Put a backpainted glass backsplash in your kitchen
Whether you’re trying to protect the wall around your sink or stove, a backpainted glass backsplash can help protect your walls and add a dash of color at the same time. Glass is a great medium to use in the kitchen because it’s impervious, easy to clean and looks great year after year! Unlike ordinary paint, a backpainted glass backsplash won’t stain, fade or peel over time.
Working with backpainted glass
Glass is easy to work with in the kitchen, which gives you another reason to consider it as a decorative and functional element. There are some considerations you should be aware of, however. If you intend to put glass behind or beside your stove, you’ll want to use tempered glass. Tempered glass resists impacts and shattering. More importantly, it can withstand the wide, rapid changes in temperature around the stove. You can purchase tempered glass in custom or standard sizes.
Paint the tempered glass on one side, using the color(s) of your choice. You can choose paints that offer an opaque, translucent or transparent effect. Using glass paint will give you a few advantages. First, once glass paint has cured, you can safely use mastic to attach the glass to the wall without worrying that the glue will show through the paint. Second, glass paint will resist humidity, which is typically in abundance in the kitchen!
Ordinary paint never truly cures on glass, so it will peel, crack and bubble, virtually right away. Glass paint forms a permanent bond with the glass, so your backpainted glass backsplash will look like new for years to come.
If the area you intend to cover with a backpainted glass panel currently has electrical outlets, you’ll need to move the outlets before you install the glass. You cannot cover outlets with glass, and you can’t cut tempered glass, so you’ll need to move the outlets before undertaking your project.
It sounds daunting, especially if you’re not skilled in electrical work, but moving the outlets isn’t as complicated as it might seem. Angled power strips can allow you to place electrical outlets wherever you need them without having to recess them into a wall. You can use angled power strips under cabinets, on your countertops or underneath your countertops. You may even find that angled power strips allow you to add power exactly where you need it.
If you’d like more information about working with glass paint, or creating a backpainted glass backsplash for your kitchen, please check out the rest of our site!
