Kitchen Backsplash

Kitchen backsplash options give us many different ways as homeowners to customize our kitchens and protect walls from feeling the wrath of cooking, food preparation and dishwashing activities. They also help bring in new colors and materials to the room and open up design that way. A basic kitchen backsplash either comes attached to a countertop or comes with it as a separate piece and mounts directly atop it, sometimes affixed to it from underneath. But tile backsplashes are a lot more ornate and much fancier, adding another dimension to kitchen style. For kitchen remodeling consumers trying to inject a little bit of flair into their remodels, kitchen backsplash designs can give them just what they are looking for.

Installing a Countertop Backsplash

Sometimes homeowners like to take on their own kitchen projects, visit kitchen remodeling showrooms, and work in the DIY spirit. One of the most common projects folks take on is the removal of old countertops and their replacement with new ones. Certain materials are harder than others to work with, and some demand absolutely perfectly level support underneath from the cabinets; but Formica countertop installation is fairly straightforward. This is probably the most common materials used in DIY applications because it is inexpensive, easy to obtain, and simple to install. But setting the backsplash can sometimes be an issue. Whether it is behind the microwave in the sink, the purpose of this piece is to prevent things from congregating behind the cabinetry, and to a lesser extent, to protect the walls. These small kitchen backsplash pieces are not hugely functional; they will not stop a boiling pot of oil on the stove from splashing against the wall.

But they will keep water and other materials from getting behind the cabinets where we can't get to them, and stop ants and other insects from becoming a constant problem. Installing the kitchen backsplash to some is very easy; they simply glue it on using drywall adhesive and call it good. But the union where the countertop meets the backsplash needs to be sealed, ideally with clear silicon applied on the underside of the piece before it is laid upon the counter. The reason why these are not always attached prior to installing countertops is simple: to account for imperfections in walls and allow for the material to adhere as closely as possible the entire wall across. The top is caulked to the wall to seal it out as well, and in some cases the kitchen backsplash is also screwed into place from underneath if access permits.

Tiling a Kitchen Wall

But these small backsplashes are not the only ones we have to protect our walls. You can also get a large Formica piece to mount to the wall, and there are some other options as well to add a little flair to the design. One of those options is to use tile. We can use flooring tile or products specially tasked for use on walls; it doesn't matter as long as installation is done correctly. Among kitchen designs this is certainly one that sticks out because it has such great potential to add color and fashion and to draw in disparate stylistic elements together. For example, the appliances might not match the new countertop. But if we can find kitchen backsplash material that pulls in both colors, all of a sudden we have design unity without having to change anything.

Sometimes this type of install is done mostly for looks and only over a limited area of the room. But sometimes it is done all across the walls, including behind the stove where these tiles will usually have their work cut out for them. Sometimes a kitchen idea like this is developed out of functional necessity; and sometimes it is put together just for pure aesthetic purposes. Either way, it really doesn't matter as long as the goals of the designer and the homeowner have been met in the end.

Great Backsplash Options Online

Backsplash installation is a project that can really give us a place to inject some personality into our kitchens. More so than a simple single color paint job, tiling the wall brings the possibility of really doing something different in the room and sort of sending things in a new direction as far as design. A kitchen backsplash will not all of a sudden become the centerpiece of the room. This role is usually set aside for custom cupboards or a beautiful ceiling fixture above the table. But a backsplash can work on multiple levels to accomplish many things. Use our free quote form and locate some talented kitchen backsplash design installation professionals in your neighborhood, and see how much you could save on this creative and functional project by comparing prices from several competing local companies.