Need advice on Backsplash

11 years ago

I am a chef and caterer--I'm just finishing up a large addition and completion of my dream kitchen. My dilemma-- I have white cabinets and am planning on doing white subway tile for a backsplash. However, I need to do something creatively different behind my new 6 burner DCS range top. Any stain resistant grout will still stain from grease, so I'm looking to put some sort of decorative metal backsplash behind the range top and do the white subway tile everywhere else. I'll have a canopy hood. Am trying to wrap my head around exactly how to do this given the thickness of the tile will be greater than any metal backsplash. As well, if anyone has any experience with where they have gotten decorative metal backslashes-- would be very appreciative of advice.

Featured Answer

dcward89

11 years ago

We used sheet stainless behind our range and hood. I'm not a professional chef but I do cook from scratch every single day and the stainless is awesome...everything just wipes right off. As eam44 said, we used a plywood spacer to bring it out to the thickness of the finished tile surface and then wrapped the stainless around the edge. I just love it...both the look and the functionality. This pic was before the tile was installed. There were only the 2 short edges where the stainless and tile butted together. We used a Schluter edge on the tile where it butted against the stainless and it looks great. Just one of many solutions.

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Comments (10)

Nothing Left to Say
11 years ago
You could take a look at ceiling tin. What's your countertop? You could run a slab of it up.

Are you really sure the grout is that much of a problem? I have never had white grout stain in a kitchen and grout staining behind a range doesn't seem to be a common complaint.
Michael Duggan
Original Author
11 years ago
My countertop is honed jet mist granite. I will be using my range top a lot and I do foresee an issue with oil/grease splatter. I spoke w/ the rep at Tec Power grout and the rep told me the grout really isn't resistant to oil/grease at all. For someone like me who will be cooking a lot, it's just not practical to have a tiled backsplash. Ceiling tin wouldn't really go with my kitchen, so I'm looking for another option.
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Lily Spider
11 years ago
Have you considered an epoxy grout instead of regular grout? I have only read a little about it but am considering using it for my BS. It's more expensive & a bit more challenging to install but doesn't absorb stains. Might be worth looking into it you haven't already.
eam44
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
You'll use a plywood or drywall spacer. When you know the thickness of your tile and that of your stainless sheet, you'll be able to calculate the thickness of spacer you need to make up the difference. If you need a 1/2" spacer, drywall is easier to use, but any other number and you'll probably end up using plywood. Easy Peasy.
Michael Duggan thanked eam44
Michael Duggan
Original Author
11 years ago
This is the where my range top will be- there will also be a canopy hood hanging down from the top. Wondering if I should just do a 5-6" stainless panel behind the cook top or a bit of a larger decorative behind. Don't know which way to go- suggestions?!
autumn.4
11 years ago
I just found these stainless mosaics while searching for my own backsplash:
TileDaily SS Mosaics
romy718
11 years ago
This website has some info that might be helpful. http://www.commercemetals.com/measure-stainless-steel-backsplash/
Nothing Left to Say
11 years ago
If your main concern is easy to clean, I think a plain sheet of stainless would be the way to go m
eam44
11 years ago
Oh definitely a sheet of stainless. I would go as high as the hood, but read your range installation info. Depending on how much heat your range generates, 5" may not meet the install specs.