Which tile is suitable for an apron in the kitchen. Ceramic tiles on an apron for the kitchen: choose its size and design together

One of important points renovation in the kitchen is to create an apron in working area... As a rule, for these purposes, many of us choose tiles that are resistant to high temperatures and dirt.

High-quality tiles for an apron for the kitchen are not only practical, but also aesthetic in nature, I allow you to create individual design cozy and comfortable home.

Kitchen apron - the main detail of your favorite kitchen

The main function of the apron is to protect the walls from steam, dirt, grease, hot steam and other contaminants. In most cases, the apron occupies the surface of the entire wall of the working area, however, in some cases, the zoning method is used - the tiles are laid only in the zone kitchen stove and sinks.
The height of the apron depends on several factors:

plate type;
your height;
height of kitchen cabinets.

If you decide to hang the wall cabinets lower, then the apron should also be low. Conversely, the higher you attach the wall cabinets of the kitchen unit, the higher the protective apron should be.

An important role is also played by the distance between the stove and the hood. For houses equipped gas stoves, there are approved norms according to which the distance between hob and kitchen hood must be at least 75 cm.
When calculating the size of the apron, designers recommend taking into account the following rules:

the tile should go a few centimeters under the kitchen cabinets and countertops;
to avoid the ingress of moisture and debris, the joint between the worktop and the wall must be protected decorative skirting board planted on silicone sealant;
do not use porous materials;
the joints between the tiles should be minimal and smooth. The optimal solution is the treatment of joints with special grouts that prevent moisture and dirt accumulation.

Remember, expensive and original tiles for a kitchen apron will make the interior of any kitchen expensive and elegant.

Apron decoration in the kitchen

A backsplash can be a key detail in your kitchen interior. If you decide to focus on this particular detail, choose tiles in contrasting colors, with decorative inserts or panels with bright images. Today, aprons with bright photo prints are very popular, on which you can apply any image you like.

Universal White color kitchen backsplash is ideal for any style and design of the room, but remember that such a tile will require daily maintenance from you. Bright colored inserts and decorative details will help to dilute the white apron. Popular colors today kitchen tiles for the apron are: ivory, champagne, cream and light beige.

Kitchen apron tiles - popular materials

To create a kitchen apron, use:

ceramic tiles;
tiles with photo printing;
mosaic tiles;
plastic tiles;
glass;
metal.

Kitchen apron tile - photo

The advantage of using ceramic tiles to create an apron is ease of installation and flawless appearance over a long period of time. Tile manufacturers offer a wide variety of colors and shades, patterns and decorative details, which will allow everyone to find the option that will fully meet all your requirements. The only drawback is if you decide to change kitchen apron, you will have to make a lot of effort to remove the existing tiles from the wall.

A photo tile for a kitchen apron will be a unique decoration for any kitchen. Such a tile, like ceramic, is not afraid of moisture and dirt, it is quite durable and practical. Remember, these tiles cannot be cleaned with abrasive cleaners.

Mosaic tile- it is always elegant and exclusive. The use of juicy and contrasting colors will help to make the interior of the kitchen bright and memorable. As for the shortcomings, the main thing is the fact that laying such material requires a lot of time, great accuracy and experience. Weak point such an apron is to care for the numerous seams on the tiles; a special epoxy grout will help to solve the problem, which prevents the accumulation of dirt and grease.

Using plastic tiles for a kitchen backsplash a profitable option for those who decided to make a kitchen renovation with their own hands and prefer economy options. Installation of such a tile takes little time, and its maintenance is quite simple and does not take much time. The only drawback is that the material may lose its original appearance over time.

Tile remains the most popular material for an apron in the kitchen, despite the appearance of a variety of skins, MDF and plastic panels... This is due to its characteristics: ceramic surface easy to clean, not afraid of water and hot temperatures, grease resistant and durable. Stores now sell hundreds and thousands of tile options that vary in size, surface and design. In this article, we'll take a look at which backsplash kitchen tiles are best.

Ceramic tiles with a chemical resistance class AA (usually written on the box) according to EN 122 are suitable for the apron. This means that its glaze, after contact with fat, detergents and other chemistry will not have any visual surface changes. If it is class A, the glaze will have slight changes on the surface.

