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sautesmom

Solid glass backsplash

I've been trying to decide what I want behind my stove as a backsplash, and I think I want a solid sheet of glass, probably tempered, with tinted thinset to match the tiles I am using for the rest of the backsplash areas. I tried to search this forum to see if anyone has done this, but all I got were glass TILE backsplashes.

Has anyone used a solid sheet of glass? If so, do you like it? How was it installed?

Thanks!

Carla in Sac

Comments (16)

  • bbstx
    15 years ago

    I have looked at the GlassKote website and inquired about prices. Here is the response:

    GlassKote ranges from $80 - $150 per square foot installed. An average
    Kitchen application requiring very little fabrication will be on the lower
    end of that range where as complicated fabrication requirements with 2 or
    more cutouts for electrical switches, notches, holes for hardware and other
    accessories will put you in the higher end. It all depends on the detail of
    the application, color and finish.

    I found one kitchen in FKB that had used it but it was a very contemporary kitchen. I would love to see it in a more traditional kitchen. I HATE trying to keep grout clean!

    Here is a link that might be useful: GlassKote website

  • blondelle
    15 years ago

    Well with tile you do have to clean the grout but that's made easier with epoxy grout. With a glass backsplash you still have to worry about finger prints and streaks on the glass, and smears of grease on it. I don't think it's maintenance free either. It's also VERY high priced. I'm really surprised at how much it is.

  • maydl
    15 years ago

    Getting glass perfectly streak-free is challenging. And remember that you will be trying to do this leaning over a space that is 24-inches or more deep--bad enough at counter-level, but what about at 30-36 inches above the cooking surface, or wherever your hood starts, standing on a step-stool?

  • polie
    15 years ago

    Tempered is much safer than regular glass. I'd be wary of using regular glass as a backsplash

  • blueberry_girl
    15 years ago

    We have a solid tempered glass backsplash behind our range. It is really easy to keep clean, and I really love it. The lines are clean and simple, which goes well with our design which is something between Northwest Lodge-Contemporary-Craftsman.

    The glass is mounted on four posts, set off about 3/4" with stainless steel caps so that if we change our paint color we can remove it and paint behind it, rather than messing with back painting it or a permanent mount where you might see the texture. We have a 4" granite splash that is continuous from the counter to behind the stove to the other counter, and the glass is fit to sit just on top of it.

    The glass studio warned us there might appear to be some 'ripples' because it is tempered glass, but they really don't show up too much nor are they something you see unless you are really looking for them.

  • biner
    15 years ago

    Blueberry girl,
    I am also considering a glass backsplash as you have described with the posts and stainless bolts/caps. We have a rather large area to cover and was wondering re:price per sqft with cutouts for plugs etc if you template it yurself vs having someone do it. Thx

  • ci_lantro
    15 years ago

    Just to remind everyone--tempered glass cannot be cut or drilled so the conventional thru-bolted stand-offs won't work if you're re-purposing a sheet of glass.

    1/4'' plate glass is tough stuff. I wouldn't worry too much about the safety aspect. It ends up being almost a non-issue if you're using decorative glass in any of your uppers.

    The best, most streak-free glass cleaner that I've found (plus I love the way it smells):

  • talley_sue_nyc
    15 years ago

    washing and then drying w/ miracle clothes/microfiber cloths gets pretty streak-free as well.

    I'd rather have streaks than grout lines.

    I wanted to do this, but had paint problems, and haven't bothered to resolve those yet.

  • talley_sue_nyc
    15 years ago

    The glass place got a bid from said they'd done some backsplashes in Manhattan; the guy said they didn't use tempered glass over the stove, that the heat wasn't really a problem.

    And someone here once pointed out that, if you get any crack in the tempered backsplash over your stove, the glass will shatter into little pieces and fall at once--into your food. And so he suggested using conventional glass, bcs you're more likely to end up w/ a small crack than w/ shattering of it. He claimed to work with glass.

    But he *did* strongly suggest a tempered piece for the large, 5-to-6-foot-long section, because the LENGTH made the glass more vulnerable than the heat over the stove would.

    On another glass website, I found a reference to "triple strength" being used instead of tempered--so if you go this route, you may ask about the strengths of different glasses.

  • blueberry_girl
    15 years ago

    Ours is pretty straight forward - we have a very simple rectangle splash 48" wide by about 30" tall with four posts. We didn't extend it to the sides of the stove over the counter because we put the 4" granite splash across to match.

    $80-120 per sq ft is about the same range, though it really does depend on the complexity.

    ci lantro is correct about the drilling, the first piece they brought in was about 1/16" too large, and it wouldn't fit into the space, so they had to remake the whole piece. If you really want a custom fitted piece, in this case it was to our benefit that the glass company measured it.

  • seattlemamadrama
    15 years ago

    Blueberry girl - I would love to see some pictures of your kitchen and house, if you can share! We're also building a contemporary version of a craftsman in Seattle and have a much more modern interior. We're considering some glass in the kitchen as well as embedded in a custom metal stair rail, or wall really (it goes from floor to ceiling on one side of our open stairs, in lieu of an open railing on that side).

    I'm also working on getting some more pics up to share with this group.

    bbstx - Thanks for the GlassKote referral--I contacted them too. :)

    Deb in Seattle

  • jgwnova
    15 years ago

    We wanted a plain back splash that was very easy to clean. We chose white corian. It comes in a thinner version for application on walls. It looks like a clean, painted wall, but it is easy to keep clean. I recommend it highly.

  • Jean Farrell
    15 years ago

    Oh, I'd love to see pictures of these backsplashes.

  • Claire Buoyant
    15 years ago

    Carla,
    Check out Mindstorm's glass plate backsplash in the FKB (Fininshed Kitchens Blog-you'll find it in the Gallery).

  • bob477
    13 years ago

    blueberry_girl
    I hope you are still there. I am doing the same think right now was wondering what type of glass you used Tep. or just plate. I wanter to sand blast than drill then Temp the glass. Where did you get the mounting hardware looking for the same thing.....
    Thanks Bob