Is it safe to use quartz as a backsplash behind a range?
We are currently remodeling our kitchen, and we have chosen a large veined, engineered quartz for our countertops (Mont Calcutta Venetian). I really want to run the quartz as our backsplash, which would mean it would be behind our gas range. I have heard conflicting comments about whether or not this can get damaged due to the heat from the range. Has anyone used quartz as a full backsplash or have experience or knowledge about this? Any help is appreciated!
Comments (89)
Chessie
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agolucky998877 What?? If running a self cleaning cycle "ruined the control boards" why on earth would it be a feature of the oven? That makes absolutely no sense. And for the record, the one time that I have run the cycle, there was very little odor - really nothing that I found to be unpleasant at all.
lucky998877
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoOk, calm down...it has happened, ask any appliance repair guy. Good for you, keep doing it. This is just the first link that popped up https://www.ovenclean.com/blog/what-are-the-dangers-of-a-self-cleaning-oven/#:~:text=Self%2Dcleaning%20ovens%20can%20be,fire%20according%20to%20Fix%20Appliances.&text=As%20a%20result%2C%20the%20control,and%20lead%20to%20a%20fire.
ILoveRed
3 years agoThe real test ...would the quartz company honor their warranty if your quartz backsplash becomes scorched? Bet they would not. Somewhere in the fine print, whether you read it or not...you are probably warned that this is not an appropriate material. No matter what your kd says..if he/she gives you bad advice and you don’t follow the material instructions, you are sunk.
btw kculbers...thank you for your service.Chessie
3 years agoI'm sure oven-cleaning services have every reason for you to not want to clean your own oven.
lucky998877
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoGot it, you are right, I must be wrong. Like I said, the first link that came up. Research it if you care...
Shannon_WI
3 years ago“I'm sure oven-cleaning services have every reason for you to not want to clean your own oven.”
There are oven-cleaning services? You mean you pay them to come to your house just to clean the oven? Where can I find this? This would be fantastic!
PROJoseph Corlett, LLC
3 years agoILoveRed:
If you have a scorched estone backsplash, you or your designer have not followed the installation instructions of the appliance manufacturer. Quartz manufacturers aren’t responsible for the misuse of their products. As it should be.
sd1962
3 years agoThis is such a contentious issue. Hubs and I were @ HD last evening and the veteran kitchen designer said no one has ever come back with a scorched quartz complaint. My husband also said the oven self cleaning mechanism is within the sturdy appliance how would it damage quartz way up wall? Friend has quartz surround on his wood burning fireplace which gets a lot of use up here in Canada-no damage. I am not disputing the disastrous experiences & pix uploaded here; just saying there are numerous factors of consideration including competency of appliance & backsplash installation. Maybe not fair to be categorical and best to assess all relevant parameters including risk tolerance. I personally have been scared off of running the quartz as backsplash, but still admire the streamlined look.
ILoveRed
3 years agoJoe...my words must have been lost in translation because you and I agree. i do not think this is an appropriate material either.
my sister was warned not to even use her crock pot on her new quartz countertop without a cutting board beneath it.vinmarks
3 years agoscd1962 in regards to your husband stating the oven self cleaning mechanism is within the sturdy appliance how would it damage quartz way up wall? If you look at many of these ranges they have a vent at the back of the stove top. All that hot air from the self clean cycle gets vented out this vent. That is how the quartz gets scorched. You also have many ranges which have high powered burners at the back which put off lots of heat and can scorch the quartz. I had a Wolf range in a previous house which had a griddle. It discolored my stainless back guard on a small area so who knows what it would do if that were quartz.
I think what has been said over and over again is that quartz can be used as long as the installation instructions are followed for the appliance. If an appliance says you need a back guard or it has to be 6 inches away from combustible materials as long as you follow that then quartz can be used behind it.