Fast navigation through the article

Traditional version - 10x10

Since Soviet times, Russia has popular tile for an apron of small sizes - 10x10 cm. They like to combine it with some kind of decor made of fruits or flowers. The decor is most often convex, so additional problems are created when washing the apron.

Since the recommended height between the worktop and the wall cabinet is 60 cm, with the help of six rows of 10 * 10 cm tiles, it is easy to get the required height without undercutting and excess (in fact, they have sides 9.4-9.7 cm, so that there is a margin for seams ). You will not puzzle over how to shift the layout so that the drawing fits correctly over the entire area.

By using curbs and skirting boards, you can avoid trimming altogether, but at the expense of a large number elements, the complexity of laying will increase.

The downside is that few of the foreign manufacturers produce 10 * 10 cm tiles, it is considered old-fashioned and has low demand, and the costs of its production are high.

Therefore, everything that can be found in stores now, relatively speaking, can be divided into 3 parts:

Many factories make mosaic tiles 30x30 cm, which are sawn into 10x10 cm pieces. Outwardly, they are very similar, but the mosaics do not have bevels at the edges, they are completely straight.

Tile 25-30 cm wide

If you use 2 horizontal rows of 30 * 60 cm, then you get just the necessary 60 cm between the table top and the cabinets. As a result, you get a minimum of seams, a beautiful surface and fast styling... You can see how it looks live in the photo.

If you decide to choose the option 25 * 60 cm, then in addition 2 are used with them horizontal stripes friezes of 5 cm (borders).

Another format 25 * 20 cm allows you to place it horizontally in 3 rows without friezes, or vertically in 2 rows + 2 friezes.

You can think of a lot of combinations:

The main question is the price, since 1 border can cost as square meter tiles from the same collection.

An important point: do not choose a kitchen tile for an apron dark colors. Everything will be visible on it: fat, water, steam. In addition, if you grout it with a light grout, you will get an excessive contrast, which not everyone likes, and a dark grout will make the design gloomy.

Large tile apron

Another good option is to use tiles in the kitchen for an apron with dimensions of 333 * 600 mm or 316 * 900 mm. With a working height of 60 cm, it is glued vertically in one row, and if you want to hang cabinets at a height of 63-67 cm, then it fits horizontally in 2 rows.

Basically, tiles of this format have a marble-like design, so if you have the same surface of the countertop, it will go well with the apron. Among its main manufacturers are Porcelanosa (Spain) and cheaper Polish counterparts from Tubadzin and Cersanit. Since its thickness is 10 mm, choose a reinforced and moisture resistant tile adhesive.

A hog is called a rectangular ceramic tile that imitates a brick. According to GOST 13996-93, the standard sizes of the boar can be from 120 * 65 to 250 * 100 mm. But there is also non-standard options, for example, size 285 * 85 mm, which simulates the dimensions of a real brick with seams.

During the reign of the Art Nouveau style, the facing of the facades of many buildings was made like a hog.

Mosaic or tiles under it

Mosaic tiles on the kitchen apron will be a beautiful, but expensive solution; it will be cheaper to lay tiles with its imitation. In addition, the fewer seams there are, the easier it will be to wash the surface from dirt.

Standard tiles with decors

If you want to show your creativity as much as possible, then you can take the tiles on the kitchen apron with any standard sizes but decorate it by adding decor. You will have a significant increase in the choice, so you can choose the optimal collection in terms of price / quality. Any tile for the bathroom can be used in the kitchen, the main thing is that it fits well into the design and you like it.

You don't have to worry about trimming, if the format is not suitable for your work area, the excess can be lowered below the table top and then covered with a plinth.

Monocolor option

If your goal is to make kitchen renovations as cheap as possible, then good choice there will be monocolor tiles on the kitchen apron, because you can save most of the costs by abandoning the decor.

A bold solution - an apron made of solid black tiles

You can even buy the remnants of old collections, as they are big discounts, but in this case, you need to provide a good supply of material for pruning and scrap.

