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By the Des Moines Register
October 1, 2009
The concept of kitchen backsplashes is not new. Cooks long ago discovered the benefits of having the washable surfaces traditionally ceramic tile extend behind and above a sink, stove or countertop to protect walls from liquid splashes.
But today the options are dazzling.
"A lot of people are getting granite countertops now, and they are looking for a nice way to accent them," says Jared Wittrock, assistant manager at The Tile Shop in Urbandale.
They're also using the space to display their distinctive style, with materials ranging beyond ceramic tile to include porcelain, marble, glass, tin, steel and other metals.
Options at Granite Transformations are made of Trend Italian glass mosaic, says owner Teresa Egli. Customers can choose from "standard" designs or select custom color mixes.
"The standard mosaics come to us in sheets that are 10 feet long by 4 feet wide," she says. "We template the backsplash and cut it in our shop."
Smaller mosaic sheets used for custom combinations also are pre-mounted on backer board and pre-grouted at the shop.
"They can be put up very quickly and without a lot of mess," Egli says.
To turn favorite photographs or designs into backsplashes, Design Squared in Des Moines uses a dye-sublimation process. Heat transfer paper transforms ink into a gas and penetrates the surface being heated and pressed. This causes the inks to saturate into the tile or surface being imaged, causing them to be very durable.
"We have two types of tiles that work for backsplashes, a scratch-resistant ceramic tile and a glass tile," says co-owner Erin Woody. "The ceramic is a semi-gloss tile, and the glass tile displays the image from the underside so it can't be scratched."
Design Squared backsplashes range in price for $50 to $75 per square foot, depending on the design and tile, Woody says.
When selecting a backsplash material, it's important to consider its initial installation and long-term upkeep, Wittrock says. Only the grout lines need to be sealed with ceramic tile.
"If you get stone, you have to seal the tile and the grout joint, but the quality of the sealer is much better," he says. "If you do two light coats of an impregnator water-based sealer for the stone that gets into the grout joints, that sealer will last about 15 years for a backsplash."
Never use anything abrasive to clean a tile kitchen backsplash, as abrasive cleaners can scratch, remove finishes and dull the shine.
Any cleaning product that is safe for granite countertops can be used on travertine, granite or marble backsplashes, Wittrock says.
Jane Schorer Meisner writes for the Homestyle section of the Des Moines Register.
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