When renovating your kitchen or building a new home, you want to give thought to all the materials you'll use, including that for the kitchen splashback. This part of the kitchen needs to be easy to clean and maintain, and it also is more visible than you might imagine, even if your splashback will only extend a certain distance over the oven or sink. While you have many materials from which to choose, note some reasons why glass may be the best choice for your kitchen.

1. Ease of cleanup

Any material that is porous, such as varieties of natural stone, may be difficult to clean as food splatter and grease will typically make their way into those tiny cracks and crevices of the material. You may then scrub and scrub but still find that your kitchen splashback looks dull and dirty. A glass splashback is smooth and non-porous and therefore very easy to clean.

2. Variety of styles

If you want to give your kitchen a bit of style and personality, one of the easiest ways to do this is with a glass splashback that is dyed a certain colour. You might opt for a bold red for a retro look, or choose a sage green for something more natural. Slate grey or soft blue can add colour to a modern kitchen without detracting from the look of the countertop or appliances.

Note too that the size of the glass blocks will also affect the look. Small glass squares can fill up a large space whereas very large glass blocks will seem clean, simple and very modern. These looks are difficult to achieve with steel, stone and other such materials.

3. Ease of replacement and repair

If you happen to crack one glass tile on your splashback, a glazier may be able to easily repair that chip or replace just that one tile. If you crack a large stone tile on a splashback, repair may be impossible and replacement may be very costly. For less maintenance costs down the road, opt for glass.

4. Light reflection

Glass bounces around light in any space, so a glass splashback can make a small and dark kitchen seem larger and brighter. Even if you have the glass tinted or coloured, the reflective surface should help your kitchen feel bigger. Stone or any similar material will simply absorb light rather than reflect it.