i thought you just painted the wall then put the glass up and voila ...

we looked into it for our shower -- it is very expensive, totally custom, and NOT a DYI project. Not every city has an installer, which is what finally killed it for us: the closest installer was hundreds of miles away, and it would have cost a fortune for them to come and do such a small job.

However, I believe they are pretty easy care once installed -- no grout lines to cleans!

I thought the same as Joan -- clear glass over painted walls. I had actually also heard that it is an inexpensive option, although I haven't yet looked into it. I am thinking about it myself, as a less expensive alternative to tile backsplash, so if anyone has it, I'd appreciate the info as well!

What about plexiglass? It may not be as resistant to heat, scratching ... but it would be easier to install ... Just put wallpaper or paint behind it. This photo is also in my style tray!

While reading Metro Home (this month, actually) I saw that a couple had glass doors in their kitchen cabinets and stressed that for them to be truly safe, they must be heat-treated. I imagine that being even closer than a cabinet, the glass should be heat-treated as well. NOW, that out of the way, I can imagine dozens of solutions to attach the glass to the walls (some more elegant than others); and there is really never an excuse to forgo an inexpensive route and get exactly what you want EVERY TIME.

DOWN WITH PROPRIETARY INSTALLATIONS & DESIGN! (and snoby, overpriced designers)

It is painted wall behind transparent glass. But it's not regular glass, it must be thoughened (tempered). You can have it cut and tempered and you can install it yourself, just be very careful!
Don't know about plexiglass; I'm afraid it's not crystal clear and shiny.

I am pretty sure it has been done on here before (maybe in a home tour?) - it sounded like it wasn't too hard.

Can't remember if they used adhesive to attach the glass or some way of mounting the glass. The painting wasn't the hard part.

An easy way to do it would be to use plexiglass which can be drilled, then use screws with those decorative things which go around the heads - uh, they look like washers, but nicer- can't remember what they are called. Then they look industrial/modern.

btw, I've seen the painted pexi @ ikea, BUT... we all know nobody has ever, EVER cooked messy pasta sauce on the display... because even at the sight of a paper towel it would scratch and even worse, loose its transparency, luster and basically ruin the very reason you wanted to install glass on the first place. It might cost a little more (because pexi isn't cheap, really) but you'll reap all the benefits of 0 grout, easy and even possibly green cleaning for your backsplash.

I was considering this for my kitchen and during my research the company I heard of the most was GlassKote (http://www.glasskoteusa.com/). From my understanding, the glass is color coated, not the wall behind. I believe you can approach local glass companies to see if they can do something like this for you. The GardenWeb home forums are a great resource if you're looking for more detailed answers; more than a few posters have done this in their kitchens and have tips.

It is most certainly painted glass and not a painted wall with glass in front. By painting the glass the color is really smooth and monolithic, which would not be the case with a painted wall. If you want to try the painted wall technique, I would suggest grabbing a piece of frame glass in front of a wall and see how it looks. I think you will find that you get a lot of texture and shadow.

Backpainted glass is a total DIY.

I backpainted a glass tabletop with some leftover wall paint and it completely transformed my dining area...

"I saw that a couple had glass doors in their kitchen cabinets and stressed that for them to be truly safe, they must be heat-treated."

That's what tempered glass is - not a terribly exotic item...

if you want it to look like the picture then it's not a DIY project for sure. in the image it is the back side of tempered glass painted and then attached to the wall - NOT a painted wall with glass attached. i feel that the only option is to hire a pro.

My bf's parents have a glass backsplash in their apartment but only halfway up the wall. It's nice but be sure you seal it well enough so nothing gets stuck in the narrow gap between the wall and the glass.

And yes, it's just a painted wall with clear glass in front.

I work at an architecture firm where we use backpainted glass all the time and I would NOT recommend placing glass over a painted wall. This would cause a completely different effect from the real thing and would loose the sophistication of the look you're trying to achieve. I also wouldn't recommend DIY only because I think it's going to be difficult to create a smooth flat color without any imperfections. If you live in the Bay Area I would recommend checking out Mission Glass, they can help with this sort of project. Good luck!

I actually helped installing one glass backsplash and it was not painted, which I think is better because you could more easily change the wall paint when you're tired of the color.
Other note: you must plan every detail of its shape because you can't cut it again once it's been toughened.

