The kitchen is a room in which the housewife spends a lot of time. And there is a certain zone in it that is constantly polluted. This is the wall above the work surface on which moisture and splashes of grease settle. Temperature changes during cooking also occur. This area, which is commonly called a kitchen apron, is protected with various finishing materials.
Recently, a new type of finishing material for this area has appeared on the market - skinali . This is a glass decorative covering that will not only fit into any interior, but also decorate any room.
What is this?
The apron was thrown off - wall panels made of glass, on which a drawing was often applied.
Glass kitchen aprons are a modern design trend that fits seamlessly into any kitchen space. The magnificence and uniqueness of the skin for decorating the work area is amazing. Glass panels are another design technique that allows you to move away from boring decor; they give the kitchen originality and uniqueness.
Often, individual decorative elements are installed on the skinali, which emphasize the design and beauty of the design. Spot lighting is a creative idea that can be used to not only highlight individual elements of a picture, but also highlight the composition in the right places. These aprons have a beneficial effect on people's emotional state. The design makes the kitchen beautiful and comfortable to stay in.
Application in classic kitchen
Skinali is a universal design. Although many designers advise using this element in modern design , it is worth noting that it is also great for a classic kitchen.
Nowadays it is very fashionable to use a mixture of styles. A glass apron can be an excellent addition to a classic interior , diluting it with a colored accent.
A skinali apron with a city landscape or night streets printed on it, with an image of a summer cafe or French buns, will fit perfectly into the classic style.
Many designers do not recommend using paintings or drawings with a lot of color on the skinali - there should be only three shades, otherwise the room will feel disorganized.
Glass splashback dimensions
Let's look at the vertical size. The classic height of the apron is 60 cm. The design of a modern kitchen makes its contribution, and the distance from the countertop to the upper cabinets can be from 40 to 90 cm. The height of the apron is determined by the convenience of the kitchen user. If the housewife is short, then the countertop and upper cabinets are installed lower than the standard. If, on the contrary, the height is above average, then the cabinets are mounted at a greater distance from the working surface. In any case, you need to consider the ease of use of the kitchen, so the size of the glass apron will be determined by the distance between the countertop and the upper cabinets.
Horizontal size. Everything is simple here: how long is the kitchen - so long is the apron. For small rooms, one wall panel is enough. If you are the happy owner of a large kitchen, you will need to make an apron from several parts. If the work is done efficiently, the joints will be invisible even to a person with 100% vision.
Experts recommend:
Apron made of 5mm glass - the length of one wall panel should not exceed 2.5 meters.
An apron made of 6mm glass is suitable for a length of more than 2.5 meters and very uneven walls
An 8mm glass apron is an uncompromising solution with a fair margin of safety; in some cases it can act as a self-supporting structure.
Glass used
Patterned
This is a special type of decorative glass, the surface of which has a repeating relief pattern on the inside. The front side remains smooth.
Patterned glass for the skinali can be:
- colored;
- reinforced;
- colorless;
- matte;
- tinted.
This type of decorative panels is produced on modern machines, which apply a design to a hot surface using rollers. There is another way to apply a pattern using laser processing. The thinnest beam carves out a design according to a pre-prepared stencil.
Important! Patterned glass not only has high mechanical strength, but is also quite expensive.
Dyed
A plain apron tinted in a certain color looks very stylish; it is impressive and unobtrusive. The color scheme for dyeing the skin contains a huge number of shades.
These aprons are made using stemalite. A special paint is applied to the surface from the inside out, after which the glass panels are subjected to heat treatment. The result is a durable, long-lasting color.
Mirror
Mirror skins are an incredibly chic and stylish solution that will help expand the space and create a feeling of volume. The use of special edges on the mirror can create a fairy-tale design with a echo of the glare of the sun and fill the room with rainbow light. Using a mirror skin, you can visually change the geometry of the space and hide the imperfections of the room. Unique decor, additional framing, changing the color of the reflective surface, combined with the designer’s imagination, will recreate a luxurious and attractive interior in the room.
Interesting article: How to choose an MDF kitchen apron?
