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An important role in the design of the kitchen is played by the place between the countertop and wall cabinets, which is called the apron. According to traditions, it is quite often covered with ceramic tiles, but in the modern world, new materials and methods of decoration have appeared, in particular, wall panels for kitchen: thanks to them, an apron can acquire a different appearance. What are the types of material, their features, installation and operation rules will tell this article.

What should be a practical and beautiful kitchen apron

The kitchen occupies an important place in an apartment or house, as almost all households spend a lot of time here. Therefore, the design of this room should be approached with special responsibility. An apron plays an important element in creating a beautiful and practical decor – this is a part of the wall in the working area, subject to various tests in the form of pollution, temperature and humidity changes. Properly selected protective coating of the apron will help keep the kitchen clean, and make the overall interior more aesthetic and comfortable.

Previously, the apron was trimmed mainly with tiles. Ceramic tile remains in trend today, but along with it, various new materials have appeared, in particular, wall panels for kitchen. Photos of various options can be found on the Internet and in any hardware store. Whatever material is chosen, the main thing is that it is resistant to temperature extremes, humidity, easy to clean and, thus, meets the following requirements:

• easy to wash and clean;
• withstood the negative and aggressive effects of abrasive detergents;
• had a high level of moisture resistance;
• differed in high impact resistance;
• withstood temperature fluctuations;

  

• distinguished by aesthetic characteristics;
• perfectly combined with the kitchen set and fit into the overall style of the kitchen.

The list of practical characteristics almost completely corresponds to the wall panels for kitchen. Photos of aprons designed in this way clearly demonstrate the excellent aesthetic characteristics of this type of material. Moreover, the modern market offers a wide range of products.

Wall decorative panels for an apron: features and benefits

Due to the fact that wall panels meet all the requirements of a practical apron, this type of finish has become very popular. In addition, it has a wide list of advantages that put it in first place in terms of practicality, economy and aesthetics.

Useful advice! Panels in the kitchen are used not only as a wall covering in the apron area. With their help, you can close uneven ceilings and walls, hide communications and other flaws.

The main positive characteristics of wall panels experts include the following:

1. Ease and speed of installation. The surface does not require special preparation for material placement. The process itself does not require special tools and certain practical skills.
2. The versatility of the material lies in the fact that they perfectly absorb sound and do not let heat through.
3. Masking with panels allows you to hide wires and cables. At the same time, they do not have to be immersed in the wall and covered with plaster, which must be done when using tiles.
4. The practicality of wall panels. Kitchens with such an apron do not require special care and frequent washing; special detergents are also not required.
5. Profitability. Installing panels is much cheaper than tiling or decorative painting.
6. A wide range of material allows you to choose the right option based on practical and other requirements.
7. Aesthetics. Wall panels for interior decoration of the kitchen will help to make the overall design beautiful and unique.
8. High thermal and moisture resistance is provided by a special coating on the panels, which repels water and does not deform under the influence of steam.

   

Types of wall panels : a variety of materials, shapes and sizes

In the production of wall panels, a variety of materials are used, they are also distinguished by shape and size. In the construction market you can find products from:

• polyvinyl chloride or PVC;
• chipboards with a special coating of various types;
• wood fiber sheets or MDF covered with foil;
• drywall;
• laminated plywood;
• artificial stone;
• glass, which can be multi-layered, tempered, mirrored, with an image or texture.

Glass panels are also called skinali. When choosing a material, it is necessary to focus on temperature limitations and not install a material with a low level of heat resistance above the stove.

Among the panels on the kitchen apron, models of this form are most often chosen:

1. Rack, which are in the form of planks with a width of 10 to 50 cm. Usually these are inexpensive plastic panels. The rails are connected to each other thanks to special groove connectors, and are attached to the wall with the help of a crate.
2. They look like tiles. They are produced in the form of squares or rectangles, with different side lengths. The tile for the wall panel for kitchen is mainly a substitute for the ceramic counterpart.
3. Sheet products are solid oblong slabs. This type is considered the most common and practical. The slabs have different widths, and their length can reach three meters, so one sheet can cover a wall volume of several square meters.

   

Plates are also distinguished by the method of fastening: they can be fixed to a crate of simple wooden planks, a metal profile, or simply glued directly to the wall.

Useful advice! Wall panels are a great option for novice craftsmen who do their own repairs in the kitchen. For their installation, it is not necessary to remove old wallpaper or paint, perfectly level the wall and hire professional craftsmen.

Features of plastic wall panels for kitchen

Plastic plates appeared quite a long time ago, almost since the invention of the material itself. Modern models are distinguished by increased strength due to the updated chemical composition based on polyvinyl chloride, but at the same time they are significantly inferior to other materials due to low strength and heat resistance.