Conclusion

After choosing a tile, do not forget to select and good grout for her. It is better to give preference to epoxy grouting. Color - a few tones lighter than a tile.

comments powered by HyperComments

A kitchen apron is a functional interior element designed to protect walls from steam, water, heat, splashes of grease, and other household contaminants, as well as being easy to wash, making cleaning easier. Ceramic tile for the kitchen on the apron - the gold standard, which is preferred and trusted by most housewives. And this is not surprising, because it is durable, resistant to damage, easy to care for, and also has excellent decorative properties. However, modern kitchen design is not limited to classic tiles. For finishing the apron, designers are increasingly using photo tiles, glass or mirror tiles. The risk, of course, is a noble business, but repairs are done not for a month or two, but for years, so experiments with textures and colors should be justified. What to choose in order not to lose either in utilitarianism or in aesthetics?

It occupies a leading position in strength, practicality, durability and ease of maintenance. Despite all its familiarity, tile leaves a wide scope for imagination, allowing you to play with sizes, colors and textures to create not only classic, but also exclusive kitchen aprons. What is the imitation of ceramics for wood, stone, leather or metal! How about a ceramic tile with a spectacular widescreen image or a small repeating photo from your family album? Such tiles will give individuality to any kitchen. Thanks to innovative technologies, images on photo tiles are bright, clear, resistant to moisture, temperature extremes, mechanical and chemical influences, and besides, they do not fade over time. However, no matter how beautiful the tile looks, it should be light and unpretentious in cleaning, so it is better to refuse from too textured tile.

An apron made of light-colored tiles with a non-uniform texture on the work wall looks very elegant, but it will take effort in terms of keeping it clean

Mirror tiles for the kitchen on the apron

Mirror surfaces especially suitable for small kitchens, visually expanding the cramped space. Practicality mirror tiles, unfortunately, it cannot boast: fingerprints, the smallest droplets of fat will be visible at a glance, and when cleaning, you will have to make a lot of effort to get rid of unaesthetic stains. A mirrored apron is not suitable for fans of a kitchen railing - the abundance of reflected objects will create the effect of cluttering and cluttering the space. Having ventured into a daring mirror-ceramic eclecticism, one should take into account the different thicknesses of the mirror (4 mm) and ceramic tiles (8-10 mm). Such styling will require high professionalism from the master and will cost more.

Mirror apron - perfect option for visual expansion of the kitchen space in combination with the right lighting

Glass Tile Apron

Glass tiles are tempered glass with a background or pattern on the back. Since only the front glass side of the tile will be exposed to external influences, the pattern will always remain complete, never fade or rub off. The glass can be easily washed from grease, and the background hides minor dirt and smudges. Glass tiles for kitchen apron can be glossy, matte, transparent, smooth or corrugated, imitate marble, ice, granite, silver and other materials. If you wish, you can even find tiles with unique holographic effects. Not surprisingly, it is increasingly being used in modern design interiors.

Glass tiles are becoming more and more popular as a backsplash material.

The subtleties of choosing and laying tiles on the apron

For a kitchen apron, it is better to choose not a rectangular one, but square tiles 10x10 or 20x20 cm in size. It looks more aesthetically pleasing, but its installation will require more skill and will cost an order of magnitude more.

It is advisable that the borders of the apron exactly coincide with the borders of the furniture, but this is not so easy to do, especially since the tiles are laid before installation, or even before the purchase of furniture. Considering standard height floor and hanging cabinets, it will not be difficult to calculate the height and area of laying the tiles, but it is still better to lay it so that the tiles go slightly under the cabinets from above and below. If the kitchen set you have chosen is designed within standard frames, the apron height should be 60 cm, and it should start at a height of 85 cm from the floor.

The part of the wall above the stove, reserved for the installation of the hood, is tiled up to the upper borders of the wall cabinets. The upper cabinets are generally produced with a height of 60 or 90 cm, respectively, the height of the apron should be 120 or 150 cm. In this case, the stacking width in this area should go slightly beyond the side cabinets. With a standard hood width of 60 cm, the cladding area will be about 70 cm - 5 cm of margin on both sides.

The required number of tiles is calculated based on the size of the apron, and with a small margin - about 10% of the total. The number of elements largely depends on the chosen installation method. So, the diagonal placement of tiles is considered the most consumable. Laying vertically and horizontally is more economical.

