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How to Choose a Picture for Your Custom Kitchen Splashback

Opting for a custom kitchen splashback emblazoned with a high-resolution image can really bring a kitchen to life. It can also be just be thing to get those creative juices flowing and bring something unique into your kitchen.

Narrowing down the options with an infinite range of images to choose from can be tricky. You can go for something complex or abstract, something completely minimalist or something eye-catchingly artistic. The options are endless; you could choose something timeless and instantly recognisable, or something personal that means something special to you and your family.

Just as long as you are happy with the result, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of choosing a picture for your splashback. But before you commit to a specific splashback picture or design, there are a few important points to keep in mind.

1. Make Sure You Know the Source of the Image

You are unlikely to find yourself hauled into court for using a picture on a kitchen splashback that does not belong to you. But if you do not own the rights to the image in question, you are still technically stealing someone else’s work. It is therefore advisable to stick to the free images you can pick up on sites like Unsplash, Envato Elements and Pexels. This is where you will find millions of premium-quality images covering everything you can imagine, all 100% free of charge and readily available to use.

2. Check the Quality of the Picture

Whichever picture or design you go for, it is essential to ensure the picture is of sufficient quality. Low-resolution images guarantee disappointing results, with pixelated and unattractive image reproduction.

As a general rule of thumb, you should be looking at an image that has a minimum resolution of 300 pixels per inch. This will ensure beautiful clarity and excellent reproduction of every detail when the splashback is printed. Do not rely exclusively on the size of the file, as this is not always indicative of the quality of the image.

If in doubt, ask before submitting your chosen picture for printing.

3. Orientation and Size

You will also need to consider exactly where the picture will be displayed and in what kind of configuration. Most kitchen splashbacks are significantly wider than they are tall. In which case, your favourite picture taken in portrait is probably not going to be suitable. That is, unless you want the same image repeated horizontally across the splashback, which is always an option. The larger the splashback, the greater the importance of choosing an image with the appropriate orientation and size; always remember that the more editing is required to achieve the desired shape, the higher the likelihood the quality of the image will be compromised.

For more information on any of the above or to discuss any aspect of personalised glass splashbacks in more detail, contact a member of the team at DIY splashbacks today.

Installing a splashback can be a great way of minimising mess in the kitchen. As the name suggests, decorative splashbacks are designed primarily with a practical purpose in mind.

They pick up the kinds of spills, splatters and splashes you would prefer not to set into your walls as permanent stains.

Quality splashbacks are also designed to be as easy as possible to clean and maintain. But just as is the case with the rest of the kitchen, some approaches to cleaning are more efficient than others.

With this in mind, here is a brief rundown of five simple yet effective guidelines for keeping your splashback and kitchen clean and serene:

1. Clean as You Go

It is far easier to give your splashback a regular wipe than to clean it intensively on occasion. What is great about kitchen splashbacks is how most everyday mess can be wiped away with nothing more than a damp cloth. Or perhaps, a quick squirt of an approved kitchen cleaner. The same also applies to all worktops and services around the kitchen. The longer you allow grease and grime to accumulate, the more difficult it becomes to remove. You will save time, effort and money by getting in the habit of cleaning as you go.

2. Go for a Minimalist Look

The sleek and sophisticated appearance of a kitchen splashback can be perfect for a minimalist kitchen. Minimalism is a desirable contemporary design trend which basically involves removing anything that does not need to be out in the open. De-cluttering and keeping things simple holds the key to a kitchen that is easy to clean. The less bits and pieces there are taking up space, the less there is to accumulate grease and grime.

3. Keep Your Tools Close to Hand

Instilling good habits where kitchen cleanliness is concerned is all about convenience. This is where it can be helpful to ensure your cleaning equipment is close to hand at all times. For a kitchen splashback, this could be anything from a pack of glass cleaning wipes to a bottle of kitchen cleaner to paper towels and so on.

