Kitchen Splashbacks

[Tricky Dicky]

SWAMBO has decided she does not like the idea of tiled walls and instead has opted for using splashbacks. Since I have never had any experience of using splashbacks, I would be interested in feedback from any members who have them and if possible installed them.

From my research so far they are available in either aluminium panels, plastic (Acrylic) and glass.

The aluminium type look the easiest to install and will be an excuse to invest in a plunge saw. There seem to be plenty of accessories for edging and joining available which is important as only one area will come up under cupboards whilst on the hob side there will be sections of different height with edges exposed. One of the downsides to using Aluminium is they are painted surfaces and prone to scratching.

What I have seen of Acrylic types I have not seen any edgings or joining strips. Again should not pose much of a problem installing but I do not fancy trying to polish exposed edgings. Also like aluminium they are prone to scratching.

Glass seems the most expensive and cutting to size and making openings for sockets etc. are not things I will be able to do so will need manufacturing at source. Glass is scratch resistant but there is always the risk of shattering if something is accidentally pushed against a panel.

So any thoughts, advice, pointers and sources are welcome

Richard

[nothanks]

I would be dubious about aluminium; you need stainless steel to avoid scratching. In my previous house I fitted a large (perhaps 1.5m x 0.6m, memory has failed) brushed stainless steel panel behind the hob. I got a local metal fabricator to source the s/s and to put a 90 degree 6 or 9mm fold on each edge. I fixed an MDF board to the wall, stuck the s/s to it, and tiled around it. It worked very well for more than 10 years and I suspect is still working well. The one problem was that I specified the brushing to run horizontally and the guy made it the other way round - he wasn't happy but accepted it was his error and made another one. It wasn't expensive.

[Radio Man]

The right glass is surprisingly tough. A good glass merchant will be able to cut a piece to size with holes for existing sockets etc. Pick something opaque and you can secure it with silicone or adhesive. The wall needs to be relatively flat but not perfect the adhesive takes care of imperfections. You will need help lifting into place etc if it is large and once fixed that is usually it. No second chances.

[Jim GM4DHJ ...]

Is that what you did Brian ? ...

[Tricky Dicky]

Meant to say that domestic management does not want SS or brushed aluminium finish she is looking for a colour, white being the favourite at the moment. So with the glass version we would be looking for the sort that had the back painted, acrylic is obviously self coloured and any aluminium panels would also be painted.

I have included some photos to help explain the issues. The first is a view of the window/sink side, the splash back would come up to the cupboard housing the microwave. The window will have a uPVC cill eventually and at this point I have not decided whether to take splashback into the reveal.

This is the other side of window/sink side, the splashback would not go up to the cupboard but to maintain balance would extend only as high as the other end

On the hob side we are still discussing the arrangement but I favour a section of splashback as near the width of the hob extending up to overhead extractor, still to be boxed in. With two sections either side the same height as on the sink side.

In the view with the oven housing you can just see in the top LH corner the duct passing over the unit this will be boxed in but because the extractor comes below that level I do not think it would look right not to mention the difficulty of making a full wall splashback such as SWAMBO is arguing for. The area above the fridge will equally be boxed in just to maintain balance with the other side. We are open to suggestions.

Richard

[Andy Bennet]

I have used Stainless Direct to fabricate ss panels in the past. Can highly reccomend. They will fabricate to your exact sizes with an MDF core if you want. Very reasonable prices.

[S Viemeister]

In our new utility room, we used a length of the same wet-wall we have in the adjoining shower room. It looks good, and neither one of us likes cleaning grout...

[Tim Lamb]

You can often get a *thin* matching version of the worktop to use as an upstand.

[S Viemeister]

We had offcuts from the shower room, so that's what we used. The flooring, splashbacks and worktop are textured shades of slate-like greys.

[Radio Man]

No idea what Brian did we have tiles the small 1 inch ones son has grey glass.