What is an upstand? (2024)

FAQs

What is an upstand? ›

What an upstand is for. The purpose of an upstand is to create a seal between the worktop and the wall, to ensure that no liquids can seep behind the cabinets. It also catches a lot of the day to day splashes and mess. This is particularly useful because upstands are easier to clean than kitchen walls.

Upstands prevent water, food, and cooking splashes from staining or damaging walls, making kitchen maintenance easier. They also offer a polished look, concealing gaps between countertops and walls. Additionally, upstands can be designed to match the kitchen decor, adding a finishing touch to the overall aesthetic.

A splashback is a panel of material that's fitted to the wall above your kitchen base cabinets. They are similar to upstands, but instead of only being 60-150mm high, they cover the whole area between your worktop and your wall cabinets. And they can go higher in areas where needed. Such as behind your hob.

Upstands are essentially small strips of material that run along the back edge of your worktop, creating a barrier between the counter and the wall. They're typically around 60-120mm in height, and can be made from the same material as your kitchen worktops, to create a seamless look.

These upstands are generally mdf with a laminate coating, so are easy to cut with a chopsaw to get clean cuts and mitred edges (angled corners). Make sure all your bits fit together in your corners before you glue and add sealant! Upstands which match the worktop mean you don't have to tile.

Upstands are basically an extension of your worktop. Running the length, they return up the wall for between 6cm and 12cm. They help to finish off worksurfaces and can cover any gaps between uneven walls and the straight edge of a worktop.

We think modern kitchens tend to look better with splashbacks in worktop material or glass, to give a bolder statement look. Whereas traditional kitchens tend to look better with upstand or tile features to keep that pared down look.

An upstand not only provides an aesthetic purpose but can also be used to cover the gap between a straight worktop and an uneven wall. We recommend that upstands are attached directly to the wall using a suitable adhesive, allowing the worktop to move underneath if needed.

The upstand is usually a thinner slice of the same material as the worktop is made from. Thanks to this continuity of design, the upstand has a subtle effect, making it less noticeable. Upstands are generally 20mm thick, compared to 30mm for worksurfaces.

Upstands create a smooth transition between your worktop and walls. Available in a range of materials, heights and thicknesses, they're simple to install, bonded to the wall above your worktop leaving a gap of around 2mm for keying corner sealant application to prevent spills getting in the joint.

Do you put splashback on top of upstand? ›

Personally, I think if you are having an upstand and a splashback it is entirely up to you whether you sit the glass above the upstand, or leave a gap for the glass to go in between the upstands.

A frequently posed question when designing flat roofs is “What upstand height do I need?” On the face of it a simple question with, one may think, a simple answer. Most of the time the simple answer is “150mm above the finished roof level”.

Apply an adhesive or water-resistant silicone to the back of the upstand in a zig-zag run and place the upstand against the wall. Remove any excess adhesive which comes up. Step 5: Let it dry and then seal up!

While upstands do protect your walls from staining and splatters, splashbacks are typically used in areas where this is most likely to happen, such as behind the sink or hob, as they provide a greater range of protection.

'An upstand is used in areas of the kitchen that do not create cooking splashes because it will not protect much of the wall behind,' she continues, saying that they are generally between 80mm and 150mm high and come in various lengths that should be cut to fit on site.

While an upstand is a strip of material above the countertop, a splashback typically covers the space between the the countertops and the underside of the units and is an easy-to-clean way of protecting the wall from everyday splashes and spills of cooking.

Personally, I think if you are having an upstand and a splashback it is entirely up to you whether you sit the glass above the upstand, or leave a gap for the glass to go in between the upstands.

The answer is yes, your kitchen requires a splashback because it keeps the moisture off the drywall, moisture on the plaster wall won't seem like much of a big deal but eventually, it will be exposed to so much moisture it will start to mould and that is difficult and costly to fix later on.