Kitchen Splashback Tiles are a great way to keep your kitchen clean without ruining the aesthetic of your home. The protection these tiles provide stops water damage from tapping away at your walls and will allow you to reduce the amount of DIY you need to do every year.
But you can’t just put any old tiles onto your kitchen wall; let us explain why.
What Are Kitchen Splashback Tiles
When you’re cooking, cleaning up, and preparing your food, water, oil, and other substances will splash up and onto your surfaces. The tables and countertops can handle this type of wear and tear, but an exposed wall without any waterproofing will quickly become damaged.
Splashback tiles stop this type of decay from happening. They are positioned directly behind and around your sinks and countertops, making sure any area that could cause water damage has been secured.
Because these tiles are being placed on a wall, they need to be light and somewhat flat. That way, gravity won’t try and bring them down, and a simple wipe can make them clean again. Food can get stuck on the surface if your tiles have intricate details, creating a bad smell.
Types of Kitchen Splashback Tiles
As long as the tiles are waterproof, light, and don’t have crevices, then any style can be used in its making.
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Mosaics
Mosaics are a classic style of mismatched tiles. When bought from a store, they will have an overarching theme, like honeycomb shapes or varieties of blues. These types of tiles can sometimes have lots of connecting pieces which can make cleaning difficult. To some designers, the Mosaic style works best in the bathroom rather than the kitchen.
However, just because the tiles are small doesn’t mean you should write them off as impossible to work with. You may decide that the additional cleaning is worth the beautiful masterpiece, or you may think that small sections of mosaic tiles around less active areas in your kitchen are better. Mixing up tiles can allow you to be practical around the kitchen stove but beautiful around the countertops.
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Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles can be just as versatile as mosaics. They often come in brick-like shapes, which makes them easy to apply. You may think that bricks will give a rustic feel to your kitchen, but in reality, it all comes down to your chosen style. White and cream tiles often look sophisticated and darker tiles, like midnight blue, can look ultra-modern.
Because the tiles tend to be the same sizes across the board, you can often mix and match your tiles too.
If you choose ceramic tile, be sure to pick ones that are glazed. Unglazed ceramics will have textured surfaces that are not suitable for a kitchen environment.
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Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain tiles are denser than ceramics, although they look very similar. The density creates a more robust and more rigid material, but they are often too heavy for your walls. This might not be a problem if your home has strong frames, but weak walls or temporary walls should avoid this material.
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Glass Tiles
Both new and recycled glass tiles are super durable. You might expect the material to be fragile, but the solid mass and creation process makes them just as safe as the other tiles. However, these tiles tend to be expensive. This is because you can ask for solid colors or a particular design.
Whatever you pick, the glass will always be at least a little translucent. When the light hits it, a marvelous glow might be produced, creating a whole new atmosphere by itself.
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Vitreous Tiles
Also known as frostproof tiles, these fairly new materials have a low moisture absorption rate, which means they are great for bathrooms and kitchens. They are also super light due to their material-like textures. You can get these tiles to look like ceramics, but they will come in pre-cut sheets for you to stick on the walls.
Which Kitchen Splashback Tiles Should You Pick?
Some tiles are more expensive than others, and some will be less durable. If you live in a home with thin walls, you should choose vitreous tiles, as the material-like textures will be super light and will not pull down your walls.
Everything else is up to your style and budget!