4. Share the Workload

It is often said that a problem shared is a problem halved. In which case, why not share the workload with the other occupants of your household? You could perhaps delegate the duty of cleaning your kitchen splashback to your child or spouse; all members of the household benefit in some way from the kitchen, so everyone should contribute. Assigning responsibilities so everybody knows what is expected of them can be far better than handing out tasks.

Homeowners often assume that a kitchen can either be contemporary or cosy. The appeal of a minimalist modern kitchen is huge, but so too is the allure of something more classical.

In which case, is there a way of combining the two? Despite the fact that they may sit at opposite ends of the interior design spectrum, is it possible to create a modern kitchen that also feels cosy?

The short answer is yes, and it can also be surprisingly simple.

Choosing the Right Colours

Colour choice has perhaps the biggest impact of all on the look and feel of a kitchen. Even in a kitchen with predominantly contemporary design traits, colours like grey, blue and black can create a cosy and comfortable feel. The same can also be said for the installation of an elegant glass splashback presented in a colour that complements its surroundings. Particularly where a kitchen is predominantly white or painted in brighter colours, the introduction of something darker can completely transform the mood.

Layout Adjustments

It can be tricky to make a kitchen feel cosy when it has an open-plan layout. Open-plan kitchens are fantastically practical, but can sometimes feel sterile and devoid of character. This is where making adjustments to the layout of the kitchen can make a big difference, perhaps positioning furniture and fixtures in such a way as to create zones. Simple touches like bringing in large floor rugs and freestanding furniture can make a real difference, transforming an open plan kitchen into something much more cosy and classical in appearance. It is basically a case of taking a step away from the clinical and minimalist to focus on comfort and atmosphere.

Add Some Traditional Ornaments

The same effect can be created by bringing a selection of carefully-chosen ornaments and accessories into the space. Pottery and glassware in particular can be great for bringing personality into a kitchen, as can vintage canisters and a near-endless range of retro adornments. Swapping out contemporary cookware for more traditional equipment can also make a difference, as can retro-looking appliances and electronics added to your countertops.

Try Adding Texture

The kitchen is not normally the first place you think of where soft furnishings and fabrics are concerned. Nevertheless, these are exactly the kinds of things that can make all the difference in the world, if looking to boost the comfort and cosiness of your kitchen. Plump cushions, thick curtains and floor rugs all have the power to completely transform the look and feel of the space.

Open Display Cabinets

Switching out your cabinet doors for glass panels, or even removing them entirely will instantly bring character and personality to your kitchen. One of the most quintessential kitchen designs of years gone by is open cabinets and shelves, proudly displaying the crockery, tableware and glassware within. The modern minimalist kitchen is all about keeping things hidden classical and cosy.

Splashbacks in general have the potential to be hugely advantageous. They look great, they provide a robust layer of protection for your surfaces and they’re surprisingly easy to install. But when it comes to the various material choices available, toughened glass splashbacks take some beating. Considered by many to be the gold standard, toughened glass splashbacks can make the perfect addition to any classical and contemporary kitchen.
As for what makes this particular material the choice for the discerninghouseholds, key features and advantages to consider include the following:

Unbeatable Hygiene
First up, it’s the importance of good hygiene standards in the kitchen. One of the biggest benefits of toughened glass is the way in which it is 100% non- porous, making it completely impervious to grease, bacteria and general grime. Nothing is able to make its way beneath the surface, making it easy to keep things clean with a quick wipe. In addition, you’re able to use a wide variety of cleaning products with toughened glass, without risking damaging the material. It is therefore one of the most hygienic choices for the kitchen, where bacteria and germs could build quickly on other materials.

Heat and Impact Resistant
The average kitchen is a pretty heavy-duty place, where surfaces and wall coverings are put through their paces. High temperatures, sharp objects, rapid temperature changes - all things that have the potential to take a toll on most surface materials.
With toughened glass, you are looking at a protective coating with the resistance of up to 400° C. It is also an extremely durable material, which won’t crack or chip when occasionally bashed with a pot or pan. In fact, the likelihood of damaging a toughened kitchen splashback while going about your daily business is practically zero.

