Backsplash

The kitchen backsplash is the strip of wall between the worktop and the wall units, or, in kitchens without wall units, the zone above the worktop. It takes splashes, hot grease, steam and water, so it must tolerate heat and be easy to wash. It protects the wall and also sets the character of the kitchen: it is one of the most visible elements.

Height. One recommendation gives the minimum backsplash height above the worktop as about 600 mm and the gap between the top of the backsplash and the underside of the wall units as at least 400-500 mm; these are guides that must be checked against the cabinet layout and the hood. The actual height depends on the users' height (a comfortable lower edge is usually tied to the worktop height) and on the extractor hood: it sets its own rules for distance to the hob, which the manufacturer states in the manual. In a kitchen without wall units the backsplash can be taken higher, even to the ceiling.

Materials. The most popular material is tile: ceramic tile and porcelain stoneware. Porcelain stoneware resists abrasion, acids and alkalis. Other options: a slab matching the worktop (quartz, ceramic, stone) for a monolithic look; toughened glass with a print or paint; metal (stainless steel, brass); plastic and HPL panels; stone; rarely wood with protection. We do not recommend matching melamine-board panels next to the hob: they tolerate moisture and heat poorly.

Joints. Tile on a backsplash works in the harshest conditions: grease, steam, frequent washing. Cement grout in this zone darkens and absorbs dirt, so on a backsplash we use epoxy grout. Wide joints are harder to wash: a large-format tile with a thin joint or a seamless slab is logical for a backsplash.

Trends. A slab backsplash of the same quartz or ceramic as the worktop: the surface "flows" onto the wall with no joints. A tall backsplash up to the ceiling in kitchens without wall units. Contrasting relief tile as an accent. Mirror and glass panels for light small kitchens. The backsplash can be combined with niches and shelves in one plane.

Typical mistakes: choosing a material only from a picture without checking heat and washing resistance; forgetting cut-outs for sockets and rails in the slab; letting tile joints fail to line up with the cabinet edges; choosing a deeply embossed décor that is hard to clean; not planning under-cabinet lighting. We agree cut-outs, height and backsplash material with the cabinet maker in advance and show them on the kitchen elevations.