straightforward?
As a rule, real wood strips are used for parquet. They can be oiled, waxed or lacquered. Foiled skirting boards are perfect for laminate floors.