Illuminated apron
You can make your apron even brighter and more attractive if you choose its lighting wisely. Often, LED strips are installed around the perimeter of the apron, and even under it, which are spectacular and effective in illumination. They can be white or colored, depending on the preferences of the owner. Colored ones allow you to create your own mood by changing the colors of the lighting in the kitchen. At the customer's request, the light can be controlled using a regular switch, touch sensor, button, remote control and even a smartphone via an application.
LED strips can be installed either in a special profile or simply glued to the upper kitchen cabinets. If the use of a profile is not intended, use sealed tapes.
Manufacturing methods
Thick glass
In the production of decorative panels, two types of glass are used - transparent or frosted , which have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of transparent glass panels:
- the design has its main advantage - it seems to float and dissolve in space;
- protects the work surface from water, steam, stains and grease;
- you can place a still life, photo, landscape or other drawing under the structure;
- not afraid of aggressive environments and mechanical damage;
- ease of care;
- fire and environmental safety;
- durability, since glass is not afraid of temperature influences.
The disadvantages are also worth mentioning, and they are as follows:
- suitable only for modern design;
- contamination is immediately visible;
- Over time, small scratches appear on it.
One can argue with the last point, since with careful treatment and proper care, the decorative appearance will be preserved for many years.
Consider the advantage of the matte design:
- looks more impressive and less shiny;
- durable;
- environmentally friendly;
- good surface protection;
- practical, cleans quickly and easily;
- resistant to chemical influences;
- Fire safety.
Flaws:
- scratches over time;
- traces of dust and dirt are visible.
Strained glass
Tempered glass is the best option for a kitchen apron. This material is manufactured in factories using special technology; the output is a sheet of glass that cannot be damaged by impact , can withstand heavy loads, and is resistant to moisture and temperature changes. The disadvantages include high cost and increased weight of the structure.
Triplex
This is laminated glass that can reliably protect the work surface from negative influences. A triplex apron is a sandwich made of 2 layers of glass, between which a pattern is placed. It is very difficult to break such a structure, but even if this happens, it will simply become covered with cracks.
These aprons have significant disadvantages :
- glass glued in two layers increases the specific weight of the structure, which causes problems during installation;
- large thickness - to cut holes for sockets, experience is needed;
- high price.
Requirements for glass kitchen panels
The following requirements :
- The manufacturing material must have high strength.
- Characterized by high moisture resistance and not deformed by temperature changes.
- Caring for panels should take a minimum of time and detergents.
- Skinals must be resistant to mechanical damage, cracks and scratches.
- Have an aesthetic appearance.
- Be durable to use.
- Environmentally safe for humans.
- Be fire resistant.
When choosing such a design, you need to pay special attention to safety; upon impact, the flow should not scatter into many sharp fragments that can cause you to cut yourself.
How to choose?
When choosing a glass apron, you should pay attention to some details:
- If you need a laconic and stylish apron to protect the wall, you should use a transparent panel that does not catch the eye. The glass surface will help protect wallpaper or paint when you don’t want to overload the kitchen interior with various textures.
- The standard height of the product is 60 cm, but there are manufacturers who can make the product of any size and shape.
- The panel can consist of several sheets or one solid one.
- The product is fixed either with special fasteners using through holes (transparent products can only be installed in this way), or with liquid nails.
What else you should pay attention to when choosing a glass apron, you can find out in this video:
Advantages and disadvantages
Skinali - glass panels installed between the table and cabinets in the kitchen. Despite the fact that the main purpose of this design is to protect against kitchen contamination, the decorative nature of the apron is also important. If you choose the right image, you can radically change your kitchen space.
Pros thrown off
- the panels are universal and can easily be combined with any interior design. They are made to order, so you can choose not only the design, but also the color scheme yourself;
- Installation of this structure will take no more than 2 hours;
- increased hygiene, since the design is seamless, which prevents the accumulation of fat and dirt;
- The glass panel visually increases the space of a small kitchen.
On a note! Skinali can be used as an additional light source in the kitchen; to do this, just stretch an LED strip under the cabinets.
Interesting article: Advantages of aprons for a kitchen in the Provence style: photos, as well as tiles in the style of a warm French village
Disadvantages of glass aprons:
- this design will require considerable financial investment;
- installation can only be carried out after all sockets and kitchen furniture have been installed;
- you will have to wait until the structure is manufactured, since it is carried out strictly according to order;
- the wrong shade of panels can ruin the entire interior.
