Wow! Found this discussion a year after it was going on and it was very helpful! We're remodeling our kitchen now, it is small (8 X 10), I'm getting new cabs in "cinnamon spice", and a granite counter top that is a speckling of browns, tans, gold-ish colors with black specks (I have no idea what the call it). I have an exposed cement :( chimney stack that we have decided to tile over with sheets of 2 X 2 tumbled white/off white marble. I was really not sure on back splash and we were thinking tile - but I thought of bead board last night and think it will go really well if painted the "off white/pumpkin" Laura Ashley color I found.

I love the "country" look of using beadboard as a backsplash, and have been researching it online for a while. I just am not sure which product would be best to use, and if it would be okay to use it behind the stove. My stove is an electric slide-in type- with the control panel on the back. There is only 16 inches between the top of that panel and the bottom of my range hood, so I really think that beadboard would be okay...? My main concern with using wood or mdf beadboard is the shrinking/expanding that I have read about-- causing cracks in the seams where the individual panels meet, but is that *really* an issue indoors, where the temperatures don't have extreme changes... ? One other worry for me is behind the sink, which does get occasional water splashes... I have been looking at the PVC beadboard-- looks like it would be very easy to install, but again, I'm not sure about the contraction/expansion issue.... and I am not sure if it will look too "plastic-y"... Any thoughts on these issues from anyone?

Agree that the seam should not have a gap in it. This can happen when not enough glue is on edges or mismatching. Make sure when you are laying on the paper that you push outward on the seams for the glue to gather there. Wallpaper is usually a bit stretchable and the seams can be set together without being seen. Wallpapering such a small vertical area would be easy to try with a roll, take note of the process, results, etc.. And easy to remove if it looked too fake...oops...faux. Also, as said, wallpaper in past was sold in double rolls and the sq. ft. is listed for coverage, not linear ft. I can't remember if the coverage is noted depending upon a pattern repeat or not. With beadboard there would not be a pattern repeat. The only issue with this paper is what Lov mentioned. The paper is a raised foam material, laying down and rubbing horizontal could show after the fact. Am wondering though if it bounces back to original pattern. There are many textures offered in this foam product and haven't heard of anyone having problems with it. Or if the wallpapering process is the same as for smooth. I think the paper also needs wood trim wherever it stops for a nice finish. Even where the wallpaper and counter meet. You wouldn't have to worry about a perfect cut, let the trim cover it. Plus a thin line of caulk to seal bottom and top. Specifically if used near water. On the blog I noticed they had not painted the undersides of the cupboards. Would be interested in hearing from those using this if it is the same wallpaper process...I always used a damp towel to go over for good attachment and smooth finish. With a flat plastic edger on the seams to push glue for better adhesion. The resilience for long term use....Will it retain shape if cleaned off in the future too. As much as I like beadboard, there is an ongoing need to keep clean in the crevices. And how workable the glue is. And how to finish the underside of cabinets. For a backsplash I feel staying with wood is a better option. Ceilings wouldn't have the water exposure, furniture and walls less abuse. Although I did get a fleeting idea of doing the side of my fridge to match the wood wall finish. Easy to remove if it looked stupid.

Safe? Yes, as long as you are not using a regular plain slide-in kind of range. Note the 4" riser/vent at the back of Pirula's range. Any range that has at least a 4" high backsplash on it can go directly against the wall and will be fine from a code and safety standpoint. With your cooktop, it will be a little different. Some makers (such as Blue Star) require 6" of horizontal clearance for their units, but Miele is designed to require less. So, as long as you maintain the requisite 2.75" clearance for the Miele, there will not be a safety issue. Beyond that, I'm very much with akchicago on cleaning the thing. I speak from experience. A couple of decades ago, I had an old-house kitchen with beadboard backsplash. I'm a messy cook. I found it hard to maintain the beadboard without frequent touch-up on the paint. I never found a paint that was tough enough to hold up for any length of time. If you really like the look of the beadboard, I suppose you could consider overlaying it with a clear tempered glass panel. That would allow the beadboard pattern to show through and would be much easier to clean. (I've done something like this behind my stove in my current house, although my wall is just plain painted drywall, The tempered glass panel was inexpensive. The most expensive part was having holes drilled in the glass for the mounting screws.). This post was edited by JWVideo on Thu, Jan 22, 15 at 18:02