Long-Term Value for Money
With little to no maintenance required, a good glass splashback has the potential to last a lifetime. This makes it one of the most cost-effective home improvements you can perform in your kitchen, in terms of long-term value for money.
Toughened glass splashbacks are easy to fit, with no specialist tools or equipment required, after which, it takes little more than an occasional wipe to
keep your splashback in pristine condition. Choose the highest-quality splashback for your kitchen and it could still be doing its job and looking great
decades from now.

Aesthetic Appeal
Last up, the aesthetic appeal of a quality kitchen splashback is undeniable. This counts double where custom splashbacks are concerned, which can be personalised in a variety of ways to suit your home. Elegant, sophisticated and timeless, glass splashbacks can bring a touch of luxury into any kitchen. All coupled with the kind of practicality that can make all the difference, in what tends to be the highest-traffic room of the entire home.

There are numerous options available for revamping a kitchen on a budget; a fresh coat of paint, a change of cabinet doors, new hardware and fixtures, all ideas worth considering. But when it comes to the kind of quick and easy enhancements that deliver maximum impact, there is nothing like a custom kitchen splashback.
Installing a splashback brings improvements to both presentation and practicality to any type of kitchen. It is the kind of project that can be completed within just a few hours with no outside help necessary; it is the kind of low-cost kitchen makeover with the potential to improve your living quarters and house market value.

Why Choose a Glass Splashback?
Shopping for a kitchen Splashback means negotiating the various different types of materials available, all of which have unique points of appeal, but none are quite as advantageous as the toughened glass splashback.
While a premium glass splashback will typically cost more than an acrylic splashback, it is a small price to pay for what you take home in return. Here are just a few of the main advantages of choosing a glass splashback for your kitchen:
Colour and finish options – there is a limitless range of colours and designs to choose from, making it easy to find the perfect splashback for your kitchen. There are fantastic options available to suit all types of classical and contemporary interiors, ranging from the understated and elegant to the bold, bright and beautiful.
Minimal maintenance – once a glass splashback has been installed, there are practically no subsequent maintenance requirements to worry about. With a sealed and seamless glass splashback, all it takes is a wipe with a damp cloth to keep it clean and ensure showroom condition.
Hygienic – the fact that there is nowhere for germs and bacteria to hide means that a kitchen splashback can also be extremely hygienic. The surface is non-porous and offers fantastic resistance to the build-up of grease, grime and gunk making it easier to keep high-traffic surfaces in your kitchen clean and safe.
Heat resistance – unlike some types of kitchen splashbacks, a glass splashback can be positioned about anywhere without having to worry about warping or melting. High-quality glass offers excellent protection against heat, safeguarding your walls and maintaining its integrity even when placed directly behind a cooker.
Cost-effective – a glass splashback has the potential to last a lifetime with only the bare minimum care and attention along the way. All of which adds up to an outstanding cost-effective investment in the practicality and visual appeal of your kitchen.
Easy to install – it really cannot be easier to install a glass splashback at home, the process is more or less identical to the installation of a single tile, calling for little specialist equipment and no outside help.
If you would like to learn more about the potential benefits of glass splashback or have any questions on our extensive product range, contact a member of the team at DIY Splashbacks today.

As they say, the key to buying furniture is to buy quality furniture and you only have to buy it once. So if and when you do buy quality furniture such as a solid wood coffee or dining table, bedroom furniture and side tables you should consider protecting the surfaces from damage including water marks, scratches and stains from cups/glasses/drinks. The only real way to do this is by using glass furniture protectors.

The two main ways you can use glass furniture protectors

• Clear glass furniture protectors
• Coloured glass furniture protectors (or you can add something more to the design of your space with printed glass furniture protectors 

Clear Glass Furniture Protectors

The beauty of using clear glass furniture protectors is that you can still see the furniture underneath. Clear glass tops can come in a variety of colours and finishes- frosted/satin glass, clear glass, and tinted glass such as bronze and grey which may add more of a feature. The most scratch resistant of these choices is frosted glass, with frosted glass you can have the satin side facing up and it is much less likely to get scratched. The other types of glass can scratch, as with all glass, but it is better the furniture protectors get scracthed than the furniture itself of course.