The choice of tiles with a smooth matte or glossy surface without a relief in which dirt can accumulate will help to simplify the maintenance of the apron as much as possible.

For the treatment of tile joints, it is better to choose a moisture-resistant grout with special anti-mold and antifungal additives. After installation, the seams can be additionally treated with a protective varnish to create a monolithic and easy-care surface.

Photo examples of tiled design of kitchen aprons

A tile panel on an appropriate background will harmoniously fit into the interior of a kitchen decorated in one of the European styles

With correctly set lighting, dark tiles on the work wall look unusual and stylish

Designers offer many ways to install tiles on a work wall to enhance the decorative effect.

Discreet tiles gray looks appropriate in this modern interior in harmony with the rest of the environment

For classic cuisine an apron made of pastel-colored tiles with discreet and small inserts is best suited

Unusual way styling and bright color the tiles turn the backsplash into an important element of the decor of this kitchen

Light-colored tiles in the kitchen always look good, but you will have to put in more effort to keep them clean.

The colors and shades of the surface of this working wall will constantly change and shimmer, largely due to the well-placed lighting

Bright inserts on the white wall noticeably enliven the interior, giving it lightness and playfulness

Classic kitchen apron without frills - the severity of shape and color

Main functions:

Protective. The tile protects the wall from exposure to hot temperatures, dirt, water, detergents;
Facilitating cleaning... It is easy to look after the tiles for the kitchen - it is easy to clean without streaks;
Decorative. Correctly matched in color, size, style to a kitchen set, well-laid with your own hands or by a craftsman, a kitchen apron made of tiles pleases the eye, makes you want to spend time at the table.

Kitchen tile for apron

Ceramic

Pros :

Durability. When correct styling will last longer than a kitchen set;
Strength. Forgive their owners for careless handling. The tile will not crack from high temperature and mechanical stress;
Diversity. You can choose colors, textures, panels for a very long time. But the tile allows you to combine colors and shapes, creating an individual style;
Easy to care for. Not afraid of aggressive detergents.

Minuses :

The complexity of styling. Wall panels, for example, from MDF, chipboard is easily assembled by hand. Placing tiles evenly requires a lot of labor and skills;
The cost of styling. Craftsmen take a lot of money for their work. When calculating the cost of ceramic tiles, add the same amount to work and expendable materials(glue, primer, grout, spatulas ...);
Preparing the walls. Also requires effort and smooth walls otherwise, after a while, ceramic tiles will turn from decor into a problem;
The complexity of the repair. If you want to change the decoration of the walls, removing the tiles is laborious.

Bright kitchen backsplash made of ceramic tiles. Combination with photo tiles.

Ceramic tiles for the kitchen must be glazed - then dirt can be easily removed. The complex texture looks richer, but the functionality is lost. Cleaning becomes time consuming.

Photo tile

Pros :

Original, extravagant design. Your printed kitchen apron will look very unusual;
Saturated colors of tiles, unavailable when choosing a different decor;
Individuality. You can order a photo of your house, family, animals, nature, sea, sky.

Minuses :

Preparation of walls, laying - you will face difficulties when working with your own hands or with the high cost of the services of a master. Don't forget about Additional materials;
Maintenance is more difficult than a ceramic kitchen apron. Not resistant to some strong cleaning agents and harsh sponges. Ideal for photo tiles - water, soap and a soft cloth;
The risk that over time the image on the tile will become covered with a net of cracks, will fade.

A factory-printed kitchen apron will last longer than a custom printed photo.

Mosaic

Pros :

Design options. You can arrange more than five colors - the apron will organically fit into the interior;
Solves the problem of curved surfaces (not to be confused with uneven walls). Kitchen tiles can be used to align lines.

Minuses :

Price. A mosaic apron is more expensive than a tiled one. The cost of laying work and additional materials is also high;
Numerous seams, especially from light grout, will absorb water and grease over time and will look ugly.

Choose a quality epoxy grout to ensure that joints with tiles looked good.

How to choose the right tile for finishing an apron

When choosing a kitchen tile, you should focus on the size of the kitchen itself, the color of the kitchen set and walls.

