How our Paneled Backsplash is Holding up

THE FARMHOUSE

Our kitchen is 3+ years old now, and one question we get asked a lot is “how is your backsplash holding up?”. We paneled all the walls in this space - including the backsplash - in a durable tongue-and-groove wood product and painted it white for a bright, sunroom-ey feel. Let me show you how it’s holding up…

psst: see how our unlacquered brass hardware has aged here.

kitchen sources

Spoiler: we’re super pleased with how the backsplash is holding up! But before we dive into that, here are some details on the product we used and what we put on it…

panneling

We used this pre-primed, finger-jointed-pine (fjp), tongue and groove product from Metrie. Each of the planks is 9/16" X 5-3/8" X 16’ and they’re double-sided with the second side having a traditional bead board look. Here’s how we installed them.

BTW since the wood backsplash is combustable, we added a integral backsplash to our stove per the manufacturer’s recommendation. Be sure to check local code and appliance specs for backsplashes.

Paint

We opted to spray the planks once installed with high quality paint. Highly recommend choosing quality paint for this step like Benjamin Moore’s Advance (that’s what we used here). We used a satin finish, my personal preference, and it’s easy to wipe down clean.

One note about painting panelling is that wood can expand and shrink over time so the tongues in-between the panels will show more. If you’re panels aren’t pre-primed, or you’re planning to paint a them in a color drastically different than the primer, you may consider painting the panels before installing them to avoid a stripped look later on down the road.

top coat

We coated the backsplash with Benjamin Moore’s Stays Clear for extra durability and a clear finish.

How is the wood backsplash holding up?

The backsplash is holding up great! We have zero complaints. This kitchen gets a TON of use - we cook two or three meals here a day - and we’ve never had a stain or chip on the backsplash. It’s incredibly easy to wipe clean with a little soap and water.