Porcelain Splashback Options for the Kitchen

As a material, porcelain provides a low maintenance splashback finish in the kitchen, being
easy to keep clean while also being resistant to fire. Options for a porcelain splashback
include tiles or large sheets, both providing the same benefits and superior qualities that
porcelain products are known for. Our guide highlights the key points to consider when
making your porcelain splashback selections to help you make the most suitable decision for your
needs and style preferences.

Why is a Porcelain Splashback a Good Choice?

A porcelain splashback in the kitchen offers many incredible benefits that are simply
unparalleled in any other material. Porcelain is considered to be a non-combustible material,
making it an especially ideal fit for kitchen designs that include a gas cooktop.

In accordance with Australian Standards, should 200mm of clearance between the splashback and the nearest gas burner not be achievable, a non-combustible surface must be used on any
nearby vertical surfaces, including your kitchen splashback.

Porcelain provides the perfect choice in these situations, creating an effective fire retardant surface and ensuring your safety. Aside from the material’s incredible fire safe quality, it also provides a scratch and stain resistant finish, ideal for busy kitchens.

Porcelain products do not normally require sealing (however, cement based grouts in tiles
do but more on that later!) providing yet another low maintenance benefit in your new kitchen renovation. It is important to note that porcelain products are incredibly dense and as such, can be brittle along the edges. Wherever possible, avoid leaving the topmost edges of your
splashback exposed to avoid chips that can occur as a result of the nature of this material.

Porcelain Sheets as a Kitchen Splashback

Large porcelain sheets have gained immense popularity over recent years in the world of kitchen design, both as a benchtop option and as a splashback choice. Providing a grout-free alternative to traditional tiles, a porcelain sheet splashback creates a smooth, sleek and simple to maintain surface finish that is perfect for the busy kitchen, creating an ultra-modern aesthetic in your
kitchen renovation. This splashback solution is often paired with a matching porcelain benchtop to create a seamless finish in a kitchen design.

Porcelain Tile Splashback

A traditional porcelain tile splashback possess all of the same qualities and benefits of
porcelain sheets however, this option will of course include grout lines. Tiles have long been
a favourite choice as a kitchen splashback as there are limitless possibilities in your selection
of colour, finish and pattern choices to help you create the perfect look in your kitchen
design. Oftentimes however, there can be concerns of dirt, moisture and food splatters
dirtying the grout, making for more clean up required in the kitchen. There are many ways
to combat this however, including using a rectified porcelain tile or opting for a more
durable epoxy grout instead of the usual cement based grouts which are more prone to
corrosion and grime.

Rectified porcelain tiles are machine cut to achieve a perfect 90° edge, effectively
minimising the width and appearance of grout lines to create a sleek and smooth finish
that is ideal for a low maintenance kitchen. If you are however hoping to avoid grout lines
as much as possible using tiles, opting for a larger format tile can be preferable.
Alternatively, using a quality grout (such as epoxy grouting for example) will virtually eliminate
the usual concerns of maintaining grout in the kitchen, allowing you to choose from any size
or shape of tile you prefer.

Epoxy Grout for Tiles

If grout lines in your kitchen splashback are something that concerns you in terms of
cleanliness and maintenance, the use of epoxy grouting will be an optimal fit. Epoxy
grouting differentiates from cement based grout products as it is made of epoxy resins and
filler powders to achieve a virtually non-porous and thus, waterproof finish. The end result
is an extremely hard wearing grout that will assist in minimising built-up grime, dirt and
moisture from contaminating or eroding the tile’s grout lines, making for an extremely low
maintenance choice. It is important to note

Porcelain tiles or sheets create the ultimate maintenance-free splashback finish for the
kitchen, especially when careful attention to details such as tile sizes and grout choices have
been accounted for. Porcelain products provide a surface finish that is not only safe for the home but is also available in a vast range of colours, sizes and finishes to help you create the perfect look in your new kitchen design!

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