If you plan to remodel your kitchen, then do not forget to include a kitchen backsplash in your design plans. Kitchen backsplashes can enhance the appearance of the kitchen while also protecting the walls underneath them from water damage, food stains, and heat damage.
While you have many kitchen backsplash options, you should consider a backsplash from natural stone. Properly designed natural stone backsplashes are durable, attractive, and stain-resistant.
Learn three tips for designing a kitchen backsplash made from natural stone.
1. Consider Your Stone Options
While many stone types can help create kitchen backsplashes, three popular options are quartz, marble, and granite. Before you choose your backsplash stone based on appearance alone, you should also consider the unique advantages of each stone:
- Quartz: This stone is available in a wide array of colors and is crack- and chip-resistant. This stone is also non-porous, which makes it stain-resistant, anti-microbial, and easy to wipe clean.
- Marble: This is a surprisingly affordable stone type that is relatively scratch-resistant. This stone offers superior heat resistance that keeps it cool to the touch, even when exposed to high temperatures. While porous, marble can have a special sealant applied that makes it waterproof.
- Granite: This is an extremely durable, crack- and chip-resistant stone. This stone is also heat-resistant and, while naturally porous, can be sealed to increase its stain resistance and water resistance.
While quartz stone is a great, maintenance-free kitchen backsplash material, it should not be used in kitchen areas routinely exposed to high heat, such as above your kitchen stove. While marble and granite need resealing on a regular basis, they are better options for use in kitchen areas that often reach high temperatures.
2. Choose Between a Slab or Tile Backsplash
Two main natural stone kitchen backsplash styles are available: slab and tile. Slab backsplashes are created by adhering large slabs of natural stone to kitchen walls to create a seamless backsplash appearance. Tile backsplashes are created by first cutting the natural stone slabs into tiles of various shapes and sizes and then attaching them to kitchen walls with mortar or an alternative adhesive.
Slab backsplashes can typically be installed more quickly than tile backsplashes. In addition, their relatively seamless design leaves few seams and joints where stains, dirt, and debris can embed, which makes keeping this backsplash style clean easier.
However, when choosing a tile backsplash, you have more design options. You can cut all tiles the same shape and size or mix and match tiles of various sizes, shapes, and even colors to create a final look all your own.
3. Select the Right Stone Finish
Many types of natural stone are available with several different finishes.
If you desire a super-smooth kitchen backsplash that is easy to clean and reflects light, then a polished stone finish is the best option for you. A high-gloss, polished stone finish is created by polishing the stone surface with diamond discs and other buffing tools.
Some stones are also available with a honed finish, which is a slightly textured finish created by treating the stone slab surface with mild abrasives. While a bit more difficult to clean than polished stone, honed finishes are good options for stones that scratch easily, because the textured finish hides the appearance of scratches.
A brushed finish that makes the stone appear antique is available for some stones, such as marble. This finish is created by rubbing the surface of the stone gently with an abrasive brush. This finish also hides scratches.
Speak to your natural stone supplier who can inform you of other stone finishes they may offer. While some textured finishes increase the porosity of some stone types, all stone finishes are suitable for kitchen backsplash design when a special sealant is applied to the stone on a regular basis after installation.
If you plan to remodel your kitchen, then consider installing a natural stone kitchen backsplash to protect your walls from water damage and stains while enhancing the appearance of your kitchen. Contact the stone experts at Best Marble & Granite Company for
natural stone kitchen backsplash design and installation today.