When caring for glass panels, you will have to abandon abrasive cleaning agents, since the surface will very quickly lose its decorative qualities.
How to install a glass splashback?
Installation of a glass apron by a team of experienced craftsmen will take no more than 60-90 minutes. This process is much simpler than laying ceramics or mosaics.
The skin is attached in one of 3 ways:
Special fasteners
This is the best and most reliable way to fix glass of any size and weight. It is also important that the wall does not need to be leveled or prepared before mounting, and if necessary, you can very quickly dismantle the apron.
Pass-through (through) fasteners require the presence of holes for self-tapping screws in the glass. They are made even before the glass is tempered. After installation, such holes are closed with decorative caps measuring 16 (optional 22) millimeters. Transparent wall panels can only be installed in this way.
Profile systems for glass fastening
This method of fixing glass aprons involves the use of special aluminum profiles to attach tempered glass to the wall. The profile is installed to the wall using dowels and self-tapping screws, and the glass is clamped into a special groove through sealing elements.
In the profile, you can install LED glass backlighting at the end, as well as run wires for additional switches and electrical sockets without cutting into the walls.
Liquid nails (polyurethane adhesive-sealant)
This fastening method requires surface preparation: leveling, plastering, and priming. Gluing the skins is a simple operation - you don’t have to bother with fasteners, mark and drill holes, but you do need good preparation of the walls. Installing a glass apron with glue is a less reliable method of fastening.
After the panel is installed, a wall edge (plinth) is placed between the apron and the tabletop.
Art
To decorate the skinali, various techniques are used - drawings, photos, adhesive film, painting, dyeing, and so on.
Methods of applying an image
There are a lot of ways to apply patterns to glass panels, ranging from simple solutions to high-tech processes:
- Silk-screen printing is screen printing on glass. Special ink is applied to the stencil, which is subsequently transferred to the inner surface of the glass.
- Laser engraving – allows you to experiment with applying a design inside the glass. The laser machine leaves small grooves in the shape of a pattern on the surface.
- Film – the range of which is amazing in its diversity. Using vinyl, self-adhesive film, they create unusual designs. The disadvantage of this decoration method is its fragility - the film begins to peel.
- Painting – used for decorating glass panels with your own hands. To do this, simply apply a design to the back of the apron using brushes and special paints.
- Sandblasting technology is matting the surface according to a specific pattern.
Important! Often the skins crack at the ends - this is the most vulnerable point of the structure. It is the edges of the apron that are most often exposed to mechanical stress. Therefore, you only need to purchase a glass apron of good quality.
Photo printing
It involves applying photographs or drawings to panels, which are printed on a special printer. Thanks to this technology, it is possible to create deep, three-dimensional images that convey all the splendor of the drawing. The first step is to order the production of a canvas, which is applied with glue to tempered glass. It is worth noting that this decoration of kitchen glass aprons is very durable - the design does not fade or peel off.
Relatively expensive
It’s worth mentioning right away that the cost of the skinali cannot be called affordable ; it is much higher than that of aprons made of ceramic tiles, plastic, MDF and other materials. This is why the design is made strictly to order .
The cost of decorative glass panels consists of many factors:
- type of glass;
- processing methods;
- features of applying decorative coating;
- types of drawing.
But despite the high cost, it is economically profitable to order aprons for the kitchen, since this type of apron lasts much longer than all of the above materials.
Advice! The installation of aprons should be trusted only to professionals who have been installing aprons for many years, this is the only way to protect yourself from unwanted consequences.
Buying from the manufacturer – benefits without extra charges
Naturally, every intermediary company wants to make money. Why pay more if you have a manufacturer from whom you can order the same skins for much cheaper? Make purchases at MosFartuk in just a few steps:
- Send an application through the website or to the specified phone number.
- You are waiting for a measurer who will estimate the size of your future frosted glass skins for the kitchen.
- You sign a contract for the production of a surface of a given size.
- Confirm the design of a kitchen splashback with satin glass.
- We provide delivery and installation.
We guarantee the high quality of the materials used and the work performed, so the skins in your kitchen will last for many years!
Photo
See below for even more aprons in the kitchen interior:
