I have no idea about glass backsplashes but I recently replaced all the 'regular' outlets in my backsplash with Decora outlets and switches. Both outlets fit in standard electrical boxes. A 2 x 4" opening should be all that is needed. I'm not sure why an extra 1/2" is needed for a decroa outlet. It would be really helpful to post a picture. From GW Album This is a picturre of a new Decora outlet in the same box as the old round outlet. Note that the tabs on the outlet extend past the box. This is to be brought in front of the backsplash material so it fits flush with the backslash. When you tighten the outlet down into the box it does put some stress on the backsplash material. Normall this is dry wall and it doesn't matter. If this is glass it could cause a stress point. This may be the reason to cut the opening an extra 1/2" but then this would be no different for decora or round outlets. Did the glass fabricator cut the openings with square corners or did the radius the corners? Did the glass break at this corner? A square corner concentrates the stress at the corner. This is the most likely place to form cracks. A raduis corner spreads the stress around the radius and can take much more stress. It could be that a square cut corner was looking for a reason to break. An over-tightened outlet could have provided the additional force needed to make that corner crack. Pictures would help.

I have back painted glass in my kitchen and I could not be happier. How I ended up with the glass is a long story. back in '93 i had mirrored back splashes installed because the kitchen was so dark and I wanted to bounce around what ever light there was. loved them. in an effort to update my kitchen myself (painted cabinets, put in butcher block counter tops refinished myself etc) i was very perplexed as to how to update the backsplash. making an even longer story somewhat shorter I removed the mirrors (somehow they all came off in one piece) stripped them down (took a week) and painted them and reglued them. now i know no one is that insane but i seriously do not know why more people don't do this with clear glass. it is gorgeous! no one can believe how they look. and to clean them is a dream. As mentioned above cutting the holes for electric is exspensive. I think my guy said $35 per hole. And above the range would be an extra piece of glass but your hood would cover that seam or what if you put a seam on either side of cooktop and run the glass up higher there? any way good luck. if you decide to go this route you will love it. and as far as getting tired of the color its no different than picking tiles you can easily tire of. just saying.

You really want to use a glass company that uses the patented glass paint that's specifically designed for this purpose by the company that invented the back-painted glass backsplash in the first place. It's more expensive than just spraying BM or SW paints on the back of tempered glass, but totally worth it. The use of the correct glass paint will insure 100% opaqueness, so that the silicone blobs (used to adhere the glass to the wall) and the wall surface itself won't show through. I've seen a bad installation like that and it was really ugly. Total tear out imho. Didn't see Stan Z's comment above: yes Glasskote and US Color Glass are glass bs specialty companies.

I just had a customer ask me about it. She wanted to use a 3x10 glass tile in a brick joint to do a shower for her daughter. my first question was how fastideous was she about cleaning? Because with the bright gloss of the clear glass, it's going to show off each and every water drop left behind. For a deco band, it's not bad to take care of. But for a whole shower? Only if you're planning on hiring a cleaning service. and even then, it will have to be a well paid cleaning service!