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using cultured (artificial) stone as backsplash behind range

12 years ago

Has anyone used cultured or artificial stone behind a cooktop or range? I'm thinking of an irregular size stone with an irregular surface. I'm purchasing a GE Cafe range (looks like a slide in) and the appliance store is telling me that the back of this range should be against the wall. If that is true, will using this kind of stone interfere with the distance the range should be from the wall? Am I making a mistake trying to use this type of stone? I'm not sure if it is even safe to use behind a range. Anyone with experience in this matter with installation and safety tips?

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Comments (5)

User
12 years ago
You will need the taller rear trim (13"?) instead of teh island trim. All quartz contains resins that will scorch if too close to a high flame. Yes, it's heat resistant. Heat resistant isn't heat proof and plastic burns.
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wildturkey450
Original Author
12 years ago
I have heard some complaints that the GE Cafe with its vents at the top of the back of the stove can put out some substantial heat when the oven is on. I guess If I go this route, I will have to make sure that this stone can handle this heat. Or use real stone if I could get it to stay on the wall!
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I have rough-face slate behind the rangetop. The only reason I wouldn't do it again is because it was a bear to grout, and it was my first grouting job since a tile project in shop in 7th grade! I sealed it before and after grouting, and don't have any particular trouble...But because my counters are 27" or more deep on each side of the rangetop, the rangetop is also bumped out a few inches. I think this makes a difference on how much splashes make it to the backsplash, so I think the distance, as well as the sealer, may play a part in the ease of cleaning. I know, though, that we've splashed it good with oil a few times, and I wiped it down with water with a bit of dish detergent in it. The sealer I used is from Home Depot. It's called Super Seal: Ultimate Penetrating Sealer. The backsplash has been up and grouted for over a year, and I might have sealed it once since then, but I can't remember for sure. I just looked and the backsplash still looks new to me.
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sskit, I agree with Live Wire, while the concept is not new, hanging large format 2cm stone on a vertical wall should be taken seriously. Any well thought-out stone installer will know to ask the right questions and they will make certain other tradesmen are not left holding the bag after the stone is installed. Just make sure the obvious utilities are accessible and the rough in is complete and most importantly identify who is responsible for each task. Another option for the stone installer is to install mechanical clips around the exhaust opening. ItÃ¯Â¿Â½s another way to help pin the stone to the wall without having to worry about hiding the anchors. Something similar to Hohmann and Barnard #432 would work great (again I am sure your stone installer can also provide alternate options). All the best Caayu
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Yeah --I was afraid lol but calmer now. Glad you told me that, I really was thinking someone else has access... I don't take things like that lightly, very serious when you consider this is a website where you can buy things.... You would still have to enter your purchasing info. Credit card and so on....really nothing to get that upset over when messages on a forum disappear.
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Is it safe to use quartz as a backsplash behind a range?
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This thread has been very informative for me as we are just starting a kitchen reno, so thank you to all contributors. We plan to do a quartz backsplash, including behind a 30" wide residential gas cooktop (not a range or stove). Please bear with me as I continue to explain! I looked at the specs of the cooktop I was planning to order. Based on those specs and assumption the new quartz countertop depth is 25.5" (I know assumptions are risky, but since 25.5" is what we have now and considered standard, I'm going with that for this example), my calculations are: 25.5" (countertop depth) - 21.25" (cooktop depth) - 3" (min distance from rear wall) - 1.875" (min distance from counter front) = -0.625" Which means I'm 5/8" short, and this isn't taking into account the thickness of the quartz backsplash, which I believe should not be included in the 3" from rear wall guideline from the cooktop manufacturer. Sorry if I'm hurting anyone's brain with math today! Just looking for some validation my logic is correct in how I should be calculating. And also curious if my belief the distance from the rear of the cooktop to the front of the quartz backsplash (not wall) should be 3." I plan to look for a different cooktop, hopefully one that is closer to 20" deep and add the backguard just to be safe (thanks to @Elizabeth Alvarez Sell for sharing her backguard photo)!
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Cloud Swift
12 years ago
I'd be concerned that over time grease and splatters will build up on the rough hard to clean surface. I'd rather have something smooth behind a range. The cultured stone often looks really fake to me. I was so glad to get rid of the cultured stone fireplace in our family room.
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dermnp
12 years ago
We just had a new fireplace put in using eldorado cultured stone and we absolutely love it! But I couldn't imagine using it as a backsplash, it would be hard to keep clean. I would encourage you to do something else for a backsplash.
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mmhmmgood
12 years ago
I have just put cultured stone from Eldorado on my fireplace as well and it looks amazing! A huge improvement over what was there previously, and a quick and easy update.

It might be a fairly rustic look in the kitchen (guess it depends on the stone), but if that fits your plans my only thought would be echoing those above in that it would be hard to keep clean. It's not only the irregular/3D shape but also the porosity. A fairly dark sample and/or one with enough variation in the colour would probably hide most stains. Just not sure about grease spots. Maybe you could spray some olive oil on a sample and see how it holds up? And then there's the issue of food residue in a porous surface and the potential for growth of micro-organisms, but unless you're eating off of it (I hope not!) I'm not too sure that's a worry.

I'm not 100% sure but my impression when I was shopping for my fireplace surround is that "cultured stone" is actually concrete? If so, and if we're talking about the same thing (no quartz or resin in my cultured stone), I think it should be OK with the heat from your range. It's around our wood burning fireplace after all, though I haven't had the opportunity to use that fireplace yet. I'm no expert in this stuff, I just know it is heavily marketed to fireplace surrounds.

FWIW I have a 3D tile on the wall behind my cooktop - not nearly the same thickness scale as the stone around my fireplace, but 3D nonetheless. I love it! A little bit more fun than the current subway trend (apologies to subway lovers:)

hth, mmhmm
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