Coloured glass furniture protectors

As our coloured glass furniture protectors are literally available in any colour they can be used to compliment your existing decor. As with all our glass products, they are made from toughened glass so the surface is incredibly strong and are highly unlikely to break uopn impact (we have tested our toughened glass with hammers on the surface and it takes several blows before you chip the surface and eventually manage to break the glass). We do offer a cut to size service with all our furniture protectors and glass tops also so you will always be able to order glass that is a perfect fit for your furniture.

Printed Furniture Protectors (add a design or pattern)

My personal favourite is personalising your glass tops, like the example which is a bit of an IKEA hack. This example shows some IKEA furniture with a printed stripe that almost looks like a Paul Smith design. You can use any of the designs on any of our printed splashbacks pages (you can order from these pages also as the glass is the same toughened glass), or you can use your own image or something you find online. Some lovely designs we have made for customers in the past include black and white marble prints that greatly enhance the look of solid oak furniture.

As with all glass, furniture protectors made from glass are incredibly easy to clean and will not stain so a very functional product that if coloured, printed...or mirrored can "hack" your existing furniture to look like something much more expensive than the sum of it's parts.

There has never been more choice of kitchen splashbacks available to UK consumers as there is right now. In the past it was simply stainless steel or wall tiles but now there are a multitude of options available. Choosing the right splashback for your kitchen should be easy then right? You would certainly think so but the problem is sifting through all the options to find the right type of splashback for your kitchen.

Coloured Glass Kitchen Splashbacks

As with tiles, glass kitchen splashbacks are available in any colour you can imagine. Made from toughened glass in made to order or "stock sizes", they can be used behind any kitchen hob and heat resistant so they will not break. Toughened glass splashbacks are even suitable for use behind gas hobs, range cookers and AGAs. One main feature of a coloured glass kitchen splashback is that they are incredibly easy to fit yourself, just add some blobs of adhesive or silicone to the rear colour coated side and fix to your wall. If you have ordered the right size ok you should have one fitted in a few minutes, as simple a DIY task as you can imagine.

The other main feature of a coloured glass kitchen splashback is that it is very easy to find one to compliment your kitchen colour scheme, as they can literally be made in ANY colour. 

Printed Glass Kitchen Splashbacks

Technology has came a long way in the last 10 years in the glass and printing industry and one huge advancement is the arrival of large format flatbed printers. Flatbed printers allow us to digitally print directly onto the glass itself using UV ink. In the past, printed kitchen splashbacks were made by adhering a piece of printed vinyl to the rear of the glass. Unfortunately kitchen splashbacks made this way (vinyl backed) had a very limited lifespan as the vinyl itself would degrade and the adhsive used to atttach them to the wall also tended to affect them (if shopping on other websites or ebay it is worth checking as many cheaper printed kitchen splashbacks still use this method). Things have moved on though as mentioned and printing directly onto the glass itself means this is no longer a concern, the print will not degrade and as we use UV ink it will not fade.

Digital printing designs onto glass opens up an unlimited choice of designs and patterns but if you want a personalised glass splashback that is an option too. Once again, too much choice is not always a good thing when it comes to choosing the perfect design for your kitchen but it does mean that no matter what colour scheme your kitchen has you can always find the right design for your kitchen splashback.

Mirrored Kitchen Splashbacks

Glass Mirrored Kitchen Splashbacks are probably on the higher end of the range but a product that will definitely add value to your home. As the name suggests they are mirrors but for kitchen hobs they are (usually) made from toughened glass, unlike a normal mirror. As standard they are available in three mirror colours- standard silver mirror, bronze mirror and grey tinted mirror. Silver will go in the vast majority of kitchens as they mostly just reflect what is already in your kitchen. Grey and Bronze tinted mirror splashbacks are a little darker than silver and tinted/coloured but they will each further compliment the right kitchen (for example in a grey kitchen a grey tinted mirror is the perfect compliment and natural wood and white gloss kitchens may be better suited to bronze).

