Kitchen Backsplashes and Wall Finishes

The backsplash is a small area that gets a lot of attention, both from you and from grease, steam and water. It is also one of the last things installed, which tempts people to leave the decisions until late. Several of them, especially height and outlet placement, have to be made before the walls are closed.

Tile types compared

Pattern matters as much as material. The same rectangular tile reads very differently stacked, offset in a brick pattern, set vertically or laid in a herringbone. Patterns with many cuts take longer to set and use more tile. For current looks, see our articles on which kitchen backsplashes are in style, neutral backsplash ideas and herringbone backsplashes.

Slab backsplashes

Running the countertop material up the wall gives a clean surface with nothing to scrub but the joint at the counter. It suits strongly veined stone, where tile would compete, and it is the easiest backsplash to keep clean behind a range.

The trade-offs are cost and precision. A slab backsplash is templated after the countertops are set, uses a meaningful amount of extra material, and every outlet, switch and window return has to be cut exactly. Long walls will have a seam. In JDI Construction's published planning ranges, a quartz or stone slab backsplash adds $3,000-$8,000 to a kitchen project before sales tax. That is a planning range, not a quote. Slab choices are covered in choosing kitchen countertops.

Height and where it stops

Three decisions here, and each should be drawn on the elevations before tile is ordered.

How high

• Counter to upper cabinets. The standard. Tile fills the space between countertop and the underside of the wall cabinets.
• Full height. Tile or slab runs to the ceiling on walls with no upper cabinets, around a window or behind open shelves. It looks finished and needs more material and labor.
• Behind the range and hood. Tile usually continues up to the underside of the hood, and to the ceiling beside a chimney-style hood.

Where it ends

The awkward spots are open ends, where a counter run stops without a wall or tall cabinet to finish against. Good stopping points are the outside edge of the upper cabinet above, the edge of the countertop, or an inside corner. Whatever you choose, line the tile edge up with something. An edge that stops between two reference lines looks like a mistake.

How the edge is finished

Exposed tile edges need a finish: a bullnose or trim tile from the same line, a metal edge profile, or a mitered or polished edge on stone. Not every tile line offers trim pieces, so check before you fall for a tile. Where tile meets the countertop, the joint is filled with flexible caulk matched to the grout, not with grout, because the counter and wall move slightly against each other.

Outlets in the backsplash

Receptacles are the detail that most often spoils a carefully chosen backsplash. Their positions are fixed at electrical rough-in, long before tile, and the electrical code sets where they have to be.

Within those limits you have real choices:

• Set them low and horizontal, just above the counter, so they sit in the bottom course of tile and are hidden by whatever is on the counter.
• Mount them under the upper cabinets, using angled strips or boxes at the underside of the cabinet, provided they are within 20 inches of the counter. This leaves the backsplash unbroken.
• Match the color. Devices and cover plates come in many finishes, and a plate close to the tile color recedes.
• Align them with the tile layout, centering each one on a tile or a grout line. This takes coordination between the electrician and the tile setter, and it is worth asking for.

Switches for the disposal and under-cabinet lights need the same thought. The kitchen electrical code page explains spacing, ground-fault protection and what a remodel triggers. Under-cabinet lights rake across tile and show every uneven edge, so plan them together.

Grout and maintenance

Grout is where a backsplash gets dirty. Reduce it or upgrade it.

• Joint size. Larger tiles and tighter joints mean less grout. Handmade tile needs wider joints to absorb its irregularity.
• Grout type. Cement grout is standard and should be sealed. Epoxy and other high-performance grouts resist stains far better and cost more to install. They are worth considering behind the range.
• Color. Mid-tone grout hides more than white. Contrasting grout emphasizes the pattern and shows every uneven line.
• Sealing. Natural stone and cement grout need sealing on the schedule the product maker gives. Glazed ceramic, porcelain and glass do not.

For day-to-day care, wipe splashes while they are fresh and use cleaners suited to the material. Acidic cleaners etch marble and can degrade cement grout.

Order of installation

1. Rough-in. Receptacle and switch boxes are set at the planned heights, and any wall blocking goes in.
2. Wallboard and cabinets. Walls are closed, patched flat and primed. Cabinets are installed.
3. Countertops. Templated after cabinets are set, then fabricated and installed.
4. Backsplash. Tile is set on top of the finished counter, or the slab backsplash is templated and installed.
5. Grout, caulk and seal.
6. Electrical trim. Receptacles are brought forward flush with the new surface and cover plates fitted.
7. Final paint touch-up.

Order tile early even though it goes in late. A back-ordered tile or a short box count can hold up the finish of an otherwise complete kitchen. Order extra for cuts and breakage, in the quantity your tile setter recommends, because a later batch may not match.

Other wall finishes

Painted walls in a kitchen should be washable. Satin and semi-gloss finishes clean more easily than flat paint, at the cost of showing surface flaws, so wall preparation matters. Use a paint formulated for kitchens and baths near the sink and range.

Wood paneling, beadboard and wallpaper all work away from heat and water. Keep them out of the area behind and above the cooktop. The residential code requires at least 30 inches of vertical clearance from the cooking top to unprotected combustible material (IRC M1901.1), and the range and hood instructions set the side and rear clearances. Those are covered in range hoods and ventilation.

Next steps

Before you shop, read what to know before buying a kitchen backsplash. JDI Construction draws the backsplash, tile layout and outlet positions into the design so the electrician and tile setter work from the same plan. See how we approach kitchen remodeling in Vancouver.