The main advantage of the type is low cost, the widest choice of products, as well as ease of installation of the structure. Thanks to this material, you can solve a lot of problems in the kitchen and other rooms. The positive characteristics include their smoothness and density. PVC planks do not absorb moisture and do not allow steam to pass through, therefore they do not accumulate odors and do not contribute to the development of fungi and bacteria. Reiki are easy to clean using any detergent.

The main properties of PVC boards are their lightness and flexibility. They produce wall panels for kitchen made of plastic in different sizes. The strips can be up to 50 cm wide and up to 3 m long. They can be installed on the ceiling, walls and in the form of an apron. The exception is the area near the stove or hob, as when exposed to high temperatures, the plastic is deformed. In addition, plastic is easily exposed to mechanical stress, scratches remain on it, and white plates turn yellow over time.

How to choose and how to fix a wall panel for kitchen: plastic apron

Driven plastic products are mounted by installing on a crate of wooden planks. In this case, the distance between the mounting rails is calculated from the calculation of the weight and width of PVC plates. If the rail is thin and soft, then the interval between fasteners will be less. On the sides, the parts are connected using groove connectors. From above, the structure is also covered with a plastic monophonic profile.

Useful advice! To create an ideal and at the same time budget loft-style interior, you can use brick-like plastic panels. The material can cover not only the apron, but also one of the walls of the kitchen.

As an apron, you can choose the desired version of wall planks, which have different textures and colors. Even inexpensive plastic panels in the kitchen can perfectly imitate painted boards, marble or rough wood texture. According to the texture characteristics, the slab can have both a smooth glossy and matte surface in the form of an unhewn board, decorative plaster or stone roughness.

Variety also applies to shades. They can be selected in accordance with the style of the room. For example, in the Provence style, slats with a textured or matte surface that imitate a painted board will look great. Planks imitating lacquered wood will fit perfectly into the country style. In kitchens stylized as classics, it is better to refuse PVC plates, since this direction does not tolerate artificial materials, but in modern interiors they are quite appropriate.

MDF kitchen wall panels: features and benefits

An excellent alternative to plastic panels can be MDF products. Their peculiarity lies in the standard size. The dimensions of the plates from the manufacturer are: 244X60X4cm. MDF panels can be painted, laminated and veneered.

Medium Density Fibreboard, abbreviated as MDF, is produced by hot pressing wood fibres. In the manufacturing process, adhesive compositions that release toxins are not used. The particles in the middle of the material are interconnected by resins that are released when heated. Thanks to this feature, MDF boards are considered harmless, therefore, they can be installed both in the working and dining areas, without fear of health.

Other advantages of MDF wall panels for kitchen are the following characteristics:

• environmental friendliness of the material;
• low cost;
• ease of processing;
• moisture resistance;
• shock resistance;
• ease of care;
• variety of models;
• the possibility of applying photo printing;
• ease of installation.

The possibility of applying photo printing on wood fiber boards allows you to get a beautiful and stylish interior using wall panels for kitchen. MDF aprons are most often produced with abstract drawings, table themes and still lifes.

MDF panels also have disadvantages:

• slabs cannot be installed above the slab because they cannot withstand high temperatures;
• panels have an unnatural appearance;
• photo printing looks worse than on natural wood or stone.

Installation of MDF boards occurs by attaching to a special crate. This installation allows you to mask the wiring or ventilation system.

Particleboard wall panels for kitchen: backsplash and countertop

Materials such as chipboard or chipboard are very popular in the kitchen. They are used as the main material for creating kitchen sets, countertops and wall panels. For kitchen, it is more practical to use not classic chipboard sheets, but laminated boards – laminated chipboard.

Conventional particle board is compressed wood chips impregnated with paper or thin film coated acrylic adhesive. The paper surface from moisture and steam quickly deforms and swells. In laminated models, the top layer, imitating wood or stone, consists of a transparent polymer layer, which serves as an excellent protection for the paper cover, prevents wetting and resists mechanical stress.

Interesting to know! The latest invention as kitchen panels is HDF boards. These are MDF sheets with increased strength. They also differ in a variety of decorative coatings, but are slightly more expensive than their classic counterparts.

Thus, laminated chipboard or MDF boards have the following additional positive properties:

• moisture resistance;
• long service life;
• an extensive range of models with a variety of coverage topics;
• a wide range of wall panel sizes for kitchen, which allows you to choose the right option, taking into account the expected load on the surface.

The panels are cut independently, choosing the desired shape and dimensions. The edges should be closed with a special tape. It is glued under the influence of high temperature. If the cuts are not closed, then they will become an excellent place for moisture to penetrate, which will lead to deformation and delamination of the material.

