Backsplash for rangetop that gets hot and messy

[speed51133]

I have a wolf rangetop with a charbroiler. See below for a STOCK image.

Right now I have a sheet of stainless steel as the backsplash. I would like to do a tile backsplash. I can tell you that with the steel sheet, it gets splattered with everything from grease, sauces, etc. Grilling really makes a mess and I cook often. Also it gets hot. The steel sheet behind the charbroiler gets too hot to hold your hand on it.

What are best practices for tile and grout here? I was thinking of epoxy grout so it doesn't absorb grease, but would the heat be ok for it? As to tile, I would probably want a glazed porcelain, right?/?

SPECTRALOCK states not to use it with high food concentrations, but do they mean like a countertop for food safety? What exactly is "high temperatures"? Like a brick oven hot, or what?:
Not for use in areas subjected to harsh chemicals, or areas
exposed to aggressive cleaning regimens (e.g. steam cleaning).
Not for use on floor and base areas in veterinary clinics,
kennels, or in applications exposed to high concentrations of
food and mineral acids or areas exposed to high temperatures.

[Houston Remodeler]

For those reading along....

Flat stainless steel would be a nightmare to keep looking clean. You'll see very mark and the following attempts to clean. This is why many stainless backsplashes have a patterned surface.

Forget about natural stone as its a really bad idea. The grease will show and be next to impossible to remove.

Grouts - differing grouts have different temperature limits. You'll have to read each manufacturer's limitations, and those can change over time as they make changes to their formulations.

Unless you are getting fires on the walls I'd go with Flexcolor or another acrylic based grout as they never need sealing and can always be cleaned back to its original color.

A solid piece of porcelain would solve those problems though....

[speed51133]

so like a solid porcelain slab for directly behind the rangetop and tile to the sides?
https://www.msisurfaces.com/porcelai...pietra-grigio/ something like this???

[Houston Remodeler]

You can get those down to 3mm depending on the supplier you choose.

Many tile shops have regular thickness tiles 48x48 these days

[Fast eddie part deux]

Google Daltile One Quartz Surface. Comes in sizes up to about 6x11 ft

[Carbidetooth]

Hold on a second. If I'm getting this right, what's created by your Wolf is a hot mess? Somehow I didn't envision a cooktop creating such. This will change my mental image of same forever, methinks.

[speed51133]

If you cook, and enjoy cooking, you will make a mess

[Carbidetooth]

My attempt at humor. "Hot Mess" in the current vernacular.

Not a commentary on your cooking...

[cx]

Well, I missed it, too, Peter. Had to look up the term. Maybe when I'm younger I'll understand.

[PC7060]

How are those sheets attached (besides very carefully)? Large format thinset?
What’s the weight per sft?

[Fast eddie part deux]

Weight could be an issue, but you could screw a cleat to the wall behind and below the cooktop to provide support. Something as simple as a full width aluminum angle screwed to the studs, with a 1/4" or 3/8" horizontal leg.

[cx]

Ed, support wouldn't be an issue at all with the Thin Porcelain Panels being recommended if properly bonded. Relatively lightweight for their facial dimension.

[Fast eddie part deux]

CX ... i agree, but i was responding with an option if the installer wanted a belt and suspenders option.

[cx]

With that thinking, Ed, we couldn't comfortably install ceramic tile on a wall in any application. A properly bonded tile doesn't need any additional support.

[PC7060]

We are putting a big a$$ range in the kitchen of the new addition and the boss lady said no way to stainless behind it. She seemed more favorably inclined to the porcelain sheet and I like the easily cleaned aspect.

Can you get the stuff cut to size?