I’m thinking about using beadboard throughout my kitchen as a backsplash between the upper and lower cabinets and possibly tiling behind the stove.
I’m wondering, what should I have as the backer for the tiles (right now it’s just plywood- can I skim this and then tile right onto it?) and do I have to tile all the way down to the floor- it seems like a waste, but I’m not sure what I’d have behind the actual stove otherwise (just wall board?).
Any ideas?
Thanks, gen
Replies
I can't recommend bead board for the backsplash. You want a surface that's easy to clean, with a minimum of nooks and crannies, and with something fireproof/heat resistant behind the stove.
Wall board or tile makes a great backsplash, or you could continue your countertop surface as a backsplash. You'll want a waterproof cementatious backerboard (e.g. Wonderboard or Hardibacker) if feasible for your tiles.
Behind the stove you may want to try an alternative material. Sometimes I get a decorative sheetmetal (diamond plate, square patterns, brushed stainless, etc.) that the local metal yard will cut to close to my dimensions. I trim to fit and mastic it behind a Viking or Wolf range to give it a hi-tech feel. Easy to clean and it looks great. I also like to use metal-looking tiles and have even used glass block. Just remember that bubbling tomato sauce does a number on grout lines.
I agree that beadboard is not so easy to clean, but if you like the look I'd recommend getting paneling that looks like beadboard and painting it with a high-adhesion paint, such as BIN. The panelling surface is much smoother than beadboard plywood would be.
You could also use wallpaper that looks like beadboard.
Behind the stove plywood is fine as a tile base. I would never use it in a wet area, and probably not on a floor, but it's fine in an out of the way, dry wall area.
Are you considering beadboard for looks or cost? What may look good is to tile the backsplash with a fairly plain tile, like a rectangular white "subway" tile, layed in a staggered pattern (like bricks), and go with a more colorful tile arrangement behind the stove.
I would not tile all the way to the floor. I'd tile down only as far down as you could possibly see, perhaps just below the surface of the counter. But, don't leave the wall bare. Prime and paint it, or use a self-priming paint such as a bathroom paint.
Beadboard is pretty common around here for that. I don't know what these guys do in their kitchens, but I'm getting visions of pizza sauce fights and letting the splatters dry on 'till morning to be all that hard to clean.
Running beadboard vertically helps give a visual height for that low space and appear historical for some styles of home.
I have run tiles on the stove back both ways. It isn't going to be all that hot there unless it is a commercial kitchen or you plan to start making Sweet Gen6 Jellies and Jams so the cementious backer isn't needed. If it were a larger area that would be subjected to changes of temps, then the cement board would be important. You just won't get that much thermal differential over three or four feet. And right for not running it to the floor either - that is, unless you throw a lot of pizza sauce around
;)
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>> ... letting the splatters dry on 'till morning to be all that hard to clean.
Till morning? That's generous. Till the lease runs out is more likely.
Thanks- I did want beadboard for the look (it's an old farmhouse) and was actually hoping to use the subway tiles with grey grout behind the stove so it sounds like that'll work. Not to worry about the jellies- I've got a brand new flat surface stove and I've heard that sugars can cause pitting in the surface so no jelly making for me.
gen
Modest country kitchen with beaded board and subways behind the range
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Wow, that's quick.
How about putting in a glass top stove and repost the pic, shouldn't take too long.
It'll happen eventually. Those owners spent too much on wallpapers and had to re-use the old appliances for a year or two...
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no tomato sauce in sight!