Kitchens rarely conform to convenient dimensions. Worktops run at odd lengths, wall cupboards hang at varying heights, and the spaces between them almost never match the standard panel sizes you'll find on showroom shelves. This fundamental mismatch between real kitchens and off-the-shelf products explains why so many homeowners find themselves frustrated by gaps, awkward joins, or panels that simply don't fit their space.
Made-to-measure kitchen splashbacks eliminate these compromises entirely. When your splashback is manufactured to your exact measurements, it arrives ready to fit your kitchen precisely as it exists, not as some designer imagined a typical kitchen might look. The result is a cleaner installation, a more professional finish, and a splashback that genuinely works with your space rather than against it.
The Problem with Standard Size Kitchen Splashbacks
Walk into any DIY store and you'll find splashbacks in predetermined dimensions designed to suit average kitchens. The trouble is, very few kitchens are actually average. British properties span centuries of architectural styles, from Victorian terraces with their characteristic alcoves to modern apartments with open-plan layouts. Each presents unique challenges that standard sizes can rarely accommodate.
Standard panels often require cutting on site, which risks damaging the material and creating rough edges that compromise both appearance and hygiene. Alternatively, homeowners find themselves working around the panel dimensions, accepting gaps that need filling or overlaps that look untidy. Neither approach delivers the seamless, professional result that makes glass splashbacks so appealing in the first place.
How Made to Measure Kitchen Splashbacks Solve Common Installation Challenges
Bespoke kitchen splashbacks address the specific obstacles that make standard installations problematic. By starting with your measurements rather than predetermined dimensions, every aspect of the finished panel responds to your kitchen's actual requirements.
Custom Splashbacks for Kitchens with Unusual Layouts
Not every kitchen follows a straightforward rectangular layout. L-shaped configurations, galley kitchens, and spaces that wrap around corners all present challenges for standard panel sizes. Made-to-measure splashbacks can be manufactured to fit these irregular layouts, following the contours of your kitchen precisely rather than forcing you to piece together multiple panels or accept awkward joins.
Properties with period features or original architectural details benefit particularly from bespoke manufacturing. Victorian alcoves, dado rails, and other distinctive elements can be accommodated within your splashback design rather than worked around or covered over.
Bespoke Cut-Outs for Sockets and Switches
Standard splashback panels arrive as plain pieces of glass with no accommodation for electrical fixtures whatsoever. This leaves homeowners with limited options: either position the splashback to avoid sockets entirely, leave fixtures exposed above or below the panel, or attempt to work around them in ways that compromise the seamless appearance glass splashbacks are known for.
Made-to-measure splashbacks solve this problem by incorporating precisely positioned cut-outs for sockets, switches, and other fixtures during the manufacturing process. Since the cutting happens before the glass is toughened, these openings can be placed exactly where your electrical points sit, allowing the splashback to run continuously across the wall without interruption.
This matters beyond mere aesthetics. A splashback that stops short of sockets or works awkwardly around them creates visual breaks that fragment the clean lines that make glass splashbacks such a practical choice for kitchen environments. Custom cut-outs maintain that unbroken surface while ensuring your fixtures remain fully accessible.
Fitting Made to Measure Splashbacks Around Cooker Hoods and Appliances
The area behind your hob typically presents the most complex installation challenges. Extractor fans, cooker hoods, and integrated appliances all create irregular shapes that standard panels cannot accommodate without visible joins or unsightly gaps. Made-to-measure manufacturing allows for shaped panels that fit precisely around these appliances, maintaining clean lines throughout the installation.
Whether you need a panel that narrows to fit beneath a hood, curves around an integrated extractor, or incorporates multiple cut-outs for various fixtures, bespoke production makes these requirements straightforward rather than problematic.
The Manufacturing Process Behind Custom Kitchen Splashbacks
Understanding how made-to-measure splashbacks are produced helps explain why they deliver such consistently superior results compared to standard alternatives.
The process begins with your measurements, which form the template for cutting the glass panel. Modern manufacturing techniques allow for precision cutting to within millimetres, ensuring that your finished splashback matches your specifications exactly. This cutting takes place before the glass is toughened, as toughened glass cannot be modified once the strengthening process is complete.
For coloured splashbacks, the paint is applied to the reverse of the glass using specialised spraying equipment that ensures completely even coverage. This back-painting technique means the colour is protected by the glass itself, preventing scratches or damage to the finish during installation or everyday use. The versatility of colour options available through this process means you're not limited to whatever shades happen to be in stock.
Printed designs follow a similar process, with UV-stable inks applied to the glass reverse before the toughening stage. The result is imagery that remains vibrant and protected behind the glass surface for the lifetime of the splashback.
Why Accurate Measurements Matter for Made to Measure Splashbacks
The precision of made-to-measure manufacturing depends entirely on the accuracy of the measurements you provide. Since toughened glass cannot be trimmed or adjusted after production, getting these dimensions right the first time is essential.
Taking measurements isn't complicated, but it does require care. You'll need to account for any wall irregularities, ensure you're measuring to the correct reference points, and consider how the splashback will interact with adjacent surfaces like worktops and cabinets. Most suppliers provide detailed measurement guides, and taking the time to follow these instructions carefully prevents costly mistakes.
If you're planning to fit your splashback over existing tiles, your measurements should account for the additional depth this creates. Similarly, any fixtures that will sit against or within the splashback need to be measured and marked accurately so that cut-outs can be positioned correctly.
Start Designing Your Made to Measure Kitchen Splashback
The gap between the kitchen you have and the splashback you want doesn't need to exist. Made-to-measure manufacturing means your splashback can fit your space exactly, accommodating every socket, working around every appliance, and filling every millimetre of the area you need to cover.
Getting started takes just a few minutes. Measure your space carefully using our online guide, choose your preferred style from our range of colour, printed, clear, or mirrored options, and enter your specifications into our order system. Your bespoke splashback will be manufactured in our British facility and delivered to your door with free tracked shipping, ready to transform your kitchen with a perfect fit that standard sizes could never achieve. Contact our team at info@directsplashbacks.com if you'd like to discuss your requirements before ordering.
