If you want an extra living space in your home, an outdoor kitchen right in your backyard is a good idea. You can set it up complete with sofas, a dining area, a minibar, and a kitchen. Though not at the top of your list, an outdoor kitchen backsplash is an important factor to consider.
For outdoor installation, tiles and stainless steel are timeless and classic choices. Bricks, stones, and wood pallets offer a cozy and warm homey feel. If you want an industrial look, go for galvanized steel or concrete. And though an unconventional choice, pebbles are slowly becoming trendy and popular.
Of course, you aren’t limited to only these backsplash materials. When it comes to designing and building your outdoor kitchen, let your creativity take over without sacrificing safety and functionality.
Below, we’ll go over some of our best ideas for outdoor kitchen backsplashes. We’ll also go over some of the best materials and why you should consider installing one in your outdoor kitchen.
The Value of an Outdoor Kitchen Space
An outdoor kitchen is an excellent space for entertaining family, friends, and guests. It gives your house an additional room where you can spend quality time together without being cramped in the spaces of your home.
If you install an outdoor kitchen in your backyard, complete it with a mini bar, living space, and dining area. Adding all these will make your new outdoor kitchen a great space to spend time in, breathing in the fresh air and soaking in the sun, especially during hot summers.
Planning and building an outdoor kitchen space would entail looking into outdoor furniture and appliances. Sure, outdoor fridges and countertops are at the top of your mind, but one fixture you might forget to consider is outdoor kitchen backsplashes.
What is an Outdoor Kitchen Backsplash?
A kitchen backsplash is essentially a vertical extension of your countertop.
Depending on what your kitchen requires or your design preferences, a kitchen backsplash can extend as low as only a few inches off the wall or as high as your home’s ceiling.
A kitchen backsplash can serve two purposes: functional and aesthetic.
A functional outdoor kitchen backsplash protects the wall behind your stoves and sinks. Installing a backsplash where your sink and stove are located will prevent any water and grease backsplash.
Messes from water and grease can ruin and damage your walls. Having a backsplash will help prevent water and grease from seeping through your home’s structure.
For aesthetic purposes, a kitchen backsplash can easily tie in with the design and features of your outdoor living space.
Why You Might Need a Kitchen Backsplash
Of course, no one can tell you what and what not to install in your home’s living spaces. But if you’re planning to build an outdoor kitchen in your backyard, consider installing a backsplash with these reasons in mind:
A kitchen backsplash makes safety a priority
Cooking and grilling outdoors accumulate grease, which is then a risk for a grease fire. Cooking is especially a risk if the wall where you propped up your stove or grill is made from combustible materials. A kitchen backsplash will prevent these high risks and will make your family’s safety a high priority.
A kitchen backsplash prevents damage to other items in the kitchen
Kitchen backsplashes can provide extra heat resistance. Having one in place can also prevent damage to other items and appliances around your stove, grill, and sink.
A kitchen backsplash makes surfaces much easier to clean up
Grease can be really unsightly. It’s especially bothersome if it stains the walls. A kitchen backsplash surface is much easier to wipe down and clean, allowing you to easily wipe away grease and other dirt.
A kitchen backsplash upgrades your outdoor kitchen’s aesthetics
A kitchen backsplash can easily tie in with the rest of your kitchen’s style and design. It’s a great way to play around with different materials, finishes, and colors to make your outdoor space pop out.
Ideas and Types of Outdoor Kitchen Backsplashes to Consider
If you’re planning and designing your outdoor kitchen equipped with a backsplash, it’s important to know that there are different backsplash materials you can choose from:
- Tiles (Ceramic, Glass, or Porcelain) backsplash
Tiles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, designs, and textures. All these varieties give you endless options when you’re designing your outdoor kitchen backsplash.
Using tiles in your backsplash is very practical. Tiles are very easy to install and when one or two tiles are damaged, it’s easy to remove and replace them as well. You won’t need to take the whole backsplash off to repair and replace what’s been damaged or broken.
A tile backsplash is sturdy and can withstand unpredictable outdoor weather, which is something of importance for your outdoor kitchen.
Some of the most popular tiles in the market include ceramic tiles, glass tiles, and porcelain tiles.
- Bricks and natural stone backsplash
Bricks and stones are a timeless kitchen backsplash material. These are very durable and will withstand harsh outdoor weather.
To bring your family’s safety up a notch, bricks and stones are also great insulators. They can keep the heat in your home during cold months and prevent unnecessary heat from seeping into your home during the hotter months.
Additionally, bricks and stones are non-combustible so you really are prioritizing your family’s safety with this choice of material.
Other than its functional purpose, using bricks and stones in your kitchen’s backsplash can give it a cozy and homey vibe. It’s perfect for rustic and southern-style homes.
- Stainless steel backsplash
Stainless steel offers durability and can withstand unpredictable outdoor conditions, making it ideal for outdoor kitchens. It looks sleek and very modern. It especially goes well if you have other stainless steel appliances in your outdoor kitchen.
Stainless steel is also much easier to maintain and clean than other backsplash surfaces. Plus, they don’t corrode, so they for sure will last long even outdoors.
- Galvanized steel backsplash
Galvanized steel is another great option, if you’re looking for something durable and long-lasting but with a cheaper price tag, check out galvanized steel.
Galvanized steel panels are easy to cut to your desired shape and size, making them fairly easy to install. These give a modern and industrial look to any living space.
- Wood pallets backsplash
Wood backsplashes make for a very natural outdoor aesthetic. These look charming, warm, and cozy.
Though woods are not as durable as tiles or steel, proper sealing of the material will lengthen its life.
- Pebbles backsplash
Using pebbles in backsplashes is the trend right now. They’re waterproof and durable, perfect for outdoor backsplash use.
Pebbles come in different colors that allow you to form varied patterns and designs that will fit the rest of your kitchen.
- Concrete backsplash
If none of the materials we listed above appeal to you, there’s always the choice of a concrete backsplash. It’s cheap and easy to DIY if you have some experience under your belt.
A concrete outdoor kitchen backsplash offers a sleek, modern, and industrialized look right in your outdoor kitchen.
Conclusion
An outdoor kitchen is a great way to get an extra outdoor living area where you can enjoy the sun and fresh air. Aside from outdoor appliances and furniture, an important feature to consider (though often neglected) is a modern outdoor kitchen backsplash.
Planning and installing an outdoor kitchen backsplash will let you play around with different designs. Tiles – ceramic tile, glass tile, porcelain tile – and stainless steel are some of the most popular choices. Bricks and wood give it a homey and cozy feel while galvanized steel and concrete are great for an industrial look. Pebbles are a unique but trendy choice as well.
And that has been our guide on the best outdoor kitchen backsplash ideas. You can reach out to us below for any more of your questions!