As with all of our glass kitchen splashbacks they are made from toughened glass and can be made to order so they are well suited for use behind a hob and they can be ordered to fit perfectly. 

Antique mirror splashbacks may also now be made from toughened glass, we have found that many people do not want a simple reflection but something a little more to make more of a feature of their splashback.

Acrylic Kitchen Splashbacks

Glass and acrylic kitchen splashbacks are mostly made the same way, specialised paint is applied to the rear of the clear substrate, glass or acrylic, to add colour. Acrylic kitchen splashbacks can also be made to order to perfectly fit the space. The main differences between coloured glass and acrylic kitchen splashbacks are below.

Acrylic splashbacks are much softer than toughened glass, so they can be easily scratched - but scratches can be fairly easily polished out again if they do occur.

Acrylic splashbacks are only heat resistant to around 80C, so we would not recommend you use them behind your hob.

Other than the two differences above, although they are quite important differences, they look identical to a glass kitchen splashback. Due to the lack of heat resistance we would probably only recommend them for behind sinks and in bathrooms, where they are ideal.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Splashbacks

Stainless steel is a very practical product for a kitchen splashback, but not very aesthetically pleasing. The main reason they are used, mostly in commercial kitchens, is because they are biologically neutral so therefore antibacterial and easy to clean (although many of our customers would argue this point).

Stainless steel can be cut to any size so can be made to fit your kitchen but only available in the one colour. Stainless steel is highly temperature resistant so can be used behind any heat source so no problem behind any type of kitchen hob. The main drawback with a stainless steel splashback is that it only comes in one colour so not so easy to match your kitchen decor but if you have a stainless steel hob then it will be a perfect match. Stainless steel is probably more of a functional product which you would view more of as an appliance but certainly a great option if you need a functional and affordable solution.

Kitchen Wall Tiles

There is no doubt that kitchen wall tiles can look beautiful, especially when first installed. Kitchen tiles have been around for centuries and there are countless high street retailers offering them so you are not spoilt for choice and it should be very easy to find a tile to match your kitchen. Also very heat resistant so once again they can be used behind all types of kitchen hob. The main drawback with kitchen tiles is of course tile grout which is prone to staining and not very hygenic so they do need a lot more cleaning and maintenance than other kitchen splashback options. Not every kitchen will suit the modern look of a glass or acrylic splashback so tiling your kitchen wall is by no means a thing of the past and will forever be a popular choice in the kitchen.

Summary

When choosing a kitchen splashback the main thing is to choose one that matches your kitchen colour scheme. All the above options are suitable for use in a kitchen but keep in mind the heat resistant properties and of course how much time you wish to spend cleaning and maintaing them.

Antique effect and designer mirrors are, without doubt, the latest trend in kitchen wall covering designs and an area we are developing. The latest designs we have created, which can be purchased from our antique mirror splashbacks page, are below. Featuring gold, rusted and stone textured veins each mirror is hand made at our UK factory in made to order sizes. 

GOLD VEIN MIRROR

The Gold Vein effect has been created to simulate the varying colours of gold as it reflects light. All areas without this gold vein are highly reflective, silver, mirror. The Gold Vein design should sit comfortably in most kitchens, it is partculary well suited to blue, white and black kitchens with the gold veins adding a nice extra feature that you just will not achieve with a standard silver mirror.

Rusted Vein Mirror

The new Rusted Vein mirror design has again used a rust effect to create the look of rust, encapsulated by silver mirror which really brings out the rusted veins in the design. The Rusted Vein antique mirror design is also well suited to darker kitchen units and doors and would be well suited to kitchens featuring copper accessories and lighting.

Stone Vein Mirror

As with the gold and rust vein antique mirror designs we have used a textured design to try to create a stone effect in the pattern of the vein. Breaking up the plain silver mirror all of the vein design antique mirrors are idealfor customers who would like a mirror but want something that is a little more of a statement piece.

