Kitchen wall covering buying guide

The kitchen is often the most used room in the home and is also responsible for the most moisture production. In fact, kitchens are constantly exposed to threats like water splashing, cooking fumes and steam and it's important to keep this in mind when decorating your walls. Of course some walls will be more exposed than others and this must be taken into account when choosing a wall covering.

When it comes down to it, most materials can be used in the kitchen as long as you choose the most hardwearing version possible. It is absolutely essential to purchase products designed specifically for kitchen use. For instance, you can wallpaper a kitchen provided you choose a paper designed to withstand moisture. If you are thinking about cladding or panelling, PVC will be the best option as it is both watertight and easy to clean.

Tiling is the most practical option for kitchens. It is hardwearing, waterproof, very easy to clean and hard to damage.

Wall tiles

Wall tiles are hugely popular in kitchens and will usually be the recommended option, especially for use above kitchen sinks and hobs.

Tiles can cope well with the types of conditions you'd expect in the kitchen. Water won't leave a trace, marks are easy to clean up with a sponge and you can even rub tiles fairly hard without damaging the surface. While tiling a wall does require some skill, any good DIYer with the right tiling tools and adhesive should manage. Wall tiles come in all formats from the smallest 20x20cm tiles right up to 60x60cm tiles for larger surfaces. You can even match your wall tiles to your floor tiles if you like. Rectangular tiles offer an on-trend option and a range of sizes.

When it comes to finish, there are endless options out there from concrete, slate, marble and wood effects to flashy colours and graphic patterns. Whether you're after a matt or glossy finish, tiles offer the most diverse range of designs for the kitchen.

It's worth noting that mosaic tiles are also an option, but tend to be priced by surface area and will end up costing more.

Timber cladding can absolutely be used to finish kitchen walls. However, be careful around water sources as wood is not able to handle repeated splashing even if it's coated with a special paint.

One solution is to cover one wall in cladding and paint the rest of the walls. Alternatively you can cover all your walls in wood panelling except the areas that will be subject to moisture. Another idea is to opt for PVC cladding with a faux wood effect designed specifically for kitchen use.

This type of cladding works even better for kitchen use thanks to its waterproof properties. Cladding is sold in packs (usually measured in square metres) and is designed to be secured to battens. It's up to you whether you want to fit the boards horizontally or vertically on the wall.

Self-adhesive splashbacks

These days, it's fairly common to come across self-adhesive vinyl rolls specially designed to form splashbacks over sinks or hobs.

Simply peel off the backing and stick the vinyl directly to your surface taking care to smooth out any air bubbles. A huge range of designs is available to give your kitchens fresh new look.

Vinyl wallpaper for kitchens

There's nothing to stop you hanging wallpaper all around the kitchen. In fact, most manufacturers have come up with entire collections of wallpaper with the correct properties for kitchen use. But be careful to choose a moisture-resistant wallpaper.

This type of wallpaper is usually vinyl-based which makes it waterproof and able to stand up to various kitchen hazards. Like tiles, this wall covering can be very easy to clean and in terms of design, anything is possible! Whether you plan to wallpaper the whole room, use a few strips of wallpaper or cover just part of a wall, you can really let your imagination run wild!

Why not create a graphic wall covered with psychedelic patterns or what about designing an optical illusion with a faux brick wall? In short, modern printing techniques have made any design possible. If you're looking for a block colour, there's a shade for every kitchen from the most classic tones to the flashiest hues.

Please note that if you are wallpapering a kitchen, the room needs to be properly ventilated to prevent the wallpaper from peeling prematurely through exposure to water or steam. Wallpaper is fairly straightforward to hang and you don't need to set aside a big budget for tools. However, things do get trickier if you pick a paper with pattern matches in which case you need to be meticulous to ensure you end up with a seamless result.