Glass kitchen aprons: varieties, tips for choosing and maintaining

Glass is considered an excellent alternative to traditional ceramic tiles, as well as plastic panels and some other materials that are most often used to decorate a kitchen apron - a small section of the wall near the working area. It is environmentally friendly and one of the most hygienic materials. It is known that glass is not afraid of steam, water, it does not have the ability to absorb dirt and grease, it is quickly cleaned, it looks very impressive and stylish.

A kitchen apron is a necessary attribute of any modern kitchen. This is a low part of the working surface, designed to protect the wall from dirt, which is inevitable when cooking. The panels are made in a wide variety of designs and shades. In previous years, aprons were increasingly laid out from tiles, but nowadays they often prefer such modern material as glass.

Many housewives refuse to install a glass apron on the basis that it is better than any other material on it, water splashes, handprints and grease spots are visible. This is one of the common misconceptions because in fact, there is no more pollution on such an apron than on any other coating.

Of course, for the manufacture of a protective apron, the usual specially tempered glass with a thickness of 4-8 cm - only in this case it will provide full protection and will last for several years and even decades.

In addition, tempered glass and much safer - it will not break and will not go through numerous cracks with a light mechanical impact. Aprons from this material are not afraid of proximity to the stove, since they are not affected by high temperatures. Simple glass of all these qualities is deprived, therefore, its operating time is much shorter.

Let us dwell in more detail on the advantages of glass aprons.

• Glass coatings do not require specialized care. The material does not have the ability to absorb fat, water, dust and coloring pigments, because the apron retains its aesthetic appearance for a long time. All that is needed from the hostess is to wipe the surface from time to time with a damp cloth.
• Glass coatings are particularly hygienic. The fact is that the material has a rather dense structure, therefore fungi do not multiply on it, mold and other pathogenic microflora do not appear.
• Glass aprons look very stylish, they visually expand the space, make it brighter. In addition, on sale you can find glass of a wide variety of colors and textures, there are models decorated with painting, photo printing, complemented by backlighting and other original options. Thanks to this choice, everyone will be able to arrange an apron to their taste and wallet.
• Tempered glass is very durable, it can be used for many years.without losing its original gloss.

The disadvantages of this material are few.

• You cannot cut the finished panel into parts and in any other way adjust its parameters for fasteners, you will not be able to drill additional holes in it, so you need to think through all the subtleties of the panel placement in advance.
• The glass panel is quite expensive, not every compatriot can afford such aprons. Of course, a long service life will fully pay off all investments, but in any case, the initial amount for many is unbearable.
• Glass aprons are not suitable for all styles, for example, they are unlikely to look harmonious in interiors furnished in the decor of shabby chic, provence or country.
• When installing a glass panel, special skills are required for carrying out such work, it is unlikely that you can cope on your own.
• Glass panels usually do not belong to the “eternal” materials, although they serve for a long time, but still manufacturers usually give a guarantee for their aprons.
• There are myths about the excessive fragility of this material, but they are all spread by people who approached the issue of installing an apron without the necessary training or selected material that is absolutely unsuitable for this purpose.

For the manufacture of glass aprons, several varieties of materials are used.

• Stalinite - the people call it heat-resistant "tempered glass." The material fully meets all the requirements for aprons. The strength of the glow of tempered glass is 8-9 times higher than that of plain glass. It is quite difficult to break Stalinite - if this happens, then the fragments will be quite small and dull so that a person could not get hurt about them.

• Triplex - a refractory material consisting of several layers, at least of 2. Typically, tempered or silicate glass is taken as the basis, during the production process a polymer layer is formed between them, due to which gluing occurs.

• Plexiglass - This is a plastic material made of acrylic. It is distinguished by its strength and ease of installation. Nevertheless, there are limitations in the use of the coating - so, plexiglass is not allowed to be hung over the hob, since this material can withstand temperatures only up to 75-85 degrees, and at higher temperature effects, its deformation begins.

