For months I have been practicing what I will do with the back wall of the kitchen; painting with washable paint in the kitchen, tiles against it or a complete back wall of glass or with a photo on it, for example. I like everything so the choice was not made one-two-three. What was decisive for me is that there is a fantastic way to paint the walls in the kitchen. And because we have an open kitchen, I also wanted to create unity with the rest of the room. So we painted the back wall of the kitchen and I'm happy to tell you how I did that and what my experiences are in using it and whether it stays beautiful.
Who knows, it may also help you make your choice.
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There are plenty of washable paints on the market. Think, for example, of brands such as Sigma or Sikkens, but hardware stores also claim to have washable wall paints. All fine, but do think about where exactly you want to use that paint in your kitchen. One washable paint is not the other shall we say. And it is of course very unfortunate if you have just painted the wall in the kitchen and then you get stains that you can't get off easily. Or not at all, which is even more painful.
So I went to investigate which paint I could use best and whether there are other details. And they are! So would you also like to paint the back wall of your kitchen with washable paint, also behind your stove for example? Then be sure to read on.
As a basis I chose the Sigma paint that we also used for the renovation of our office, simply in the color white. A very fine paint that is very easy to work with. Not unimportant of course, because I hate drips and splashes all over the place. Of course I do cover some of my furniture and the like, but preferably not too much. The Sigma Perfect Matt is a washable paint by nature.
We have already tested this extensively in the office where our cats spend a lot of time. And dirty cat paws on the wall are no problem I noticed 😉 . With a clean cloth and a little water I can get those paw prints off the wall in no time.
But just a washable paint in the kitchen was not enough for me. Especially because the wall behind the stove is also unprotected and experience from the past shows that some splashes can fly around when cooking. Especially when hubby is busy. The wall behind the hob must therefore be well protected.
The first 15 centimeters of the wall is still covered with a tile. The same (ugly) tile as we also have as a counter top. This countertop is still part of the old kitchen, but there is still a project planned to tackle the countertop as well. And then of course I also immediately take that back wall with me, preferably with concrete ciré or something. I have already done several projects with it, such as the kitchen table and the windowsills.
But above that piece of tile is a whole piece of wall, unprotected and completely 'in view'. As mentioned, I have my doubts about using only washable paint in the kitchen to paint the back wall. If it's water splashes or a bit of mud, you can probably get it off with that washable paint. But red pasta sauce or fat splashes is a bit different, isn't it?
That is why I went looking for better protection for the walls than just washable wall paint. And I found it in the form of a 2-component paint. A super product, which means that painting the kitchen has now led to a well-protected rear wall behind the stove. But I also treated the other walls in the kitchen with this lacquer. After all, the whole kitchen is a kind of danger zone when you have children in the house, isn't it?
So in the end I treated all the walls of the kitchen after painting with washable wall paint with the above lacquer, the Trae Lyx Natural Finish. What a great product that is! I treated the wall behind the stove with this, but also the other walls behind the counter top and the wall in the kitchen behind the trash can. That is always such a vulnerable wall.
By working with the Trae Lyx Natural Finish, these walls are now all well protected and washable. Ideal. Working with this paint is a bit different than working with an ordinary washable paint in the kitchen. This lacquer consists of 2 components that you have to mix together and then process within 2-3 hours. So don't prepare too much at once.
Simply apply the Trae Lyx Natural Finish over your washable paint in the kitchen when it is dry. You apply it with a roller, so it's just as easy as applying paint. The paint is clear and gives no color difference compared to the rest of the wall that has already been painted. So you could also choose to paint only one part of the wall if you wish. No problem.
It is best to process this paint 'wet in wet'. So make sure that you can paint a wall in one go. The reason for this is that this varnish dries more slowly. And if the paint is drying and you go over it again with the roller, it could 'rumble' a bit. Don't worry about that, if you just finish your wall there's nothing to worry about. But I want to have said it anyway 😉 . The 2-component paint that makes your wall washable is a bit whitish when you apply it. But that dries white, so no worries.
So far we are very positive about the wall behind the stove that has been painted. Thanks to the washable paint and the 2-component lacquer Trae Lyx Natural Finish, I can keep the wall clean. If there are some spatters on it after cooking dinner, I just wipe it off with a cloth, as if it were a tile. I am curious how things will be in a year's time, but my feeling is that this is coming soon. Especially when I read the other reviews about this polish.