Appliances come with installation instructions. Does anyone read them?sd1962
3 years agoWhile we have had a few ovens in our day-just average residential, electric ones-we never had a backsplash to worry about. Husband regularly used the cleaning cycle and there was no impact to painted wall, or laminate counter, lol. Much less expensive to forgo the quartz- and attendant worry- and install a lovely marble mosaic BS, which is where we are leaning. Interesting issue and discussion points.
kculbers
3 years agoWow. Then isn’t grout combustible?? Everyone with a backslash with tile and grout should also be concerned too about scorching behind the stove. My high powered burners are in the front.
sd1962
3 years agoThe drywall itself is, and I have been vigorously cooking & cleaning the oven for 40 years, no combustion. Kculbers you shared your positive experience of a decade with quartz behind stove as well as a picture: I believe you and the others who suffered damage. I believe my experienced HD kitchen designer & contractors who say they have not encountered it. think there is consensus that it is not the quartz per se, but flawed installation and other factors.
sjh1610
3 years agoUnfortunately, the ranges that vent from the oven at the back could expel high heat and residue that sticks to the backsplash. Yes, 6 inches from the centre of the back burners to the wall is essential in all ranges without a back guard. Most counter tops are 25” so there is usually a bit of gap (approximately 2”) from the back of the range from the wall with 6” from burner measurement. This allows for the oven door to be the requisite distance from the cabinetry as it needs protrudes out to protect your cabinets from oven heat. If any range without a back guard is pushed up right against the wall you are going to have a problem, especially those ranges that vent from the oven at the back, like Thermador and Miele. In addition. There are differing qualities of quartz, some can withstand a lot of heat, some cannot. All ranges areas must have fire wall/cement board in the walls to be up to code. The tile or quartz you place there will be fine if the range is installed correctly. It’s not designer fault, rather contractors or appliance installers that may not be getting it right. If it is installed correctly as per the spec instructions you can be assured all will be fine. Back guards may essential for certain models and ranges that have had ovens that vent at the back. And always ensure your exhaust hood has the right CFM’s for the range type and have it on when using your range to exhaust the excess heat.
- PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago"There are differing qualities of quartz, some can withstand a lot of heat, some cannot."
Engineered stone is essentially all the same stuff. 66% quartz and 33% plastic. There is no substantial heat resistance between brands.
"All ranges areas must have fire wall/cement board in the walls to be up to code."
If the cement board is screwed to wood studs, the wall is still combustible.
"It’s not designer fault, rather contractors or appliance installers that may not be getting it right."
The contractor and appliance installer did not draw the drawings. They did not specify the wall construction. They did not specify the appliance, however, when the wall gets scorched, these poor schmucks are the first to get blamed for the pencil pusher's screw-up. sd1962
3 years agoIs there anyone else in the vast Houzz universe of millions who follow the trend of running quartz between the slide in range & ceiling? Btw, everyone I know has a BS of some sort -which experts here are contending are highly flammable & susceptible to scorching. Just interested in ppl’s anecdotes. In my old oven I would regularly clean oven-weekly- and engage in high heat roasting. Nothing happened except a good meal or a clean oven interior.
- PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years agoThis expert here is not contending that backsplashes are highly flammable and susceptible to scorching. This expert has seen too many designers not acquaint themselves with the appliance manufacturer's installation instructions before specifying a product. This expert has seen too many people believe that putting a noncombustible surface over a combustible wall makes that wall noncombustible. It does not according to the NFPA. Anecdotes about how Aunt Mabel had a wall paper backsplash for 50 years that never scorched and never burned her house down are irrelevant.
sd1962
3 years agoActual, validated consumer experiences are not irrelevant in the aggregate. The plural of anecdote is data.
Asfa Eewa
3 years agoGosh, these comment are so mixed!
We were thinking to go with quartz backsplash too recently but now will opt for tiles. Just to be safe and not spending $1000 more to go waste is our reason.