• Polycarbonate - This is a material with the best combination of price / quality. With exceptional operational features of the composition, polycarbonate is notable for its affordability. An apron made of it will be durable, since the material will not work even with a sledgehammer. At the same time, it is distinguished by flexibility and elasticity, and therefore installation does not require serious efforts. At the same time, polycarbonate is quite sensitive to temperature fluctuations, it is easy to scratch, and over time it sometimes bursts, noticeably dims and acquires noticeable yellow shades.

• Mirror - such an apron always looks stylish, spectacular and unusual. Such a solution will visually increase the space, improve the illumination of the work area and the entire kitchen in general.

By the color scheme, the glass used to create aprons varies from the simplest monochrome translucent tones (beige, black, white) to rainbow (blue, green, red) and shimmering tones. On request, you can make glass tiles with the finest gold streaks or buy a panel decorated with unique paintings - Such solutions will allow you to create non-trivial and stylish design accents in the interior of the kitchen.

The most affordable apron option is use of colorless glass with a high degree of transparency. This material is optimal if you do not need and desire to mask the texture of the wall, since such aprons absolutely do not hide anything. In most cases, such a panel is placed on a surface finished with decorative plaster, wallpaper or red brickwork.

Colorless glass can be made in matte finish. - so it looks much more spectacular and gives much less bright glare. By the way, the glass coating does not have to be smooth at all, for example, a panel with a satin finish always looks stylish and elegant. Monotonous stained glass looks very bright, but at the same time laconic, while the gamut of possible colors, without exaggeration, is great.

There are several interesting options for multi-colored design of the apron in the kitchen for a glass surface, as a rule, For this, the following modifications are used.

• Stemalite which is first painted and then subjected to heat treatment to give the coating a particular resistance, to make the apron more durable.
• Satinat - this material is tempered frosted glass, most often it is decorated with sandblasting ornaments.
• Optivite - Another type of colored thermal glass, as a rule, it is subjected to additional bleaching to give the necessary color.
• Triplex - laminated glass, the desired shade of which is given by inserting a colored film between the layers.
• A more economical option is an apron with a thin vinyl film, it is on it that the pattern is applied. Usually it is rolled onto the back of the glass, it will protect the picture from the action of water, heat, steam and dirt. At the same time, this option is often short-lived - the film wrinkles and flakes, and under the influence of ultraviolet burns out.

To make glass aprons more stylish, various decoration methods are possible. Photo printing became one of the most common options - plates with a stylish pattern applied to them were called skinal, today this design is considered the most common. UV aprons for kitchens are usually durable and aesthetically pleasing.

Typically, a picture is applied to the back of the glass using special ink. Such patterns do not fade under the influence of sunlight, are not afraid of water and at the same time withstand the heat withstand heat up to 110-130 degrees.

Look very stylish 3D effect panels but a similar apron will cost the owners of the kitchen much more expensive than colorless or monochrome glass. Most often, for decorating glass products, they turn to landscapes, murals or pictures with a view of the metropolis.

When arranging an interior in a modern style, most often they use backlit stoves. Such a solution looks original and invariably expensive. Without a doubt, such an apron has every chance to become a leading decorative element in the kitchen interior. Usually, LED strip is mounted around the perimeter of the canvas or on the inside, most often use colorless options, but other multi-colored light sources are allowed.

Mosaic glass tile looks very impressive - these are small glass panels. Depending on the manufacturers, shapes and patterns may vary. In previous years, production was limited to quadrangular models; today, hexagonal structures are gaining more and more popularity. At the same time, there is a glass tile under a stone, as well as a stained glass mosaic.

Due to the wide variety and wide selection of decoration options for a glass kitchen apron, it can be used for a wide variety of stylistic interior design - from classic to minimalism. However, in each case there are subtleties of use.

Perhaps the best combination will be glass and hi-techAt the same time, in the arrangement of the interior, you can use the most diverse types of glass surfaces - colorless, monochrome, with photo printing, patterns, colors.

