Glass splashbacks are becoming a very popular option for kitchens today, as glass is naturally resistant to bacteria and germs, and it works well with a variety of styles and colors. Glass is also easy to recycle, so it makes for a very eco-friendly choice. When you are ready to shop for glass splashbacks, it's good to note a few things to look for other than its overall appearance. This can ensure that you get the right type for your home and will be happy with your splashback for years to come.

Back painted

Glass may be clear and simply put over a painted wall, but many glass splashbacks are painted themselves. This can be to create a certain design or picture; your glass splashback can reproduce a photo of yours or look like a photo of a cityscape, sunset, beach, and the like. This paint should be applied to the back of the glass itself so that it's protected from damage due to heat, corrosion, and the like. When you see back painted glass advertised, this is a higher-quality of painted glass than one that is not painted on the back.

Low iron

Glass usually has some iron mixed into the raw materials when it's made, to make it tough and strong and more durable. Low iron glass means just that; it has a lower iron mixture than other types of glass. This gives you the benefit of a clearer glass than mixtures with higher iron percentages; the more iron in glass, the more cloudy or green it might look. For a quality and true color, look for low iron glass.

Toughened glass

Toughened glass is made to be stronger and more durable, so it resists breaking and especially when exposed to high heat, which you might need for application behind a stovetop. However, toughened glass also doesn't break into sharp shards if it should shatter. Phone booths and other such public areas surrounded by glass use toughened glass--for a person's safety if that glass should break. While all the glass used for a splashback is typically very secure, note if you can find toughened glass for even more protection against breakage or sharp shards.

Polished edges

Polished edges can make a glass splashback safer as the edges will be more rounded and less likely to cut you while cleaning your splashback. Look for rounded edges that are polished to a certain softness when shopping for a splashback so you know it will be safe to the touch.