Wide application of laminated wall panels

Features of the laminated coating and a variety of sizes and decorative design of surfaces allows you to install the canvas, both in the vertical and horizontal directions on a certain area. Therefore, quite often they are chosen as a coating for countertops and aprons in the kitchen. Photos clearly demonstrate the harmony of such an interior. Models of the same color and contrasting tones look the most beautiful. The main thing is that in such a duet the texture and texture of the material should be the same.

The installation of laminated panels, as well as models made of pure chipboard, takes place by fastening with special hooks to a metal frame. The base must be securely fixed to the wall, as sheets of large size and thickness can be heavy and there is a threat that they will fall from their own weight.

Especially popular now are laminated panels with a plastic decor layer, where a polymeric PVC coating serves as a replacement for a paper film. There are many finish options. It can be both glossy and matte surfaces, both plain and textured models that imitate wood, metal, stone, leather, mosaic masonry. For example, a brick wall panel for kitchen will be an excellent alternative to ceramic tiles.

Characteristics of glass kitchen wall panel

Recently, glass wall panels, referred to in the construction world as skinali, have been especially popular. These are solid plates of ordinary or tempered glass. Models made of plain glass, as a rule, are two-layered on a wood chip or film basis. It should be noted that such sheets are not expensive, but at the same time they are characterized by increased fragility. Tempered glass slabs are much more expensive, but they are stronger and can withstand high temperatures very well.

Skinali is mounted in a seamless way by attaching them to special heads. Therefore, before attaching the wall panel for kitchen, you should prepare the base on the wall. The maintenance of the glass panel is quite easy due to the lack of seams. That is why such panels are made to order for specific sizes of the apron.

Useful advice! If the task is to create a bright and practical background on the working wall, then it is the skins with photo printing that will help to cope with it. Therefore, do not neglect the quality and refuse this option because of the high cost of this type of finish.

Glass panels in the kitchen have a number of specific advantages:

• high performance characteristics in the form of moisture and heat resistance, allowing the installation of skinali both above the sink and above the hob;

  

• plates do not absorb odors, do not fade;
• ease of care and hygiene;
• the uniqueness of each model and impeccable appearance.

Originality and variety of glass wall panels for kitchen

Perhaps the main advantage of skinali lies in the wide choice of design. With their help, even a small and gloomy room will be instantly transformed, as well-chosen panels will help to visually expand the room and give it additional light.

Thanks to the protective layer, the glass wall panel with photo printing for kitchen will retain its presentable appearance for a long time. Such an apron will give the interior of a modern kitchen uniqueness, luxury, fill it with light and create a great mood.

Under the heavy-duty glass coating is a decorative layer, which can have the following base:

• painting;
• mirrors with patterns and drawings;
• matting base;
• photo printing;
• 3D image.

The most popular variant of panels with photo printing in this list. For example, a glass apron depicting juicy berries and fruits will give the room optimism and warmth.

A monochromatic milky-colored panel will perfectly fit into a white set in combination with dark appliances. In a white kitchen, photo printing with the image of a night city will look great. A pure black panel will add severity to the interior, and a bright apron will cheer you up. The image of flowers will create a spring atmosphere in the kitchen, and seascapes will be conducive to relaxation.

Kitchen panel made of wood and metal: options for luxurious interiors

Natural materials in their original form are also used as kitchen panels. For example, sheathing can be made of wood, which is used in the form of boards and slabs, which are made from an array of non-valuable technical species, and expensive veneer serves as a coating.

Sheets of this type can be installed on a large surface, giving it solidity. The effect of seamlessness is achieved thanks to special connecting elements in the form of grooves and protrusions on the plates. Install a wooden decorative panel for kitchen in the same way as an apron made of wood chip material.

Giving preference to wood, it should be noted that this material is characterized by instability. For example, when exposed to hot air, wood can dry out, causing cracking, and when exposed to steam and water, it can swell. Therefore, natural wood cladding should not be used behind the sink and hob, in the area where the electric kettle or multicooker is located.

Useful advice! For those who can’t completely refuse luxurious wood panels, it is worth excluding their installation in the cooking area. For practicality, wood slabs can be combined with ceramic tiles or skinali behind the sink and stove.

The metal panels on the working wall will go well with the facades of the headset in the same cold silver color. This combination is appropriate in loft and hi-tech style. Installation of metal plates occurs by installing panels on plastic rails. Working with wood and metal requires special tools and skills, so it is better to entrust the work to experienced craftsmen so as not to spoil the expensive material.

The best option for panels for an apron is skinali or laminated boards. The use of artificial stone will be justified if the necessary funds are available for their purchase and installation. Installation of plastic panels can be done by hand, in other cases it is better to involve specialists. Properly selected and installed wall panels will help create a unique, cozy and practical interior in the kitchen.