Sealing stone work

[Minkeycat]

We're hopefully getting a range cooker soon and are considering a splashback. As it's going in a stone fireplace, general consensus is that the natural stone should be left as is behind it. We're concerned that over time, food will splash onto it and it won't be easy to clean. Someone mentioned to seal the stone but I'm concerned that will darken it and shouldn't it be breathable? Is there a product will seal it without darkening and will enable it to breathe? That sounds like a self-defeating sealant to me!

I want to avoid putting a bit of glass/perspex behind the cooker because I see that as being expensive if it's not going to look a bit clumsy. So, as ever, any solutions and suggestions are very welcome.

 

[Flyfisher]

We used Liberon Stone Sealer on our new pamment kitchen floor and it didn't change the colour. Liberon also make a 'colour enhancing' sealer, so I guess the colour enhancement thing depends on the formulation. The usual caveat about doing a test on a small inconspicuous area applies!

 

[a twig]

I want to avoid putting a bit of glass/perspex behind the cooker because I see that as being expensive if it's not going to look a bit clumsy. So, as ever, any solutions and suggestions are very welcome.

A quality bit of 5mm perspex/polycarb and some decorative fittings should come in at under £80. Glass will look better but might be a bit more spendy depending on your required size.

Can look really good in my opinion, and is an easy wipe down after use, whereas even sealed stone will be a b*gger to clean

 

[a twig]

A quick google reveals that optically clear acrylic is even cheaper (enough to buy two in case you cock one up ) and is nigh-on impossible to tell the difference without touching it.

EDIT - don’t do this as per Abi’s point below

 

[Minkeycat]

Thansk A Twig. I'l be looking into that solution now because we hadn't appreciated quite how much how you can use that idea to enhance the light. We like the top picture of the kitchen - do you have details of what it is/who made it?

I'll also check out Liberon in case the back of the fireplace its going in proves too challenging for my perspex/acrylic/glass abilities - thanks FlyFisher.

 

[Abi Cott]

If the Range cooker is going to have a gas or ceramic hob you really should use toughened glass rather than acrylic. Induction hobs are probably ok with acrylic but other types of hob are not. You would need to leave a substantial and probably unsightly gap to comply with safety regulations.

 

[a twig]

Thansk A Twig. I'l be looking into that solution now because we hadn't appreciated quite how much how you can use that idea to enhance the light. We like the top picture of the kitchen - do you have details of what it is/who made it?

Abi has a point, from memory acrylic is only good up to about 60 degrees, at which point it gets a bit melty, so depends how near/hot etc. Polycarbonate is about 140'C before it starts to deform so that could be worth investigating. I think the ones in the photos are glass to be honest though...

I found that photo on the website of an Aus firm, Kyal and Kara I think, they seem to be some sort of kitchen design agency / people. A judicious bit of googling can find firms that provide similar in the UK - a quick example:
https://www.splashbacksuk.com/clearglass.html?height=750&width=600

Hiding some warm yellowy colour temperature (2500 - 3000K) LED strip lighting behind would probably get you most of the way to achieving the look in that photo. Higher K values (4000K to 5000k) will give you a clearer white/blue light more like the bottom photo - not as pretty but better for lighting your cooking area in terms of seeing when things are cooked etc. Meat in particular looks much better (vibrant reds) under higher values, hence why a lot of butchers & supermarkets use 4000K upwards for their lighting on their meat counters etc.