If the back of the glass is what's painted then you just apply the adhesive over that.
I've honestly never seen this, it looks great.

It would SO be DIY. you'd need to make a template w/paper or similar and get a glass shop to source the material for you.

I don't know what glass costs but it would be less prep than tile for sure.

if you're sourcing it from a shop i'd get them to cut it all to shape instead of doing peices.

This doesn't seem too difficult...glass in front of a painted wall. Tempered glass is pretty cheap too, and you could just attach it with some clear silicone at the edges (the stuff they use to assemble fish tanks). It'd actually be quite durable. If you used frosted glass (or just used an etching paste on each tile), you could mask brush strokes on the wall quite easily, with only the color shining through.

I have helped a friend with a DIY project like this. The tempered glass was painted and placed on the wall. We had only one clean rectangular piece and it worked fine. (didn't have to worry about outlet holes or special cuts). For mounting she used a bathroom mirror track and silicone liquid nails (I think - it was in a tube - but didn't take too much note). The image above looks like back painted glass, just like you mentioned. NOT clear glass on a painted wall. That would just not be the same. But I don't think that's what you are going for anyway.

If the cuts are simple, you could DIY this not problem. If there is any oranted holes or cuts you need to make, DEFINITELY get a professional to measure and cut or you could be outta luck if there are errors.

Totally doable.

we did some glass panels and used them as sliding doors for our credenza under the TV.

see it here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82525810@N00/455471568/in/set-72157602940258814/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82525810@N00/455484213/in/set-72157602940258814/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82525810@N00/455484219/in/set-72157602940258814/

the beauty of it is the complete reflection of the glass, easy to clean, no grout lines. To paint the back of the glass, you will need a roller and non glossy paint and lot's of coats. After it dries, you can secure it to the backsplash as regular mirror wall goes... with the special adhesive. Not that difficult.

I hope this helps!

joel

Wow on that credenza, Joel!

I think what makes it is expensive is the cutting, if you have weird corners. It requires special skills.

I'm looking into doing the same thing and have found a mirror and glass store that will fabricate the glass in the right size. As far as I can tell so far it will be pretty easy to paint the back (or the wall - in case I hate the color later) and attach the glass with some epoxy and little wooden ledges around the edges. But I've also considered a much more basic option that I saw on here a while ago - just a piece of glass leaned up against the wall behind the stove.

We have it in the kitchen (I did manage to shatter the glass behind the stove by touching a pot handle to it while it was boiling - we now have stainless steel behind the stove...).

At any rate - big caution - make sure that you seal the crevice between the counter top and the glass really, really well. Our contractor didn't do a great job by the faucet, and now we have a 2"x1/2" stain behind the glass -- no way I know to clean it out. I'll probably need to put some sort of stainless trim to hide it.
Other than that one stain - it looks beautiful.

I don't know why people keep suggesting just glass over a painted wall. It's a completely different look. This is obviously not what you are going for.

I think it could be DIY, albeit a painstaking one. Your measurements will have to be perfect, and too many seams in the glass will make it look cheap (and we don't want that, do we?!). Also, it will have to be tempered, so you will need to look in to that in detail. As far as painting the glass goes...brushing or rolling on will give you little texture marks that you don't want. Perhaps an airbrush of some sort? I know Home Depot rents all sorts of equipment out...maybe they have them.

I think it would be quite a process requiring a lot of detail (not to mention outdoor space to paint a large piece of glass), but if you are hardcore DIY, hell, go for it!

I used this in my wet room for a glass wall and cupboards, coated in white. (I'm No. 6 on the International Small Cool contest image 3 of 6). It needs to be toughened glass. I would strongly recommend you use a professional glass solutions company.

It is created by applying colour treatment to a glass surface. Once the treatment has been applied, it melds to the surface of the glass to form an impervious and durable surface, which retains the fullness of the colour applied.

Personally, I believe you would not get the same effect by painting it your self. A template has to be created to ensure holes for handles, flush buttons, tap outlets etc are in the right place. Once in situ it is sealed with a special sealant on all joins. It took my supplier 3 months to get it right, but it was a complex task.

