Do you have a back splash in your kitchen?

[mountainsoft]

We were watching a home improvement show a couple days ago, and they were debating which kitchen back splash tile to choose. Honestly, all of the tiles they use on these shows are way too busy and quite ugly in my opinion. "Timeless classic", yeah right.

Anyway, my wife asked me if I wished we had a back splash. I said no, she agreed, and as we thought back we realized we have never lived in a home that had a back splash. None of our homes had one, our parents homes didn't have them, and our grandparents homes certainly didn't.

However, watch any home improvement show these days and that's always a must have, no questions asked. (As are expensive stone or quartz counters, but that's another topic).

Our kitchen walls are just painted, and flat paint at that to match the rest of the house. We never really splatter anything on the walls, and if we do it wipes off easily. I did repaint our kitchen and dining walls this last summer (after 17 years), but that was mostly to repair some dings and drywall cracks, not because we didn't have a back splash.

So I'm curious, do you have a back splash in your kitchen?

 

[njhowie]

Yes, we have a backsplash - just normal/simple tiles as on the counters and the walls under the cabinets and above the counters. 1960's home. It was already that way when we purchased 20 years ago.

 

[RetiredHappy]

We always have backsplash in the kitchen of our homes. It completes the look.

 

[disneysteve]

We don't. Our kitchen was last redone around 1992 a couple years before we bought the house. I don't think back splashes were popular back then.


I see so many things on tv or that friends post on Facebook about renovations they've done and I often think the results are hideous. One person posted before and after pictures of their kitchen. They took gorgeous wood cabinets and had them painted gray. It looked awful but apparently wood is out and gray is in right now. No thanks.


Same with bathrooms. I just saw one today that had tile on the walls and floor that totally clashed with each other. It was hideous.


If we do any renovating, which we aren't planning to do, there's no way we're jumping on the current trend.

 

[RunningBum]

I do, and I like it. I think in a previous home there was an acrylic panel behind the range, but I can't swear to it. In my current home, which I had custom built 20 years ago, I had the cabinet guy cut a piece from the solid surface (Corian knockoff) countertop to put behind there. I think he had suggested it, or maybe it was the builder. I think it looks fine, and of course if matches the counters. It's easier to clean than a wall, especially things like grease or spaghetti sauce stains. And probably holds up better to any heat or steam the wall might encounter.

Tile, I don't think I'd like, because I find grout a lot harder to clean.

If you haven't seen a need in 17 years, no need to add one now. Not that you were considering it, as I reread your post.

 

[MC Rider]

We remodeled the kitchen in 2012 and put in granite counters and tile backsplash from countertop to bottom of cabinets. The cabinet and counter company offered a granite splash about 4" high. We wanted full coverage.

 

[Aerides]

I have a tumbled marble tile backsplash. Not very practical, but I don't find I make actual splashes that often. I picked one that complemented our granite, it's simple and natural. I can't remember if anything was there before, but that kitchen was old and basic and part of what was built with the house. If anything, they took the formica up the wall? In that case I would have preferred paint!

But in your case OP, unless you were doing a remodel, there's no need to add one - especially if your wife doesn't mind.

My sister has 6x6 stone tile with traditional grout lines as her backsplash. My mum says she should change it but sister doesn't care enough to bother.

 

[Gumby]

We also have white subway tiles from the granite countertop up to the bottom of the cabinets and up to the hood behind the stovetop. We specifically had them installed when we remodeled/expanded the kitchen 15 years ago.

 

[RobbieB]

Our backsplashes are made out of the same 20 mm thick granite slabs as the countertops and go all the way to the cabinets.

 

[aja8888]

When we moved into our retirement house in 2014, the counter tops were Formica. I measured the surface areas and made a template and then DW picked out a granite slab at a warehouse. I had the slab cut and the pieces polished by a friend in the business and over a weekend I installed the counter tops, a new double sink, new plumbing and trim.

DW wanted a subway tile backsplash and I had that done by my friend's tile guy as setting small tile is not my thing (too frustrating - LOL). We also "tiled in" a design in the stove backsplash area.

Our old house had just painted Sheetrock in the back of the counters and it worked for that old house.

 

[COcheesehead]

Yes, of course. It’s one more way to add distinction to the kitchen. To me not having one would make the kitchen look unfinished.

 

[Marita40]

When I had the kitchen done a few years ago I went for a simple Shaker style compatible with the 1920s house. The backsplash is off white subway tile with a subtle crackle finish.

 

[REWahoo]

So I'm curious, do you have a back splash in your kitchen?

I have a tumbled marble tile backsplash.

Same here.

 

[Souschef]

When we had our kitchen tile replaced with a granite countertop, we did have a matching backsplash.

 

[disneysteve]

I said that we don't have a back splash but the material on the countertop (whatever laminate stuff) does also rise up a few inches from the counter. Does that count as a back splash? It's maybe 4 inches high, and then just painted wall above that.

 

[aja8888]

I said that we don't have a back splash but the material on the countertop (whatever laminate stuff) does also rise up a few inches from the counter. Does that count as a back splash? It's maybe 4 inches high, and then just painted wall above that.

Yes.

 

[disneysteve]

Yes.

Never mind then.

When I think of a backsplash I picture the tile people have over the 4-inch extension.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I said that we don't have a back splash but the material on the countertop (whatever laminate stuff) does also rise up a few inches from the counter. Does that count as a back splash? It's maybe 4 inches high, and then just painted wall above that.

Not in my books.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Our backsplashes are made out of the same 20 mm thick granite slabs as the countertops and go all the way to the cabinets.

Yep, that was our home in California - full granite all the way up to the cabinets. Our previous home in NV, we had glass tile as backsplash in our kitchen, and granite that goes up all the way for the other counters. Our current home has a stainless steel kind of backsplash which was put in by the seller. When we remodel the kitchen, we will do something else.

 

[aja8888]

Never mind then.

When I think of a backsplash I picture the tile people have over the 4-inch extension.

Even 4" is a backsplash, although not a very tall one.

 

[aja8888]

Not in my books.

You opinion.

 

[Mark1]

I guess my backsplash of brick is not the greatest option for cleaning.

 

[Jerry1]

Granite counter with a ivory beveled porcelain tile. Not high end. We learned our lesson in our last home remodel. Natural stone is a pain to keep clean. The granite is sealed and not really porous but we had travertine in our other house - never again. Especially not in the bathroom.

Yes, a kitchen should, IMHO, have a backsplash. Nice look and can be more durable/easier to clean. But I sure wouldn’t sweat it if I didn’t have one - we didn’t in our first house and didn’t in our second house until we re-did the kitchen.

 

[Midpack]

We’ve owned 4 houses, all had backsplashes in the kitchen, varying heights. I’d be afraid of staining the paint otherwise - that would drive me nuts and I wouldn’t want to repaint just for a stain we could easily avoid. And I rarely notice a splash when it happens, and may not be in a position to clean it immediately. YMMV

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah, 4 inches should contain 99.9% of splashes -