Material for Backsplashes

[johnder]

When we did our kitchen we opted for subway tile as the backsplash. The nice thing is the grout line for subway tiles is very tight, and to be doubly safe we used spectra grout which is an 2 part epoxy grout that is stain resistant and never needs sealing. It is increidbly expensive, but well worth it.

A quick wipedown with a spong, or a spray of 409 works great for any grease marks on the file.

This is an old photo that shows the stove in, but before the tile was finished and the countertops installed. We needed to rush and get the stove installed so the countertop people could make their templates, hence it looking out of place.

Edited February 16, 2006 by johnder (log)

[phatj]

Anybody have any experience with this sort of half-assed remodeling?

←

Half-assed remodeling should be on my business card. Half-assed is the only way I ever remodel. I am a half-assed expert on the subject.

Tile is extremely forgiving. You can put it over just about anything that will hold it. Were I in your situation I'd definitely tile right over whatever backsplash is there. You may want to prepare the surface by roughing up the laminate with sandpaper and stripping away any hanging or loose pieces. Then spread a thick, smooth layer of tile cement and lay your tiles in there. You'll probably want to use spacers. It's also nice to use a tile with some surface texture so it's not as obvious when your plane isn't perfectly flat. You'll also need a cheap tile cutter if you have a space that doesn't exactly fit a whole number of tiles.

←

Thanks!

[Mottmott]

Consider using mirror, especially if your kitchen is small. It not only has the advantage of opening up the room, but it also allows you to see behind you if you have kids, guests, or a TV. It's as easy to clean as glass, and works on interior walls. I think you can even get it in tiles.

[jsolomon]

I really wanted slate but the architect talked me out of it -- looks beautiful, but is not real practical.

←

Eh? What was his justification for it not being practical?

They build laboratory tabletops out of slate. The stuff would be awesome!

[Pam R]

Has anybody used glass? Not in window form (but I liked that) or tiles, but sheets of glass applied over a painted wall?

[Special K]

I put in a window behind my stovetop and have not regretted using glass as a backsplash at all. The top of the window opens and is screened, but I didn't want the screen getting splattered so the bottom is fixed. It cleans up just fine!

Forgive me for hijacking the thread momentarily, but I have a quick question: I have a side-hung double casement window over my stovetop as well and I love it (gorgeous view of Mt. Ranier, really makes my very small kitchen seem a lot less claustrophobic - sorry I don't have a photo on this computer), but I've often wondered if it's legal, especially over a gas cooktop (mine is electric with a downdraft because I thought I couldn't have a hood over the window). Our window was installed by the house's previous owners, and I don't know if they had a building permit or not. The inspector we hired to look over the house before we bought it had no comment on it, but a kitchen designer who saw a photo of it recently just about had a heart attack ...

I'm fire-phobic (grandpa died in a fire that started in his kitchen), and I've often thought that maybe I should replace this window with a fixed plate-glass one. It might be safer if it didn't open, and I'd have the whole area unobstructed by the window frames.

So the question is, is this window legal? Am I worrying needlessly?

[Chris Hennes]

Has anybody used glass? Not in window form (but I liked that) or tiles, but sheets of glass applied over a painted wall?

That guy on HGTV's Color Splash Miami did something like it, but they actually painted the back side of the glass itself, not the wall. It looked terrific.

[Snadra]

Colour-backed glass splashbacks are the way to go in Australia at the moment. I don't have one (we couldn't decide what we wanted when we had the kitchen done a few years ago and just have painted walls for now) but I've seen them in a number of kitchens and definately like them. They are apparently easy to clean, especially as there are no/few joins, and they look beautiful and modern. I haven't heard of any problems with them.

[Pam R]

Thanks, folks. I like the look - I wonder why the glass is painted vs. the wall. Any ideas?

[Chris Hennes]

The wall is always going to have a bit of texture. If you spray the paint onto the glass is can be perfectly flat (you have to make several light coats).

[LindaK]

I've got a glass backsplash and I love it. I'd post a pic but mine are all mid-construction photos and my camera battery is dead at the moment.

To clarify, mine is glass tile, 6x12" subway tiles. I love the look of one big glass sheet but those are really, really expensive custom products. Plus, I can't help but worry about any breakage. If one of my tiles gets cracked, no big deal. If you need an entire backspash replaced...$$$$...though they are made of tempered glass and tougher than you'd think.

A couple of things I learned from my experience. Glass tiles or sheets are very tricky to install. Glass--even the back-painted glass that is standard for these installations--reflects every imperfection in the back mortar and grout. If those are not perfectly smooth, you'll see it. For that reason, installation is not the average DYI project. And professional installation for glass ends up being more expensive than standard tile because it takes more time. But lovely when it's done right.

[Snadra]

Thanks, folks. I like the look - I wonder why the glass is painted vs. the wall. Any ideas?

When I've seen the 'single piece' splashbacks installed they are always glued/siliconed across the back surface, so having the colour on the glass means you can't see the glue.

ETA: In splashbacks here you can usually colour match as well, so you can match your wall or accent colour if that's what you like.

Edited October 20, 2010 by Snadra (log)

[lesliec]

When we redid the kitchen a couple of years ago we went with glass (lexical note: why do Snadra and I down the bottom of the Pacific call them 'splashbacks' and everybody else calls them 'backsplashes'?).

No regrets at all - easy to clean, strong and looks great. The reflective surface also make the place look bigger.

One caution about colour matching: you may not get precisely the colour you're looking for because it will be seen through the glass, which may give it a blue-green shift (unless you spend heaps on special glass to avoid this - iron-rich, I think). But it's pretty close.

[Pam R]

Great advice/info about the glass. I'm actually concerned (a little bit) about it being so reflective. Might make it difficult to take pictures. But I'm still interested and am waiting for a quote on it. If not sheets, I'll probably go with glass tiles.