If it is for a splashback (rather than including a cupboard that gets opened) I would strongly recommend a PVC product which looks EXACTLY like glass. A group of architect friends came to my place and they thought my kitchen wall was glass. It is in fact a highly reflective gloss PVC. (very hygenic). In the UK it is known as Altro (www.altro.com) Products, Wallcladding, then Chameleon. (You can see a bit of it in my other Pic 4 of 6). I shot the photo in low light and so the impact is lost in the picture - but not in reality. A lot of restaurants are now using it as wall cladding in different color choices. It looks amazing, particularly if the lighting against it is right.

I know someone who does reverse painted glass backsplashes and furniture. There is a process to get it right. It's important to use optically clear glass for a true color match. Regular glass doesn't look the same and will look murky. The glass needs to be super clean and free of any trace of oils and a spray application is key.
Mica powders in the paint give a metallic shimmer that can be beautiful but even straight white is beautiful with its milk glass look. This guy does an all glass dining table with this process that is amazing.
It sounds easy but you should have a professional create and install this kind of wall treatment.

Back-painting is easier than falling off a log, for heaven's sake! I back-painted a back splash for my stove years ago. I went to the hardware store and had window glass cut to size---as I recall, it cost less than ten dollars. No, it never, ever even thought of breaking or cracking because it was behind the burners. Heat goes up, it doesn't get sucked toward glass.

I get into a froth when I think about the cost of Fancy Glass these days---I'm looking at over three hundred dollars for a simple sheet of tempered glass for my bathroom shower. And 3-Form's prices make my eyes roll up in my head. (But damn, their stuff's beautiful. . . .)

I have been in the glass business for over thirty years. You cannot make a glass backsplash yourself. I use 1/4" plate glass, sandblast the side that I am going to paint, wash it good. I then apply three or four coats of the paint with a roller, letting each coat dry good before the next coat. I then apply a water based urethane, about two or three coats. After it has dried 24 hours, we use a mastic called Primere mastic from the Gunther mirror mastic Company. You cannot use an acid based adhiesive, it will eat it's way through the paint. I have had good luck with this method, but I am not sure that this is the best way. A web site that you might want to look at and contact the company is www.centralglasschicago.com, they do a lot of the painted glass. They might share there secret, but I doubt it. The company that is the best at this process is Glass cote in Conecticut.

No need to hire a pro at all on this one, just need some time, patience, and an understanding that tempered glass must be handled very carefully on its edges, otherwise it quite literally explodes on contact. As others have stated, tempered glass is extremely important in this application.

Pros will tell you that you can't do this yourself, but that is only because they fear the DIYer will take away their business.

Go to a good online glass supplier to put in the order. I used WilsonGlass.com for my frameless shower enclosure custom install, it's the same kind of glass. You can give them the measurements, specific to your install, with all sorts of weird angles if need be, then they have a local supplier make the tempered glass for you and you pick it up at their will call. I would use 1/2" in this situation, as it will give a certain feeling of significance to the project. Once you get the glass put up the necessary cleats and brackets in place on your walls.

Use metal cleats with significant rubber gaskets to protect the edge of the glass. Like I said, if your glass edge or corner comes in contract with a similarly rigid surface, your glass will INSTANTLY shatter into thousands of pieces.

Dry fit the glass to make sure it fits the way you need it to.

Be aware, tempered glass has the tendency to warp slightly during the tempering process, in this situation, if there is a slight warp, no problem, your brackets will pull the glass tight against the wall, but if the warp is too severe, the glass distributor will need to recut it for you.

Also be sure to check for chips and dings before you leave the distributor, they won't recut for you if you find them after you get home.

Once you've dry fit the glass and you are happy with it, take it down and paint the back of the glass with a high quality (BM, perhaps Sherwin Williams) oil based super high gloss paint . Use a very low nap roller, and make sure you are rolling each coat on with full coverage. Go in straight lines and be consistent. You will need to let it dry THOROUGHLY between each coat. I would do 3 coats with light colors, and 5 with dark colors (like red).

Once dry, hang the glass on the cleats you've already installed, and make sure you do not scratch the painted area. Then silicon any gaps along the top or sides where dirt or debris could fall behind the glass. Leave the bottom without silicon so you have a place where condensation can escape, especially on a backsplash where temp differences can be severe. If you don't do this, you may end up with blistered and bubbling paint.