All of our antique and mirror splashbacks are made in the UK using toughened glass so can be used behind all types of kitchen hobs. As they are made to order they can be made in any size up to 2.5m wide by 1.3m high which should be large enough for most kitchens. For kitchen walls over this width of 2.5m the same look can still be achieved but the splashback should be broken into sections rather than one single piece. Likewise with our coloured glass splashbacks, we are able to cut and shape the mirrors to allow for socket cut outs and to follow the shape of your kitchen walls. 

A full measuring and fitting service is available for large parts of the UK, we do not have our own fitters but we can recommend trusted installers with whom we have been working with for many years. More details on our measuring and fitting service is available by contacting us- it's best to start by emailing us your requirements along with the postcode of the property.

If you would like to see any of these new designs, or another other design or colour, samples can be ordered from the product sample page of our website.

A fast growing trend in kitchen design is the use of mirrors as a kitchen wall covering. The ability of a mirror to transform a space by increasing the amount of natural and artificial light as well as making the space seem much larger is pushing more people to use mirrors. As you can see below, a mirror splashback is also very aesthetically pleasing.

Are Mirror Splashbacks Heat Resistant?

The quick answer to that is yes, toughened mirror splashbacks are very heat resistant and suitable for use behind any type of kitchen hob. Normal mirror, that is not made from toughened glass, is not and could crack at any time while cooking so we would advise against a normal mirror behind a heat source. DIY Splashbacks only supply toughened kitchen mirror splashbacks so all of our mirror products are suitable for this use.

Untoughened glass and untoughened (normal) mirrors are heat resistant to around 80C, toughened glass and mirrors are four or five times more heat resistant so 320C to 400C- well above the maximum temperature you can expect behind a hob.

How Easy Are Mirror Splashbacks To Keep Clean?

Glass is itself very easy to clean (windows, glass tables etc.), much easier then most other surfaces such as wall tiles and stainless steel, to make it easier to clean you can also add our Easy Clean coating which is a nanophobic, hydrophobic (water repellant) coating. Mirror splashbacks, being mirrors, will show dirt up more than tiles though as they do of course reflect anything on the surface. The dirt is still there on tiles, it's just harder to see. For this reason, many of our customers choose one of our antique effect mirrors which have different effects on the rear of the glass which can help disguise some splashing- but they are easy to clean with just a microfibre cloth.

Image of an antique mirror splashback (styles vary please contact us for our most recent styles)

What Colours Of Mirror Splashbacks are Available?

Presently, we offer mirror splashbacks for kitchens and bathrooms in the below colours and styles.

Bronze Tinted Mirror, Grey Tinted Mirror, Silver Mirror and Antique Mirror. The antique mirror range is constantly evolving but at present there are two styles, many more are on the way. 

How Easy Is It To Fit A Mirror Splashback?

As with our range of coloured glass splashbacks, mirror splashbacks can either be stuck to the wall using silicone adhesive or screwed to the wall using mirror screws. A simple cooker splashback would literally take 5 minutes to fix to the wall and seal the edges and screw fitting one perhaps 5-10 minutes more- just be careful you don't drill into any pipes or wires!

You can find measuring and fitting instructions in our tutorials section.

Why Choose A Mirror Splashback Instead Of Coloured Glass?

There is no real reason, choose whatever compliments your kitchen design. However, one huge benefit of a mirror splashback is of course behind able to see the reflection.  What we mean by this is if your cooker wall is facing your garden or a scenic view this view will be visible from your cooker wall also, so you can enjoy the view while cooking. Also, for kitchens with breakfast bar islands you see the person beside you within turning around which make meals for families much more pleasant (if you can get the kids off their tablets. Likewise for bathrooms, a mirror splashback will make any bathroom look much bigger and brighter so they will definitely increase the resale value of any property.

