Glass apron for the kitchen: performance characteristics, materials of manufacture, selection criteria

Tags:Decor, Kitchen, Finishing

The importance of using an apron for the kitchen can hardly be overestimated. It performs not only a protective, but also a decorative role. Often, it is the stylistic element that connects kitchen fronts different colors into a single composition. At the same time, it is on the glass backsplash for the kitchen (as well as on the countertop) that the main pollution gets, fats settle, and high temperature and humidity affect. Therefore, his choice should be taken as responsibly as possible. The article touches upon a rather narrow segment of kitchen aprons, glass products.

As it turned out, there are many materials from which skinals are made. Each of them has its own operational characteristics, its pros and cons.

The content of the article

1 Advantages and disadvantages of using
2 Classification of a glass kitchen apron by materials and manufacturing features
3 Optimal size and location
4 Backlight
5 Criteria for choosing a tempered glass apron
6 Gallery - glass aprons for the kitchen, made in various styles
7 What is required for self-installation
8 Summing up

Advantages and disadvantages of using

First of all, you need to figure out why it is worth choosing a kitchen apron made of glass, and not from traditional tiles or other materials:

affordable cost. Especially compared to high quality imported tiles;
simple and quick installation. In fact, it is installed in a few hours, unlike the same tiles, which may take more than one day to lay;
a huge selection of both materials and images;
unique design. Many companies offer the opportunity to apply the image suggested by the customer;
durability. In many respects, it depends on the material, but all offered on the market have high resistance to moisture, household chemicals, fats and high temperatures;
ease of cleaning. You can forget about the dirt accumulating in the joints between the tiles forever.

The hostesses will appreciate it, at first glance, this is a slight improvement

Housewives will appreciate that this is, at first glance, a "minor" improvement

There are certain technical limitations for the kitchen apron:

when making an order for a glass kitchen apron in the manufacturer, you should be extremely careful with the dimensions. It is best if they are removed by a company representative. As a rule, it is impossible to change the original dimensions of the apron, even by half a centimeter;
holes for sockets. The more of them, the more expensive the apron. In addition, you need to be extremely careful with the size. Everything needs to be foreseen in advance. There will be no more opportunities to add another outlet. We'll have to order a new apron;
if the glass apron is mounted on fasteners, the distance between the wall and the glass should be minimized so that nothing gets into the gap. Getting something out of there is unrealistic. We'll have to remove the entire apron;
If the installation near the hob is not performed correctly, condensation may accumulate between the apron and the wall. This not only leads to a deterioration in appearance, but can also cause mold and unpleasant odors.

Related article:

The best option for decorating the cooking area isaprons for the kitchen - skinali, photos of which are presented in our review. Why they gained such popularity, read on.

Classification of a glass kitchen apron by materials and manufacturing features

There are several externally similar materials from which glass aprons for the kitchen are made. They differ markedly in their performance and resistance to temperature extremes, humidity, as well as to the use of household chemicals and resistance to mechanical stress.

Stalinite - tempered glass

This is an ordinary silicate-based window glass that has been heat treated: heated and then sharply cooled. This material has high impact resistance, absolute resistance to high temperature and humidity, abrasion and scratch resistance, which is reflected in the ability to clean with abrasive agents. The material does not tarnish and does not lose transparency, even under the influence of aggressive chemical cleaners.

If such glass is broken, it will crumble into small cubic fragments with blunt edges, about which it is impossible to injure

Has a fairly high cost, but still cheaper quality tiles and porcelain stoneware. The dimensions of the glass, as well as the technological holes for the sockets, must be taken into account before manufacturing. Tempered glass has several types of manufacturing technologies, which are expressed in different visual effects.

Stemalite (enamel) - enameled glass. It is also called back painted. Before starting the hardening process, it is painted with special pigments, and after heat treatment the paint cannot be removed.

Enameled glass

Satin is a coating, the front surface of which is processed either with a sandblaster or with special acids, creating a matte effect. Due to the need for processing, it is slightly more expensive than regular clear glass.

Has an unusual appearance, but much more difficult to care for

Frosted glass is usually made without staining or prints. The background of the base is used as a decoration.

Skinali is a transparent tempered glass panel, on the back of which a vinyl film with an image is fixed. There are two types of images:

photo printing - depending on the saturation and fullness of the pattern, it can cost 35-50% more than transparent tempered glass;
stereo printing - allows you to see a three-dimensional drawing or the effect of movement on the surface of the apron, viewing it from different angles. The cost, in comparison with an ordinary glass apron, is 2 times higher.

Various skin options:

Optiwhite is a coating that contains special additives that rid the glass of its characteristic greenish-blue "bottle" tint.Costs one and a half times more expensive than ordinary unbleached. It is advisable to use such an apron in combination with a light backing.

The photo shows the difference between normal - greenish and bleached glass

Related article:

Glass apron for kitchen. Catalog, photos, advantages, varieties, selection criteria, model range, do-it-yourself installation secrets, advice and recommendations of specialists - you will find in the material of our portal.

Triplex - laminated glass

Triplex consists of several layers of regular or tempered glass and a polymer film between them. Most often, the outer layer is made of tempered glass, and the inner layer is made of ordinary glass. The total thickness is usually about 8 mm. If the film is transparent in car glass, then in kitchen aprons it plays the role of a decorative element. The film is painted or a drawing is made on it.