Keep in mind, tempered glass is NOT cheap. It is FAR more economical to purchase and install most glass tile. Only do this if you want this look, it is not a cost saving alternative.

Also, if you are going to use a mastic (and I do not feel it is necessary given a proper bracket system) DO NOT RELY ON SIMPLY USING A MASTIC TO HANG YOUR GLASS!!!! You must hand it with cleats and brackets to secure the glass in place. Otherwise you will end up with a huge risk for a giant shattered backsplash and lots of wasted money.

I did this myself for my own kitchen.

Simple Response: It is VERY simple & fairly economical, provided you have a glass company come and measure the size and outlet cutouts for a precise fit. Paint it yourself with an oil paint , two coats should suffice. Silicone caulk and adhere to wall. Once cured caulk to countertop.

Long Answer It's a clear glass - 6mm thick. I had asked for it to be tempered but the glass guy said it wasn't necessary because it was going to be supported evenly along the entire back ( ie pressed against the drywall, same as a mirror would be which is not tempered) and wouldn't be able to "flex" on impact. However, anytime i've accidentally banged a bottle or something against it I cringe waiting for the shatter.... so far so good though... the tempered glass is about twice the price though i think ( the cost of the glass and cutting and labour to come and measure) was about $250 if i remember - which worked out to about $10 per sf, about the same as fairly nice unique tile, but once painted it took me about 30 minutes to install, vs. probably 5-6 hrs to to tile and grout...)
We had glass co. come and site measure and cut to size (including all the electrical outlets) and deliver. We then painted two coats of oil-based paint on the back of the glass and glued it in place. Just with regular silicone caulking - we were told not to use the glue specially designed for sticking vanity mirrors as it would eat through the paint, and i did a test first with the oil paint and silicone and it was fine.
*****
***The only other caution, as I found out the hard way - make sure that the walls that you are placing the glass against are sanded smooth and there are NO sharp bumps or grit in the drywall/paint on the wall itself - when the glass is being glued in place, as the sheets slide slightly back/forth, up/down any small sharp imperfections on the wall will scratch the paint off the back of the glass and will of course be visible from the outside. Luckily, this happened to me in places that were fairly inconspicuous, but could be a bad thing. Also, choose a colour you know you like, as once you do this, removing the glass is a pretty major messy reno job. Get some good sized scrap glass and do colour tests too, the glass will change the colour of the paint more than you would imagine.

Oh and by the way

GREAT for maintenance, super durable and easy to clean. Quick wipe with windex, no grout.

The lighter the colour, the less you will see dirt/streaks/splashes reflected as well.

my name is Chris Sommer, I am a national glass artist, and paint glass for backsplashes, counter tops, really anything.. if you want to paint your own glass, its easy! just go to http://www.glassprimer.com this paint is incredible, it is permanent unlike anything on the market.

There is no paint that will stick to glass with permanent properties! Glass is organic, and hdrofolic, "water loving" meaning it attracts atmospheric moisture. Anything coated on glass, paint, stickers etc will eventually delaminate from water undercutting the coating first on an atomic level and then moreafter day by day. Glassprimer actually changes glass into an in-organic state, making the glass hydrofobic "water hating" this ensure an extreme permanent glass/paint bond. Dont be fooled if your glass you paint with your own method looks like it bonded well, it will delaminate. here is a test, take a small piece of glass that you painted with your own paint method and throw it in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. take it out and watch the paint flake or scratch off with ease, you can even peel the pain off in a sheet sometimes. Try this same test with glassprimer paint... you will be amazed how it was untouched and wont scratch off. Also, dont be fooled by sandblasting glass, then painting it. it looks not very good and will still delaminate. This is all real scientific proven info...

check out the paint http://www.glassprimer.com

Hope this was help...
Chris
http://www.chrissommer.com

I've seen glass backsplashes in Ikea's dynamic kitchen web-page view (first row third kitchen down 'Social Hub'). I was not able to find the exact item on the Ikea website (Ikea web-site reflects only 20% of items Ikea sells). The backsplashes are not painted but, you could paint the glass side that goes against the wall. The backsplashes would not go all the way up the wall but, you'd get a great effect. The backsplashes appear to be Grundtal and DYI.

