Sheet metal for backsplash?

[novel8]

I heard that copper or stainless steel make good backsplash for the kitchen. HAs anyone tried them? How about grease from cooking? What effect could that be? Also, do they come on a roll or sections?

[gfretwell]

I have a stainless counter top and back splash around the sink and cook top. I would not go any other way. Get the brushed finish and it doesn't have the scratch and fingerprint problems. I had a metal fabricator build the whole thing in one piece (TIG welded and buffed out) so there are no seams to hold dirt and water can't get down behind the counter. Be sure you bond this to the electrical grounding system.

[Colbyt]

SS is used quite often in food service locations. Other than the slightly industrial look (some would call that high tech) it would be fine.

I am not too sure about the copper.

Considering the price of metal today both will set you back more than tile.

[DD_BobK]

I would concur with the other replies....... SS (brushed finish) would be a good choice.

Copper could work as well but would be much more maintenance & subject to food interactions (think tomato based mixtures' effect on copper bottom pans)

cheers Bob

[novel8]

HI, thanks i am a novice with this product. what is "TIG" and exactly what do u mean by 'be sure you bond this to the electrical grounding system." Also, can you give me an idea of cost? My space is roughly 7' long and 21" high as a backsplash..

[norminn]

I love copper, but would not have it in my kitchen - soft, hard to clean/polish (too often). We have glass for a backsplash behind our cooktop and I love it. We had old metal tile and didn't want to tear out the wall or install tile over it. Solution: sheet of laminate to closely match rest of wall, contact cement it to the tile wall. Go to glass shop, select a patterned glass, have it cut, edges ground, and tempered. Due to the pattern, we had to install in upright and needed two pieces to fill the width of the wall. Put both pieces in place, rigged some braces with 2x4's to hold it and ran some clear silicone all the way around to hold it in place. There is about a 4" formica backsplash on the counter, so the glass fills the area wall to wall and b.s. to upper cabinet. We put it in with the pressed pattern side toward the wall, so the outside surface is smooth and very easy to clean. It doesn't get hot, although some burners and large pots might make it hot. The laminate was about $3, on sale, and the glass under $60. I took care to seal the perimeter completely so that steam or cleaning solns. don't get behind the glass. Much easier to clean than any other surface and one could put a plain or patterned laminate or even wallpaper behind it. The glass shop also made suggestions to sandblast or use a colored glass...I'm surprised it isn't used more, because it is so simple to clean. I don't like grout with spaghetti sauce on it :o) There was also glass with wire inside that would look pretty neat with stainless appliances.

[clare]

It's called "Jersey Glass"

[Nonny]

One of the things Mrs. Nonny did in a past home that was inexpensive and extremely neat, was to have mirrors put above the kitchen cabinets, between the cabinet top and the ceiling. In the particular home, that gap was about 15". We had a glass company cut the mirrors for us and I glued them in place. I'm sure we could have used mirror tile, but the cut mirrors (not beveled) looked more professional.

The effect was to 'float' the ceiling.

At an arts and crafts store, she bought ropes of seasonal flowers and these were laid on top of the cabinets, changing with the seasons. They reflected in the mirrors and were another nice addition.

FWIW, another suggestion for kitchen cabinets is to vary the height of the upper cabinets if the kitchen is large. Rather than have all the cabinets 36" tall, intersperse in some 42" cabinets to break up the straight line.

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

Nice Idea. Any photos somewhere we might see the results?

[krw]

You mean against the wall, sorta behind the cabinets, not the soffits? I guess I'm not "seeing" it.

I prefer the uppers going all the way to the ceiling (or soffits).

[Nonny]

Nope, no soffits. The cabinets ended around 18" below the ceiling, so there was a blank space above the, The mirrors were affixed to the wall behind the cabinet.

Nonny

[krw]

Gotcha. Interesting idea. That's either a *very* high ceiling, or low cabinets. ;-)