Among the advantages of a triplex:

absolute safety;
high strength;
a guarantee of the safety of the drawing, since it is located between two layers of glass.

The main disadvantage of a triplex kitchen apron is its high cost: depending on the configuration (both tempered glasses, the outer glass is additionally bleached, etc.), its price is 2.5-5 times higher than that of standard tempered glass aprons.

Triplex kitchen apron with photo print

Video describing the decorative varieties of triplex

Plexiglass

The names are also possible: acrylic glass, plexiglass, carboglass, limacryl, PMMA, acrylite. One of the varieties of transparent polymer. Has the following advantages:

budgetary cost;
impact resistance, moisture resistance;
has a low weight, flexible, does not require high quality base;
you can independently adjust to the required size and cut holes for sockets;
many design options, including dyeing in bulk.

Among the shortcomings, it should be noted:

low abrasion resistance - plexiglass is easily scratched, so it cannot be cleaned with abrasive products;
deformation under the influence of high temperature (more than 80 ° C), therefore, it must be installed away from the hob;
impossibility of cleaning with acetone and other solvents;
the transparency of plexiglass is much lower than that of silicate.

Colored plexiglass aprons:

Polycarbonate

It is similar to plexiglass in its appearance, but has higher performance characteristics. Lightweight, flexible, easy to process, you can install it yourself. Unlike plexiglass, it tolerates high temperatures better. It is much cheaper than a hardened coating, but it is very sensitive to mechanical damage.

Kitchen aprons made of polycarbonate. Given the affordable cost, a large area can be trimmed with such material.

Related article:

Kitchen apron made of plastic. Why do you need it, pros and cons, types, selection criteria, an overview of manufacturers and average prices, the subtleties of self-installation, useful tips - in our publication.

Optimal size and location

The size and location of the kitchen backsplash depends on the following factors:

type and size of the hob;
the dimensions of the lower part of the furniture set, as well as the height of the hanging cabinets;
design features and installation height hoods.

Important! The kitchen apron should go under the level of the countertop of the kitchen unit by 2-5 cm.

The distance between the wall cabinets and the floor of the kitchen unit, in accordance with the standards and natural ergonomics, is 45-90 cm. Thus, the width of the apron will be within the same range, taking into account 2-5 cm for overlap.

Backlight

The use of transparent materials as a kitchen backsplash provides ample opportunities for using various options for illuminating the work surface.Special glass panels are produced (usually a triplex with a significant thickness) with built-in backlighting from LED strips. Such lighting is mounted in a rigid box at the top or bottom of the apron.

Built-in LED backlight option:

You can also make LED lighting yourself by gluing the LED strip to the bottom of the hanging cabinets of the kitchen set, right next to the apron. There won't be much difference in efficiency, and the efficiency of lighting the working area will increase significantly. The only condition is to use led strip with external silicone protection to prevent contamination and damage.

Installing the LED strip near the apron:

Criteria for choosing a tempered glass apron

There are no special tips for choosing budgetary options for a plastic apron, since it can be upgraded or replaced at any time without spending a lot of money. Another situation is with triplex or single-layer tempered glass. They are quite expensive, so when choosing them, you need to focus on the following parameters:

budget options for an apron made of tempered glass 4 mm thick, objectively, are too fragile. And at its cost is not much cheaper than 6 mm glass;
it is necessary to carefully measure, since it will be impossible to correct the situation. The best option is to call a specialist from the company that will manufacture and install the apron at home;
it is most advisable to choose an image for skinny with a minimum of colors so that they harmoniously fit into the interior of the kitchen. For aprons with a photo print, thematic images are selected.

For example, in a kitchen made in the style of Urban, a print depicting a city at night will look good.

Apron with the image of Manhattan at night

Gallery - glass aprons for the kitchen, made in various styles

Consider the design options for kitchen aprons in different styles.

High tech:

Classic:

Modern:

Original lighting solutions:

What is required for self-installation

There are several ways to install a kitchen backsplash. The cladding made of polymer materials lends itself well to processing, so it can be drilled. It is advisable to mount such a structure using screws with decorative plugs. As a rule, such an apron is mounted at some distance from the wall (2-4 mm), so the quality of the base does not play a significant role. If desired, such a cladding can be quickly replaced with a new one. Decorative plugs masking screws not only do not spoil the look, but can also become decorative elements.

Apron with screw fixing with decorative caps

Hinged fasteners. In this case, the fastening materials will be minimally noticeable, these are small steel plates that are screwed to the wall. It is most advisable to use them if the apron is assembled from several small elements.

Hanging fasteners with silicone washers

Aprons made of triplex or tempered glass, as a rule, are installed on liquid nails or other type of adhesive mixtures. To do this, you need to prepare the surface of the base - carefully level it. This method of fastening is best entrusted to professionals, since after installation, it will be extremely difficult to fix anything.

Summing up

Undoubtedly, a glass backsplash is a more profitable and easy-to-use alternative to cladding from tiles, wood panels or natural stone. Considering that more and more companies are engaged in the manufacture and installation of such products, in the future it will enjoy continued popularity.

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