I was hoping a reason to buy the high quality/high price would give us better usage and heat survival but that doesn’t seems to be the case for quartz. Sucks! I really love the looks of it. Not worth the extra $$ when you grill and cook high heat weekly.sd1962
3 years agoI wish more ppl with actual experience of quartz bs would post on this forum with pix. We also love the streamlined look but are wary of any risk so likely making a non controversial choice. Our contractor is very reputable & highly booked in our region; also does the Home Depot construction. They have never heard of this ”scorching” BS issue-which HOUZZ expert J. C. states is due to installation Error, not the product.What with most major contractors having FB & other social media pages, surprised they would blithely install quartz bs at the current rate, in the popular white tones if it was a guaranteed dumpster 🔥?
nagel77
2 years agowe just did a pure white caesarstone quartz backsplash behind our gas cooktop, all the way up to the ceiling. it looks wonderful. Nobody told me it would be an issue, i only read about it afterwards. sigh. I've called the company we bought the stone from, the fabricator, our contractor and they have all said they have not seen it to be an issue. I'm nervous about it - but it's installed now, so we'll see how it goes. I have searched the internet upside down looking for people with problems and i know there has been a couple here, but i also can not really find any on the internet outside of here. If it happens, it would be a bit of a thing to remove it, but crossing my fingers for now.
sd1962
2 years agoBrave of you kcukbers to post your positive extended experience👏 With quartz b/s.You discussed before in this forum before and were pilloried. I went with long, gray gray, zellige subway tile, also floor to ceiling. Counters and small island are Dekton Olimpo; also so controversial here that my husband made the final decision as I was too worried by all the negativity.. Final installation of other products just happened July 2, so in the midst of moving all our dishes, into their new home, lol. I will post pix when everything is put away.
sd1962
2 years agonagel77, good for you to get what you liked: I’m sure it will be fine and looks beautiful. I went through HD in a large Canadian city and the veteran kitchen designer said she had never had such an occurence. Contractor said same. Hope you feel like sharing some pix!!
jmm1837
2 years agoI think a point is being missed here. My stove top (not range) is not one of the big pro versions and, according to the specs, requires only a couple of inches clearance from the rear burners to the wall. I suspect quartz would be fine as a backsplash with it. (In fact, I have glass.) Big, powerful ranges have different specifications, and if the specifications for yours say 6 inches or a backguard, then quartz with no backguard is the wrong material. It all depends on the specifications of the individual range, which is the point being missed with some of the anecdotes.
sd1962
2 years agoGreat to have your commentary but you are reinforcing what has been noted on the subject , fail to see the originality.
sd1962
2 years agoAh, why not read thread? jmm1837 asserted ppl were missing a salient point: he was reiterating standard information-thus no new point made, or missed.
M Miller
2 years agoOn the one hand I agree with @sd1962 - the post by @jmm1837 was not necessary and the points already made several times in this long thread had jmm1837 only read it. On the other hand, I agree with @Chessie that such is Houzz forum life, and people will be just like @jmm1837 all the time, so not much to do but laugh about it.
Chessie
2 years agosd1962 If you have spent any time at all on public forums., then you surely understand that there will be many MANY posts that regurgitate the exact same information. You can run around and post behind every post that you think is "unoriginal" if you like, but you will spend a lifetime doing that LOL. This is simply how forums work.
And FYI, there is no requirement that anyone has to read through a thread before posting.jmm1837
2 years agoM. Miller et al: not only have I read the entire thread, I was one of the first to comment on it. I made the same point then that I just made, and rather a lot of people are still ignoring it. Such is indeed the nature of the internet.
sandra E
last yearDoes anyone know if a duel fuel 36” range would have same problems as an all gas range in regards to quartz backsplash?
- PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last yearSandra:
It isn't the fuel; it's the heat and the spacing from same. Follow the appliance manufacturer's instructions please. Elizabeth Alvarez Sell
last yearWe got a high heat output range and last minute added the back guard for the quartz. It’s functional… I don’t love how it looks with the guard but because I didn’t want my quartz to scorch here I am…
RoyHobbs
last year@Elizabeth Alvarez Sell - that looks great. Love the hood too - can you please say what brand the hood is? It looks powerful and the baffle filters look well-made. A very "Pro" look, and I bet it functions well too.
