Stone back splash behind range: hard to clean? esp fire & ice

14 years ago

I am considering the fire and ice back splash, continuing it behind my slide-in range. I am concerned about grease and other splatters (spaghetti sauce!) mucking up the back splash.

For those of you with a rough stone back splash - would you do it again? Is sealer enough to make it easy to clean? I don't mind applying sealer every 6 months or a year. Is there a certain sealer that is recommended?

I could break the back splash at the range and put something easier to clean there, but I like the look of continuing the horizontal lines behind the range.

Featured Answer

rhome410

14 years ago

I have rough-face slate behind the rangetop. The only reason I wouldn't do it again is because it was a bear to grout, and it was my first grouting job since a tile project in shop in 7th grade!

I sealed it before and after grouting, and don't have any particular trouble...But because my counters are 27" or more deep on each side of the rangetop, the rangetop is also bumped out a few inches. I think this makes a difference on how much splashes make it to the backsplash, so I think the distance, as well as the sealer, may play a part in the ease of cleaning. I know, though, that we've splashed it good with oil a few times, and I wiped it down with water with a bit of dish detergent in it.

The sealer I used is from Home Depot. It's called Super Seal: Ultimate Penetrating Sealer. The backsplash has been up and grouted for over a year, and I might have sealed it once since then, but I can't remember for sure. I just looked and the backsplash still looks new to me.

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Comments (9)

pudgybaby
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, rhome410 - very good info.

Anyone else?
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morton5
14 years ago
I have Fire and Ice behind my range and haven't had any trouble keeping it clean. It's sealed and enhanced. But, like Rhome, I have a few inches of counter between my range and the wall. Also, I tend to do my messier cooking on the front burners.

Maybe you could seal a sample and try stain tests.
lucretzia
14 years ago
Pudgybaby, I have the same question. In fact, I am also considering using quartzite on the floor as recommended by the woman at the tile store. I am testing at this moment with oil, butter, balsamic, wine and will let you know.
Should taste good anyway. :-)
pudgybaby
Original Author
14 years ago
Duh - why didn't I think of stain tests!

Looking forward to your results, lucretzia...
lucretzia
14 years ago
Wine came out. Juice from an orange came out. Balsamic left a bit of a dark spot. Of course, I know what it is, and suppose I would always look at it, but don't know if it would be noticeable to anyone else. Don't have time to work on the oil and butter but will later today and let you know. It's a hard decision. Hate to turn something beautiful into something grungy.
morton5
14 years ago
Lucretzia, is your sample sealed?
PoorOwner
14 years ago
I use a cardboard since I havn't installed the BS yet. I has been almost a year it looks like hell, one particularly bad thing is I made curry with my pressure cooker and vented it too early and it sprayed curry all over it, good thing my BS isn't installed yet!

I am still considering some kind of acrylic shield when the actual stone is installed or just doing SS piece below the hood to the cooktop. Sealed or not I don't think I can ever keep it clean for too long. For what it's worth though I do alot of stir fry and the biggest induction burner is in the middle towards the back.
lucretzia
14 years ago
Morton5, I did seal it. The butter and oil came out easily. I was very happy about that. Wondering though about splattering from frying like poorowner says. You have this sort of backsplash, but stacked, right? It must camoflage (sp?) better. How do you find it for cleaning? What sealer did you use? I read on Gw about Miracle 511 imgregnator being great, but on the John Bridge site as not being good because people don't know how to use. Any thoughts about that?