No kitchen is complete without the inclusion of a splashback. These kitchen staples are one of the rare elements that provide both practical use and a style feature.
Without a splashback, steam from the cooktop, splashes from pots, and oil splatter from frying pans can all make their way onto the wall and permanently damage it or leave unsightly blemishes.
But because of the surface area involved, they can also be expensive. That’s why at Smart Kitchen , we’ve come up with a list of budget-friendly splashback options that you can use in your DIY kitchen design, flat pack kitchen, or your renovation.
Tiles
Tiles are perhaps the most common choice for kitchen splashbacks. And with good reason. Tiles can vary greatly in cost and there are often tiles that can achieve the same effect as some of the more expensive ones for a fraction of the cost.
In addition, recent design and gloss finished designs mean that tiles can give a sleek, upmarket finish to a kitchen at a budget-friendly price.
For additional style customisations, you can choose a tile with a mosaic pattern in-laid throughout the splashback, small feature tiles, or single colour ‘pop’ tiles in a wall with a different dominant colour.
If you are on a budget, you should keep your use of mosaic tiles to a minimum though as these smaller tiles are often more expensive to install than larger tiles. Also, be aware that laying tiles in patterns such as a herringbone pattern can also add to your installation cost.
Tiles with interesting textures and raised elements are also increasingly popular for their unique ability to create depth, and those that are finished with a gloss or a seal are just as easy to keep clean as ‘flat’ options.
Toughened Glass
Glass splashbacks are popular because they look good, although tiles are currently more on-trend. However, toughened glass is still a viable and budget-friendly choice. The price is comparable to tiles, although this depends on the tile you choose and how many power-point cut outs you need.
The benefit of glass is that it is easy to maintain and available in an endless range of colours and even prints! Out of all materials, it is the easiest to clean because there are no grout lines as there are with tiles and tile grout can be more difficult to clean. Because the glass is toughened, it can also be installed behind the cooktop.
Acrylic Glass
An acrylic glass option achieves a similar look for a fraction of the price. Perspex-based splashbacks are just one option that can be used when looking for that ‘glassy’ effect. However, unlike glass, they can’t be installed directly behind the cooktop so you will need to think about using a different material, like tiles or stainless steel, for the area behind your cooktop.
A rule of thumb is that these splashbacks are about one-third of the cost of a glass option, so they are well worth investigating.
Pressed Metal
Apart from looking very attractive, pressed metal is made from an aluminium alloy, so it’s a great material to use as a splashback and can be used behind cooktops and sink areas. There are so many different patterns to choose from and can add texture into a kitchen while keeping a neutral colour palette. Pressed Metal can be brought in large sheets and can be cut to size at home and glued to the wall. Once installed, you can paint it to match your kitchen colour scheme.
If you are wanting your DIY kitchen or renovation to incorporate a great looking splashback but are unsure of how the different options stack up, we’re here to help. We’ve got conveniently located showrooms in Preston, Maribyrnong and Kilsyth and our staff are friendly, professional and experienced so are ready to help you make your decision.