It is most definitely not a painted wall with clear glass. That will show any and all imperfections in the wall, the adhesive, etc. I hate it when people post "definitive" answers without having any clue what they're talking about. Sure you can put clear glass over a painted wall. It just won't look anything like the picture.

why the paint should be painted on the glass but not the wall is to prevent dirt that may cause by water, oil or humid weather. As there's a gap between the glass and painted wall. And we can never clean off the dirt unless we take off the glass. If it's painted on the glass, this problem can be avoid. I think it can be DIY just have to be extra careful to handle. And if u plan to install any stainless steel railing for future hanging of any accessories ( hanging shelves / racks) , please buy it first and take to glass shop ask for hole opening on the glass before u install. As in future u will not be able to do drilling on glass.

I came across a company that sell a lot of special paints, including glass kote. It's something as what recommend by Chris. According to them, it definately can be DIY and dun have to be real good in painting skill. They also selling a lot of special paint. I even saw their demostration by inserting a small piece of glass with my name written in marker pen into a bottle that contains their product. In 2 minutes time, the whole piece of glass turns out in sandblasted excluding my name written with marker remain in clear. It's amazing. And u can do it vice versa ( sandblasted turns into clear glass).

Really worth to take a look at it. They also have furniture paint for the mirror glossy effect kitchen cabinet door from IKEA. And it's much more cheaper.The product is from Germany. I'm getting these paint soon, for my new house. =D
Hope this will help.

http://eshop.bmcoatingonline.com/

I work in the glass business, and there's a new product that is changing the world of back-painted glass. This doing it yourself business is crazy for high moisture areas, and you can't get consistant color or custom colors. Europe has used a back-painted glass, but it's just now hitting the US.

Gardner Glass Products is an American company that makes Dreamwalls Color Glass, which is a back-painted glass using specially formulated paint created for it's amazing adhesion to glass. VERY durable stuff. This company also makes mirrors, so they make the painted glass in much the same manner. It's applied perfectly, color matched to ANY color you specify, and can be hole-drilled, tempered, or created in the exact shape you need. It can be done in HUGE sheets, or small tiles.

http://www.dreamwallscolorglass.com

In San Fran, Western States Glass carries it and installs it professionally. Look them up locally, they're super easy to work with!

I work in the glass business, and there's a new product that is changing the world of back-painted glass. This doing it yourself business is crazy for high moisture areas, and you can't get consistant color or custom colors. Europe has used a back-painted glass, but it's just now hitting the US.
This product is called glassprimer paint.
http//www.glassprimer.com it can be rolled or sprayed on glass and is permanent with its inovative new glass molecular altering properties. incredible and cost less than $1.00USD per sq ft, I use it all the time. any benjamin moore or sherwin willams color code can be matched. It ships out to me usually same day! cheers!

http://www.glassprimer.com

anyone can do it yourself

If anyone needs any info on back painted glass, please call me 888-619-2226

Hope I can be of help
Chris Sommer

http://www.glassprimer.com

Could you cut sliding glass doors for this project? They are tempered and you can find used ones on craigslist for under $10 a sheet? Maybe have a glass cutter cut it for you or give it try yourself??

Just heard you can't cut tempered glass! disregard.

thats right you can not cut tempered glass but you can still paint it with http://www.glassprimer.com paint

Choosing glass as your material for a kitchen backsplash adds a level of creativity and depth that is unparalleled, while also giving an opportunity to do something good for the earth when you choose to use recycled materials, such as bottles, windows, and other recycled glass goods that have been melted down and made into new glass tiles for your kitchen. Using beautiful, recycled glass backsplash makes a statement to everyone that enters your kitchen.

Here is another link that might be useful: Look Into a Glass Backsplash for Beauty and Elegance

got it painted, cut, and installed from heavylux shower door in san leandro. it looks brilliant -- just like the posted photo (only in behr's tropicana cabana -- they'll do any ben moore or behr color). they were a little slow on the install part, but it was about 3X cheaper than any other place that quoted. well worth it!

See the website www.sodaglassusa.com for back painted glass for the Bay Area and Sacramento.

New glass paint site. http://www.glasspaint.com

Back painted glass is finally getting more and more common in the US. Custom colors and matching switchplates & outlets are now possible too. You want to be sure the company is reputable, that the paint is specially formulated for adhesion to glass, that the glass is heat-cured for durability, and that it's a completely opaque product.