The latest trend in interior design, high gloss kitchen backsplashes are a colorful and modern alternative to glass backsplashes offering a flawless and durable finish.
The high gloss is created by a layer of clear acrylic that is coextruded over a layer of colored acrylic. The remarkable light admission of clear acrylic allows color to show through, resulting in a vibrancy and depth of color not seen in other acrylic sheets.
Acrylic Plexiglas Hi-Gloss can be mounted as a backsplash around the kitchen, behind sinks and work surfaces, but should not be used behind a cooktop or other heat source. Exposure to high temperatures can warp acrylic over time, so if high gloss is to be installed behind a cooktop, a heat-shielding material, such as tempered glass, should also be used to protect the acrylic.
High gloss acrylic sheets are attached to a wall or support structure with heavy duty double sided tape along with crosslinking silicone to ensure a long lasting flawless finish without distortion on the sheet surface. However, before installing the sheet, a number of preparations must be made for both the sheet and the substrate to ensure that the dashboard looks its best.
Tip: The high gloss acrylic sheet will be delivered with a protective film on the surface to protect it from scratches and marks. Do not remove this film until the foil is installed!
You may want to drill and cut the acrylic sheet before installing it to make holes for plugs, pipes, or other wall features that will disrupt your dashboard. To do this, great care must be taken to prevent the blade from cracking or breaking, so it is recommended that only pre-ground twist drills that are designed for use with acrylic sheets be used. When drilling the sheet, the bit should be placed slowly and pushed carefully. Reduce the feed rate as the bit reaches the other side to avoid chipping the colored coat, and it may be beneficial to use a piece of wood as a backing material. To cool the acrylic, simply apply tap water to the area that has been pierced.
To cut the blade, a high-speed, non-vibrating machine should be used to achieve the cleanest cut edges which can then be polished to restore the high gloss. Hand and table circular saws can be used, but they should only protrude slightly past the surface of the blade to minimize vibration and movement. Jigsaws are also suitable for cutting high gloss acrylic sheet and cut plastic efficiently and neatly if only straight tooth blades are used and care is taken to place the shoe firmly on the protective film. This will protect the acrylic from unwanted chipping, preserving the edge for the most professional dash finish. Again, tap water can be used to cool the acrylic after cutting.
Suggestion: Measure twice, cut once!
Once your colorful high gloss acrylic sheet has been shaped to suit your kitchen, you may want to finish the edges and restore that crystal shine to your dash. This is particularly important where the edge can be visible and will give the dashboard an almost glass effect and the high transparency of the plastic will allow the colored layer to show through.
To smooth and polish the edges of high gloss acrylic, it must first be wet sanded in three stages with three grades of sandpaper:
• First, 80-240 grit coarse sandpaper
• Next, sandpaper 400 grit medium
• And finally, fine sandpaper 600-1000 grit
Once the sanding process has been completed and rough edges of the plastic caused by sawing or cutting have been smoothed out, the shine of the acrylic can be restored with the use of a polishing wax, paste, or even a commercially available car polish. Many suppliers of trimmed plastic sheeting will recommend a brand of polishing wax or paste, and this product will come in handy later as a means of removing scratches from the plastic surface that can suffer from years of use. To finish the edges, apply the polishing product and polish with a soft material. A buffing wheel will provide extremely satisfactory results for edge finishing.
Tip: Hidden edges can be finished by simply deburring with a scraper or file.
Once the sheet is completely prepared, it is time to prepare the wall or substrate to install the high-gloss backsplash. High gloss acrylic sheets can be installed on a variety of surfaces, including:
• Waterproof gypsum board for walls
• Moisture resistant coated particle board
• Coated MDF
• Mirror tiles installed firmly
• Stone or concrete coated with latex paint
• And many more
The key requirements of a suitable substrate for a high gloss acrylic kitchen backsplash are that it be waterproof, flat and uniform in profile, and free of loose material. Substrate preparation is a key part of installing a dashboard, and the better the substrate, the better the acrylic surface will look once installed. All walls and substrates must be clean, flat, dry, free of grease and dust, solid and resistant.
Once the plate and wall have been properly prepared and finished, the dashboard is ready for installation. Here we will discuss the recommended method for permanently installing high gloss acrylic on the wall, such as in a kitchen as a backsplash.
Tip: Before final installation, do a few “dry runs” to make sure the sheet is cut properly and the substrate is properly prepared. Once united there is no going back!
Before applying the bonding materials to the wall, clean the back of the acrylic sheet with isopropyl alcohol or petroleum ether, this will remove any traces of dust or grease that could undermine the adhesive. Then we are ready to apply the adhesive to the substrate. I would recommend 19mm double sided mirror tape and cross-linked silicone strips placed between the tape. The silicone beads should be 3-4mm in height, and the tape and silicone strips should be evenly distributed with enough space to prevent the silicone from coming into contact with the tape once it is spread.
Once you think the sheet is ready to hang on the wall, position it at a 45o angle before straightening it against the wall and pressing it down firmly and evenly. Using a spirit level helps improve spread uniformity, making the silicone evenly distributed and the acrylic surface absolutely flat. When you are satisfied that the sheet is firmly attached to the wall, let it sit for twenty-four hours.
Once the silicone has set, finish off the edges and attach the dash with a waterproof silicone seal and remove the masking film from the surface. After allowing the stamps to dry for an additional twenty-four hours, the dashboard is finished and ready to enjoy!
Tip: Do not remove the protective film until you have finished working in your kitchen!
Once installed, many years of flawless performance can be expected from a high gloss acrylic kitchen backsplash, but care must be taken to protect the surface of the sheet nonetheless.
Acrylic is a fantastic and hygienic material for use in food preparation areas and it is very easily maintained. All that is needed to remove dirt from the surface of the high-gloss acrylic is a soft cloth, a little detergent, and a little warm water. The warm water softens the deposits while the soap creates a lubricating layer that protects the plastic from damage. Once cleaned with a soft cloth, the acrylic will be restored to its best condition.
No need to use scouring pads, abrasive cleaners, or harsh chemicals when cleaning high-gloss acrylic. Using any of these methods is very likely to scratch and damage the acrylic surface, leaving it susceptible to bacteria and mold growth, and causing rapid deterioration of the high gloss.
Inevitably, with years of use, your high-gloss kitchen backsplash is likely to get scratched. Fortunately, removing scratches from the acrylic surface is easy and keeping a dashboard in ‘like new’ condition is simple. Small scratches and marks from the hairline can be removed with the use of a polishing paste or wax. If you used such a product to finish the edges of the sheet before installation, you can use it to polish off fine scratches on the sheet. Simply use the same technique used to polish the edges of the blade with a soft cloth and very carefully.
If the scratches are larger, for example, if they can be felt by lightly running a fingernail over them, use 600-1000 grit fine sandpaper to smooth the scratch and then buff with the polishing product. With proper care and gentle cleaning methods, there is no reason why a plastic cooktop should not provide years of pristine high gloss and a modern finish to your kitchen.
Tip: Regular cleaning with warm water, a little soap, and a soft cloth will keep your acrylic kitchen plate at its best.
High gloss acrylic is available in a number of color options to suit all interior design tastes and kitchen styles, from custom cut plastic suppliers. Many high gloss acrylic dealers offer to drill, cut, and polish the edges of the sheet so that you can deliver it ready for installation. Installing a high gloss acrylic kitchen backsplash is a fantastic way to modernize an interior and introduce an amazing color scheme and as we’ve seen they are very easy to install and maintain.
Hope you found this little handy guide helpful!
