# kitchen worktop upstands



## sawdust1 (3 Mar 2013)

Hi all, fitting another howdens kitchen this week would like to know how others do the upstands. I always tile then gripfill the upstand to the tiles then silicone upstand to worktop edge and upstand to tile edge. Is this the correct way or do you fix upstand to wall then tile to upstand ?


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## carlb40 (3 Mar 2013)

I think i have only used the upstand a few times. I don't think either time it was tiled. What i do is bed the upstand on silicone, then silicone again to give a double protection.


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## Phil Pascoe (3 Mar 2013)

I think I'd tile down to the worktop, and forget the upstand - it's neater, I think.


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## Steve Maskery (3 Mar 2013)

I must admit I don't understand the modern taste in kitchen design.
I was in a kitchen showroom on Friday and all the displays had upstands and all but one of them was themed black. Black worktop, black wall tiles, black floor tiles.
Yes it sort of looks chic, but you have to live with it. Black anything shows every mark, every flaw. Just like white does.
And what does an upstand actually do? It seems totally unnecessary to me.
Perhaps I'm just becoming a GOM.
S


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## JakeS (3 Mar 2013)

Steve Maskery":1d14n69n said:


> And what does an upstand actually do?



It saves you from cracking the corners of your tiles off when you push your chopping board out of the way to the back of the work surface too fast.

At least, that's my speculation, not having such a thing but having a few cracked tiles behind my kitchen worksurfaces...


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## Phil Pascoe (3 Mar 2013)

If your tiles are bedded properly, they shouldn't crack easily. One thing an upstand does is to cover large gaps where the kitchen fitter didn't attempt to scribe the top to the wall.


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## Steve Maskery (4 Mar 2013)

Given that a tile must be nominally at least 1/4", that must be one hell of a gap.
S


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## speed (4 Mar 2013)

Upstands are generally fitted when there is no tile, some People just have the cooker splash back tiles then upstanding on the rest,

It protects the wall from damage with choping boards etc and when you clean the work top it stops the cloth smudging against plaster


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## Harbo (4 Mar 2013)

We have granite work tops with up-stands and a matching granite hob splash-back bedded with silicon.

Black I'm afraid but full of other crystals that looks as if its covered in crumbs? 

Rod


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## gardenshed (4 Mar 2013)

Are peeps still tiling walls in kitchens :shock:


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## carlb40 (4 Mar 2013)

gardenshed":2nfc82ia said:


> Are peeps still tiling walls in kitchens :shock:


Yeah a lot of councils and housing associations still tile kitchens.


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## Steve Maskery (4 Mar 2013)

Go on then guys, I'll bite. What is wrong with tiles?
S


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## carlb40 (4 Mar 2013)

Nothing as far as i'm concerned. The right tile enhances a kitchen. Just as long as it isn't a fashion item


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## Steve Maskery (4 Mar 2013)

I agree. That's my main gripe about all this black. Black granite worktops I can cope with. Indeed, some are beautiful. But black wall tiles, floor tiles and cupboards...
It's not my taste, I have to say.
S


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## carlb40 (4 Mar 2013)

I agree the black wall tiles are not to my taste either or all this high gloss coloured units :roll: 

I don't know what is wrong with just a plain real oak / maple etc kitchen


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## Phil Pascoe (4 Mar 2013)

gardenshed":ys86ieo9 said:


> Are peeps still tiling walls in kitchens :shock:


Different part of the world, maybe? I've not thought about it before, but I can't recall ever seeing a kitchen that wasn't tiled at least partially.


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## sawdust1 (4 Mar 2013)

Thanks for the replies, looks like i've started a debate with this, i can't see why anybody would go for black tops and tiles, i would recommend to a customer to go for a light colour tile, even with a dark upstand. I like upstands they finish off the worktop to wall area neatly, and yes they are good for bridging the gap between worktop and wall especially when the two walls are not at a right angle, saves a lot of scribing. I always tile after the worktops have been fitted so i suppose they cover any gaps. But as yet no one has answered the question tile to upstand or upstand onto tiles.


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## Richard S (4 Mar 2013)

Fit the upstanding first then tile above that, otherwise you will have a part tile showing at the bottom, probably not too bad if the whole or majority of the wall is tiled but if its only 3 or 4 rows not good.

Richard


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## Benchwayze (5 Mar 2013)

carlb40":2df6fpo5 said:


> I agree the black wall tiles are not to my taste either or all this high gloss coloured units :roll:
> 
> I don't know what is wrong with just a plain real oak / maple etc kitchen



Carl, 

Well, here's hoping you'll approve of mine when I finish it!

Using a light wood for framed doors (Shaker-style; for quick 'n easy.) and buying-in light oak laminated solid worktops. I know they only make these to find a use for off-cuts, but it will save me a lot of time. Tiles? Just a few in strategic places.


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