Kitchen Splashbacks

Tiles have been around forever and still remain one of the most cost effective solutions for kitchen splashbacks for those where budget is the main priority.

While some might argue that its a dated look, it really depends what tiles you’re using and how they are laid. There are some really beautiful tiles being produced today in many different shapes, sizes, colours and textures so it pays to do a bit of investigating before writing it off completely.

Small subway tiles laid in a herringbone pattern can add a subtle, modern contrast to an otherwise boring kitchen. Or, you could do the opposite and lay jumbo tiles (60 x 60cm, 90 x 90cm) with a tight vertical grout line to achieve a glass look without the high price tag.

Pros: Inexpensive compared to other options, plenty of colour choices available, easy to install.

Cons: Even with larger tiles there will still be some grout joins

Glass splashbacks great for achieving a smooth, seamless finish and the colour options are practically endless. The glass sheets are painted on the back to achieve the desired colour, so you can basically choose any colour you like from a Dulux, Taubmans or other paint brand’s colour chart and away you go.

Mirrored splashbacks are great for making small areas appear larger and can be used to bring the outdoors inside, e.g. kitchens facing a garden.

Pros: Usually made in one piece (unless your splashback area is particularly large or odd shaped), easy to clean, endless colour options

Cons: Not repairable, expensive to replace if damaged

Engineered Quartz (e.g. Caesarstone, Quantum Quartz, Silestone, Smart Stone) is a man-made composite of quartz (93-95%), resins & colour pigments (6-10%). These are crushed into a powder and combined, much like ingredients in a cake, then cured at high temperatures and polished to form smooth, non-porous slabs.

Engineered quartz is the standard go-to for kitchen benchtops. About 7 out of 10 customers will opt for engineered quartz as its non-porous nature is perfect for kitchens/food prep areas.

Pros: Stain resistant, non-porous, safe for food prep, consistent colour, fairly low maintenance.

Cons: Resins are not UV stable so may fade in direct sunlight, not suitable for outdoor use, cracks and scorches are non-repairable, must be 200mm away from heat source such as cooktop hotplate

Natural stone (e.g. marble, granite) is the least processed of all stone materials. Massive chunks of rock are taken from the earth, cut into slabs and polished, honed or brushed to create the desired finish, then it’s sealed and that’s about it.

Pros: Each slab is completely unique (i.e. no two are the same), suitable for outdoor use, naturally heat proof /safe to use behind cooktops, different finishes available (polished, honed, leathered or diamond brushed)

Cons: Higher level of care & maintenance required, naturally porous & susceptible to staining (red wine, vinegar) & acid etching (lemon juice), requires re-sealing every so often (time dependant on the sealant used), contains natural pits (tiny holes, filled with sealer), not usually recommended for food prep areas due to porosity (despite this it’s still a very popular choice for kitchen benchtops.)

The two most popular types of natural stone used for kitchen splashbacks are granite and marble.

Granite Pros: The hardest of all stone types (8/10 mohs rating), less porous than other natural stone types, available in different thicknesses.

Granite Cons: Colour options are limited and they tend to all have the same chunky fleck/textured look.

Marble Pros: Looks absolutely gorgeous and is the most sought after type of natural stone.

Marble Cons: One of the softest natural stone types (3-4/10 mohs rating), during manufacturing it’s susceptible to cracking along vein lines, more porous so it’s susceptible to staining and acid etching.

Acrylic splashbacks (e.g. Corian) are made of acrylic resins…..  plastic, basically. But before you turn your nose up, there’s are a few things you may not know about.

Acrylic surfaces can be moulded and formed in one piece using heat, through a process called ‘thermoforming’. This means you can have a benchtop, splashback and a sink all in one piece with zero join lines. They are strong, easy to clean, extremely stain resistant and won’t crack or chip easily. 

Pros: No visible join lines, can be moulded into any shape and bent into corners, colour wont fade, extremely strong, won’t crack, scratches can be buffed out if neccessary.

Cons: Softer material, scratches easily, limited plain/flat color range (no texture or detail).