Choosing the right architrave for your home can be quite tricky, especially if it is your first time. But it is equally important because a properly-fitting architrave can enhance your home’s beauty. Fortunately, we are here to help you by giving you tips that can help you choose the right architrave for your home.
But before discussing how to choose the right architrave, let’s first understand what it is all about.
What is an architrave?
An architrave is an interior molding found in most homes, offices, and buildings. It is fitted around a doorframe. An architrave can help hide a messy door joint or a rough surface by acting as trim where the joints meet the floor or walls.
These architraves normally come in a wide range of materials, finishes, styles, and costs. This means that you can easily find an architrave to match your skirting. With that said, let’s now take a look at how you can choose an architrave for your home.
1. Pay attention to the width
First things first, when choosing an architrave, one of the most important things you need to pay attention to is the width. When it comes to choosing the correct width of the architrave, you need to consider how close your door frames are to your walls. For instance, if your frame is close to the wall, you need to measure to see if the architrave you choose will fit.
Generally, 70mm width is the most common architrave width in UK homes. That’s because most people have 150mm skirting boards, meaning that the 70mm architraves fit skirting of this height.
2. Choose the right depth
Architraves are generally thicker than skirting boards. This makes the transition from one to the other effortlessly. Architraves usually come in various depths. The thinnest depth is 15mm, and it is the majority of modern designs and can help you save a substantial amount of floor space in your home. 18mm thickness is the most chosen thickness and is found in most homes in the UK.
3. Choose the correct length
You must also ensure that you choose the correct length. However, this can be a bit tricky. If you opt to order in lengths, you will choose one of the first three options. This means that you will receive the architraves at the preferred length. On the other hand, if you opt to order in sets, you will choose the 4th or 5th option.
Architraves are available in various lengths, including 2440mm, 3050mm, and 4200mm. For standard-sized doors, 3050mm is the perfect length.
4. Pay attention to the finish
Finally, you need to pay attention to the architrave finish. Architraves come in various finishes. Your choice of a finish will depend on your budget as well as how much DIY you are willing to do. Architraves come in two types of finish: unprimed and primed.
If you opt for an unprimed architrave, the boards will not have any type of finish applied to them- they will look like untreated timber pieces. So, you will have to prime and undercoat them before you add your final paint. On the other hand, the primed architraves usually have one layer of primer applied to them, giving them that smooth finish.