Stage 1. Size of the kitchen, backsplash and tiles

You can trim part of the wall - above the slab and. Then the apron will protect from grease, steam, water, and less materials will be consumed. If you want to completely close the space between the workplace and the upper cabinets, add a panel or order a digital print - mark the whole composition on the apron.

The size of the tiles themselves is important. In a small kitchen, it is impractical to choose large squares. It should be in harmony with the area of the kitchen, headset. Small 10 by 10 squares or 7 by 10 bricks will work well.

Dimensions (edit) mosaic tiles: optimal - 2.5 by 2.5, at the same time the most expensive option. To save money, you can use ceramic tiles with a mosaic pattern, but the apron will look different.

It is inappropriate to use squares, rectangles with one side of more than 20 cm for finishing the apron. The apron itself is rarely taller than 60 cm, so three large slabs placed in a confined space will lose all decorative effect. And if one of them has to be cut, the material will be spoiled.

Stage 2. Kitchen apron made of tiles - color and tone

White

– universal choice, fits almost any headset. However, easily soiled, if the tile is glossy, stains are possible when wiping.

Choosing white, you can easily dilute it with both individual tiles with drawings and whole images.

Beige and cream range (peach, pinkish, cream, light brown, yellowish)

Matches dark-colored cabinets as a contrast. Such a tile apron goes well with similar tones in kitchen set... Suitable as a base for a panel.

Vibrant color palettes

You can focus on one bright color, combining it with a similar element in the kitchen - a countertop, a vase, front panels on furniture. A multi-color mosaic will look especially beautiful on a small section of a wall framed with white (cream) tiles.

Stage 3. Quality

When viewing tile samples in the showroom, pay attention to the markings. The packaging must be marked with an “A” or “AA”. Demand to form an order from one batch - the tiles for the kitchen on the apron should not differ in tone.

To avoid having to re-order the missing number of tiles, carefully measure the wall. Please note that the apron should go a couple of centimeters under the cabinets from above and below. Invest in skirting boards and corners - the kitchen will look neat.

Manufacturers usually exhibit many samples to assess the quality of the tiles on the backsplash. Best reviews(and high prices) from Polish, Spanish, Italian suppliers. More economical options ceramic tiles for the kitchen with decent quality can be selected from domestic firms. If the budget is limited, omniscient Chinese manufacturers will come to the rescue.

When accepting the goods, open all packages completely - check for chips in the corners of the tile, cracks, roughness.

Step 4. Determination of the quantity

Also think about how you will do the styling. The options are:

In the classical way (one under the second);
With a shift;
Diagonally;
Staggered;
Chaotic;
By forming a pattern, thereby.

Laying tiles diagonally on a kitchen backsplash. The size of the tiles is 10 by 10 cm.

When classic version laying tiles in the calculation field, throw one or two packages on top. If you are planning a complex placement - 3-4 packages.

Summing up

Ideal tiles for the kitchen on the backsplash - small size, smooth, not textured. One tone, size. When planning a budget for the purchase of apron tiles, add the costs of preparing the walls, additional materials for laying, and the services of a master.

Most of the time we spend in the kitchen is in the work area. To make the surfaces in it serve as long as possible, we recommend laying them with tiles for the kitchen on an apron. It is the classic and most reliable material for wall decoration where they are often or constantly exposed to moisture. Today, the purchase of such ceramics is also possible in our online store, which recently expanded its portfolio with a variety of collections from both domestic and foreign manufacturers.

Moreover, the price of tile products presented in the Plumbing-Online catalog largely depends on the country of manufacture of the goods. So, for example, a tile for an apron from Russia will cost you no more than 500-800 rubles per square meter. And European brands (for example, Italian or German) you can buy 1.5-2 times more expensive than Russian counterparts... In other words, if you are looking for inexpensive option to decorate your interior, then consider products from Uralkeramika or Belarusian Ceramine. They have the most cheap option costs only 500 rubles per square meter.

You should also pay attention to the following characteristics:

Color - the choice of color performance depends entirely on the style. For example, for classic design give preference to white, burgundy and beige models with gold, pearl decors. For hi-tech and loft, you can look for black tiles;
Surface - ceramic finishing material there are glossy and matte.