When choosing a kitchen wallcovering there are many options, tiles, glass, mirrors, laminate or acrylic splashbacks. DIY Splashbacks manufacture glass, mirror (glass) and acrylic splashbacks. Coloured glass splashbacks and our custom coloured acrylic splashbacks are both manufactured in the same way- a clear substrate is colour coated on the rear facing side to produce a coloured splashback. So as they are made the same way they look identical- the difference is the practicalities which will go into more detail on below.

How heat resistant is acrylic compared to glass?

Glass splashbacks are made from toughened glass, this means the glass has been superheated to melting point before being rapidly cooled. This process changes the physical properties of the glass so it is at least four times stronger than normal glass but more importantly it is incredibly heat resistant. A glass splashback manufatured using toughened glass is perfectly suitable for use behind any kitchen hob, even gas.

Acrylic splashbacks, as the name suggests, are made from acrylic- we use the highest quality acrylic which is Perspex. Perspex has a maximum service temperature of around 80-85C. So as long as a hot pot or pan does not come into direct contact with it while heated and that it is at least 10cm from any rings on the hob they can be used behind induction hobs. You cannot use an acrylic splashback behind a gas hob, we would not recommend you use it behind an electric hob either although if enough spacing is allowed theoretically it should be ok. Acrylic should not be used behind freestanding electric ovens either, the reason being the oven will vent the heat upwards from the back which will be very close to the wall/acrylic.

How scratch resistant is glass compared to acrylic?

Glass itself is very scratch resistant compared to many ither materials, but anything harder than glass can and wil scratch it. There are of course a large percentage of glass coffee tables and dining tables, they do scratch if not looked after. This is never really the case for a kitchen splashback though as you would very rarely touch the rear wall of your kitchen with a hard, sharp, object so scratching is not a concern.

Acrylic on the other hand is not very scratch resistant at all. As there are many materials harder than acrylic there are many ways to accicentally scratch it. Again though, as a wall covering in a kitchen this is a rarity so this form of scratching is seldom a concern.

Where glass excels when compared to acrylic in terms of scratch resistance is when cleaning it. We have found ourselves that even using a microfibre cloth acrylic can be scratched if there is any form of foreign object on the cloth. That could be a smal amount of dirt or even a harder part of the cloth itself if it's a little used. On the other hand, glass can be cleaned with wire wool. It is unlikely that stains will ever be so bad on your splashbacks that you need wire wool but we use it to clean our glass panels before we process them so we know this is the case (we use medium grade wire wool).

How easy is it to cut glass compared to acrylic?

This is very straightforward, toughened glass cannot be cut or drilled, acrylic on the other hand is fairly easy to work with. To cut or drill acrylic you just need to use HSS bits, which are designed for metal. HSS jigsaw blades, which fit in any jigsaw, have very fine teeth- non HSS bits or blades for cutting wood have large teeth in comparison so they will chip or crack the acrylic and should not be used. If drilling, you must gradually build up the hole size starting with a very small 2mm drill bit.

Anything else to consider?

While glass is definitely better for most kitchen uses, and bathrooms, it is much heavier. At 15kg/m2, a typical cooker spalshback weighs in at 6.75kg. Not heavy, but not a large panel. What about a glass shower panel though, what does it weigh?

Glass shower panel 2.3m x 0.9m - weight 31kg (reasonably heavy but not flexible at all and large, so hard to manoeuver upstairs to a bathroom or shower)

Acrylic shower panel 2.3m x 0.9m - weight 12.42kg much lighter, and flexible (much easier to get upstairs without any serious risk of injury)

I have personally carried three large glass shower panels upstairs and it is very difficult. What was more difficult was getting something the full width of my shower, 2.3m high and completely inflexbile, inside the shower. Basically, by the time I had finsihed the shower, I needed a shower. You can of course use two people to carry glass shower panels upstairs just be very careful, if the glass slips the person behind you is in trouble.

When deciding, weigh up the above options. Acrylic, if used in the right place can make a beautiful wall covering and is ideal in a bathroom. Glass can be used anywhere without any worries other than the weight.