pastorpatti04

you could drill holes in a piece of plexiglass and screw it to the wall, then you could slip wallpaper, etc. behind it for a pretty accent, and it would be easy to clean.

Stitch124

http://www.americantinceilings.com/p...FQQ4nAoddF6ong


My girlfriend placed a large piece of tin ceiling tile behind her stove. It looks so elegant...and it's removeable so she can clean it easily. I've attached a link to show the many styles to choose from.

luvstoquilt

I had formica behind my stove in a home we built in the 60's. I loved it and it is easy to clean. I have tile now and with the sealer on it ...easy to keep clean..love it, too. I would say to go for it!

JoanneS

We used leftover vinyl flooring for our backsplash. It was a tile pattern. When we redid the floor 10 or 15 years later, we left the backsplash, because it was still in great shape - and the new floor did not clash with it. Formica needs a smooth surface - it will show every bump beneath it - but I think it would work, too.

tutt

Here's a photo of ours we redid last year. It's formica just like the counter tops, the color looks different due to the angle and shadows, but it's the same. Love it! (Sorry it's sideways)

trolleystation

When we remodeled our kitchen, my husband applied a clear sheet of acrylic over the wallpaper. Easy to wipe clean and has not yellowed although it has been there for 15 years. We also put it under the mirror in the bathroom. It goes from the countertop up about six inches to the lower edge of the mirror. The bathroom is also wallpapered. Hope this information helps you make a decision.

lfstamper

Why not get a piece of stainless steel in a roll from Home Depot and glue behind the stove?

Rose_P

It's just a question of what you want to see there. Formica is a good choice, but if you like the look of tile, you can apply a sealer especially made for the grout. The same goes for the floor.

I have done a tile back splash in my kitchen and a bathroom, and really enjoyed doing it. Designing with tile is a lot like quilting, but more people are impressed. I spent about $40 on a wet saw for cutting the tiles, but you might be able to rent one. It's extremely messy to use, so if you don't have an outdoor area and good weather, I wouldn't recommend it. I wound up wrapping a vinyl tablecloth around myself while using the saw to avoid getting soaked. Tiles can be cut by scoring and snapping, but I found that a lot more challenging when I tried it.

No matter what you put up there, if you have a texture on that existing wall behind the stove, it will probably be necessary to sand it all off. If the house is older than 1978 there may be lead paint, and sanding is not a do-it-yourself proposition. Even if lead isn't an issue, it makes an incredible amount of fine dust.

Formica is applied with a contact cement. You spread it on the Formica and on the wall and let it set up, and then you have to position the material exactly right on the first try because you can't move it at all. Tile is actually easier to do, IMO, and much more creative. For example, you could do a mosaic or a pattern from a quilt design. I'm sure you can find online tutorials and videos for how to do either tile or Formica. You could also do a Google image search for "back splash" and find some inspiring pictures.

Now here's another idea that I recently saw in a friend's house. You can buy molded pvc ceiling tiles that look like Victorian tin ceilings, or for that small area, maybe you could find the real thing somewhere. The big plus to using that is that it can be hung over the existing wall with no preparation. It's really cool looking stuff and can be painted any way you like. Give it a coat of polyurethane so that you can easily wipe it clean.

NatalieMacDonald

Can you frame the formica? Metal is an idea.

nuttyhurricane

I could not find anything hubby and I could agree to for the back splash. I found 3 of plastic place mates at Walmart that have the colors of our kitchen and used command poster holders to hang it up behind the stove top. Looks like it belongs there. so if you can not find you counter top top' perhaps try my idea.
K