When designing our new kitchen I looked at so many backsplash options from traditional subway tile to mosaic tiles to Zia Square Zellige backsplash tiles but ultimately fell in love with the look of a continuous slab backsplash.
The understated seamless look was exactly what I wanted! So I got to researching on cost/materials and convincing my contractor to try this new trend. Turns out… it works beautifully! And, actually, I wouldn’t really call it trendy… it’s timeless! Our quartz backsplash ended up being a real focal point in our kitchen space.
In this blog post I’ll break down how & why we decided on quartz stone material, the pros and cons of a solid slab stone backsplash and a transparent breakdown of costs. Let’s dive in!
Continuous Stone Backsplash Inspiration:
If you need more convincing – check out some of my favorite designer looks for more continuous stone backsplash ideas. It’s amazing to me how well they work in modern kitchens or simply give a classic kitchen a slightly more transitional look.
Images via The Brain & The Brawn, Collective Studio & Prospect Refuge
I really wanted marble, so why did I settle for quartz?
In a perfect world where cost wasn’t an issue and we didn’t actually use and live in our kitchen, I would have chosen marble backsplash and countertops. The veining of marble and the boldness of the natural stone is simply dreamy!
While I love the look of marble, it 1) wasn’t in our price range and 2) didn’t meet our durability needs. (This property might turn into a rental down the road so we had to be cognizant of durability and maintenance requirements of the stone we selected).
Instead, I selected a quartz with a good amount of gray veins to try to get closer to my marble dreams. Quartz is great in that way – It also comes in a variety of colors and veining to fit just about any kitchen design.
Why is quartz such a great countertop material?
Quartz is a fantastic countertop material for so many reasons:
- Non-porous natural stone
- Never needs to be sealed
- Low maintenence
- Scratch resistant
- Heat resistant
- Stain resistant
- Variety of color and veining options
It was important to keep our small kitchen looking light (especially since we weren’t using white cabinets) and open so I knew I wanted a white countertop color.
For our kitchen we went with white quartz countertops from TVS in Calacatta Gold. (The TVS brand is about half the price of Silestone, but a VERY similar look to their Calacatta Gold option).
Can you use quartz countertop as backsplash?
Absolutely! The same non-porous qualities of quartz also make it a backsplash material. It’s wipeable, heat and stain resistant and very durable. By continuing the countertop up through the backsplash we achieved a really sleek look that, by default, became a focal feature in our kitchen.
Are quartz slab backsplashes more expensive than tile?
Not necessarily, assuming you are using middle of the road countertop material and tile. The physical material will be more for slab backsplashes compared to tile material, however the labor cost will be must lower with a continuous slab verses a tedious tile install.
How much did your quartz backsplash cost?
Quartz slab backsplash total = $2,687
compared to
Counter to ceiling tile quote = $2,521
Pros & Cons to Other Stone Backsplashes: granite, quartzite, porcelain vs marble
All of these solid surface backsplash materials will give you the same seamless look and ease of cleaning with no grout lines. But it’s probably best to decide what material best fits your kitchen needs first.
Use Natural Stone has a great break down of the pros and cons of these different natural stone materials.
For example, some stones need to be sealed regularly. The cost of installation and cutting process also differs between stone types. Porcelain, for instance, may be a less expensive, thinner material, but the fabrication and install costs are significantly higher than labor costs of other stones like granite and quartz. The article linked above also discusses durability of the different stones across the board.
Are quartz slab backsplashes durable?
We are about 6 month from our kitchen renovation and I have zero concerns about the durability of our quartz backsplash. Though quartz is known to scorch from direct high temperatures, the stove just below hasn’t posed any issues. It’s still a heat resistant stone and the indirect heat adjacent to the quartz hasn’t discolored it at all.
I predict the high heat, even from a gas stove, would hold up just as well since it’s not in direct contact with the stone. Turns out the surface of the quartz is just as durable in a vertical position as they are horizontal 😉
What are the cons of a quartz backsplash?
Professional installation
Installation will require professional help. These slabs are so heavy I wouldn’t recommend installing them yourself. Good news, if you’re using the same material for your counters, the same guys will install the backsplash for you!
Cutting required
Another con is the cutting required making it more difficult to work around outlets or pot fillers. Luckily, we didn’t have much issue with this since we opted to install countertop outlets verses wall outlets on either side of the range.
If you have wall outlets it will be tricker to work around those – you’ll have to bump out the outlet so it sits flush with the slab (which is 1 3/16 thick). Also – it will pose more opportunity for cutting errors for the countertop guys.
You can see, in the photo below on the left, the countertop guys made a cutting error for the pot filler hole. Instead of reordering the slab, we moved the pot filler plumbing all together which ended up working out better for placement in the end.
How to install quartz backsplash?
This was an easy one for us – a professional installer! The same day the countertop guys installed our white quartz counters, they also installed the solid slab backsplash.
The professional countertop installers used some pretty heavy duty adhesives and braced the stone with a few 2x4s for a day before we moved our stove back into position.
Why I love our quartz backsplash:
Seamless look
The clean, seamless look is one of my favorite features about the continuous stone backsplash. It doesn’t overwhelm the eyes in our small kitchen like a tiled backsplash might. I love how understated and elegant it looks! It’s one of those features that looks much more expensive than it actually was.
Easy to clean
No need to worry about grimy grout lines anymore! This surface is very easy to wipe down with no porous areas or crevices for dirty or grease to build up in.
The best way to properly clean quartz is simply a mild soap, warm water and soft cloth. If you need a little more scrubbing power you can also use the abrasive side of sponge with a little soft scrub soap.
Low maintenance material
If you give your quartz slab backsplash the proper care – which isn’t much – they will hold up beautifully! No sealing required and its chippability score (yes, I made that up) is very low.
Similar price to tiled backsplash
Compared to a full wall of tile behind the stove, it was about the same cost. Material costs a little more, but we saved a lot on labor.
Time efficiency
My contractor fell in love with this approach, because what would take a few days to tile took only about 30 mins to install. So it saved us quite a bit of renovation time!
Installing a white quartz backsplash in our kitchen was one of my best decisions when it comes to the kitchen design. I love the ease of cleaning, the seamless look and most of all the understated boldness in our new transitional kitchen.
If I left anything out to help you decide if a quartz backsplash is right for your kitchen please drop your questions below! Thanks for reading!
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Girl Behind the Blog
I’m Jess, the creator of Oak & Grain. A mid-west girl at heart who now resides in Raleigh, NC. I love finding old things and giving them new purpose by way of refinishing or incorporating unexpected, overlooked thrift store finds in the modern home. I work full-time in medicine and I love dipping into my creative side and in the process, keeping my sanity. Follow me on Instagram and YouTube to see more behind the scenes action.