Elizabeth Alvarez Sell
last yearThank you we really like it. We have had it for about a year we needed a really powerful one because the range has a grill. It’s Zephyr brand. https://zephyronline.com/product/titan-wall/
Chessie
last yearI think the backguard looks good - it sure is hella easy to clean, and will save you grief in the long run. Smart decision!
PROValerie Ruddy Designs - Decorating Den Interiors
last yearI know it is a trend and it looks great in the photos, but your average quartz isn't normally recommended for a backsplash. Some people here have commented that they've used Dekton instead of standard quartz. That product is made to withstand heat up to 800 degrees and should perform well as a backsplash behind the range. Check with the manufacturer and the contractor to make sure that they would cover you if there is an issue. Most quartz manufacturers will not warranty the product if it becomes damaged due to sudden or excessive heat that can cause discoloration and cracking to occur. Recommendations for quartz products include not moving a pot or pan onto your quartz surface directly from the range for the same issue and never use it on your fireplace surround. Even your airfryer and coffeemaker should have something under it to create a thermal break to avoid yellowing and cracking that could become an issue over time. Every surface material has its benefits and drawbacks. You need to figure out which one ticks most of your boxes for use, look and budget. Save yourself a possible headache and use this rule of thumb: If the manufacturer won't warranty their product for your intended use of their material, that tells you everything you should know.
- PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year"If the manufacturer won't warranty their product for your intended use of their material, that tells you everything you should know."
Manufacturers don't specify other products or compatibility thereof. They tell you minium clearances. If you meet those, you can have a tissue paper backsplash for all they care. - PRO
Valerie Ruddy Designs - Decorating Den Interiors
last yearTrue that clearances make a difference. You might end up having to bump your cooktop forward if you’re dead set on using some materials. You’ve got to read the clearances and specs on both the cooktop or range and the backsplash material to make the best decision for your project.
pinkshell8
last yearThis thread has been very informative for me as we are just starting a kitchen reno, so thank you to all contributors.
We plan to do a quartz backsplash, including behind a 30" wide residential gas cooktop (not a range or stove).
Please bear with me as I continue to explain!
I looked at the specs of the cooktop I was planning to order. Based on those specs and assumption the new quartz countertop depth is 25.5" (I know assumptions are risky, but since 25.5" is what we have now and considered standard, I'm going with that for this example), my calculations are:
25.5" (countertop depth) - 21.25" (cooktop depth) - 3" (min distance from rear wall) - 1.875" (min distance from counter front) = -0.625"
Which means I'm 5/8" short, and this isn't taking into account the thickness of the quartz backsplash, which I believe should not be included in the 3" from rear wall guideline from the cooktop manufacturer.
Sorry if I'm hurting anyone's brain with math today! Just looking for some validation my logic is correct in how I should be calculating. And also curious if my belief the distance from the rear of the cooktop to the front of the quartz backsplash (not wall) should be 3."
I plan to look for a different cooktop, hopefully one that is closer to 20" deep and add the backguard just to be safe (thanks to @Elizabeth Alvarez Sell for sharing her backguard photo)!
flopsycat1
last yearWhen our Viking range died, we purchased a slide-in range from a different manufacturer. It has a rear vent and no backguard . With either the oven or rear burners on full blast, I can place my hand on the Cambria backsplash and barely feel any warmth. Prior to purchase of the new range, I contacted the manufacturer, as well as Cambria. They both stated that, when following installation guidelines, there should be no problem. It has been a complete non-issue for us.
Logan Barney
last yearI also have white quartz BS behind my stove. i noticed it has begun to discolor or become scorched when I turn on my oven. unfornately we we were not thinking and pushed the stove against the bs. we did pull it out now. but ill probably have to buy the ss backsplash which i really dont like but seems it will get more yellow. i dont cook as often too.
kculbers