The only limitation is that the glass should be glossy, matte motives have no place in an ultramodern kitchen. Designers recommend applying on the reverse side a drawing corresponding to the general theme of the interior. For example, the image of the night city looks stylish, as well as complex geometric prints; reproductions of works by impressionist artists will become a good solution.

Minimalism also harmoniously looks in tandem with glass elements, in this case it is better to give preference to completely transparent models that will demonstrate the surface of the wall. Alternatively, you can cover the glass with paint in a color that is in harmony with the overall tinted interior design.

Typically, glass does not combine with classic, but still its use is allowed. In this case, it is best to use frosted surfaces, it will be useful to supplement them with drawings - for example, images of famous paintings or delicate floral patterns.

Ethnostyle involves the use of a wide variety of designsbut in this case should be clearly traceable national decision concept. So, beautiful aprons with orchids are suitable for the kitchen in Japanese decor, but landscapes of snow-capped mountains or summer forest glades would be the best solution for scandi.

If you prefer industrial, you should give preference to an apron made of frosted glass, because this style is not characterized by excess details. Making a kitchen in the loft style involves the use of transparent panels that do not hide brickwork or natural wood in the design of the wall.

When choosing a skinale, it is necessary to take into account the color scheme of the kitchen interior. For example, if the room is replete with bright eye-catching details, for example, in the Baroque style, then it is best to use transparent or plain aprons. Laconic models will also be the best solution for rooms in which the kitchen set is painted.

In order for the glass kitchen apron to serve you as long as possible and not lose its decorative and operational characteristics over time, you should carefully approach the choice of material. Experts recommend using several rules.

• It is better to stop the choice on tempered glass - it is characterized by increased strength, and even if it is hit by a heavy cast-iron frying pan, the surface will still survive.
• When choosing a material, it is advisable to proceed from the general style of the interior of the kitchen - the apron must certainly be in harmony with it and emphasize the attractiveness of the design.
• If you plan to mount an apron near the hob - give preference to plexiglass and other materials that can withstand high temperature effects.
• If the kitchen faces the sunny side, then abandon the idea of ​​using polycarbonate. The fact is that under the influence of ultraviolet light, it turns yellow.
• Before making a purchase, be sure to make all necessary measurements so that the canvas fits perfectly into the size of your future apron. If you do not have experience in such work, it is better to contact professional gauges.
• With great attention should be paid to the parameter of the thickness of the glass. This value largely depends on the size of the apron itself - for example, for skins with a length of 1 meter, a thickness of 4-5 mm is optimal, if skins are longer, then glass should be 6 mm or more.

Please note that for skinal there is a size restriction. In accordance with the standards, the maximum length and width parameters can be no more than 3300x1200 mm. If the working area has other parameters and a longer apron is needed, then several panels will have to be made.

As we mentioned at the very beginning, glass kitchen aprons are easy to clean. In order to keep the plates clean, the hostess does not need much trouble. To maintain hygiene, the most common detergents sold at every supermarket are sufficient. They are usually sprayed onto the surface of a kitchen apron and then wiped with a soft, dry cloth.

Such manipulations are repeated as necessary in the event of contamination of the panels.As a rule, in glass aprons there are no seams or they are almost imperceptible, therefore dirt does not accumulate in them - accordingly, The care process does not take much time.

Glass is an excellent material that can successfully replace many of the most expensive panels. It not only does not concede to more modern coatings in terms of technical and operational characteristics, but often surpasses them. A variety of decors will always allow you to choose an option that harmoniously fits into any interior.

• In loft-style kitchen interiors, it is better to give preference to transparent glass aprons.

• White surfaces blend well with the classic style.

• Multi-colored aprons look very impressive, they place stylish accents in the room and emphasize the thoughtfulness of the design.

• The most unusual effect can be achieved by using aprons with patterns.

For the pros and cons of a glass apron, see the next video.