The 12 Most Affordable Alternatives To Tile Backsplash That Still Make A Statement

Tile backsplash has become the status quo for modern kitchens. However, the process of installing tiles can be exhausting and expensive, and if you're someone who likes to mix up your décor regularly, it might be hard to commit to just one type of tile. Plus, unless you're willing to pay for unique tile manufacturers, the options available on sites like Lowe's and Home Depot can start to feel redundant, leaving little room for creativity. Instead, jazz up your kitchen while saving money with affordable alternatives like chalkboard paint, peel and stick options, and wallpaper. 

Many of the designer-backed tile backsplash trends are pricey, with the cost rising for every additional square foot you need to cover. The cost with installation can be between $15 and $40 per square foot, meaning you'd spend up to $1,400 for 35 square feet of backsplash. This price point increases if you want complex designs like herringbone or hexagonal tiling. It's important to remember that committing to this type of process could mean losing access to your kitchen for a good chunk of time and could put other expensive materials in your kitchen (like marble countertops or natural stone floors) at an increased risk of damage. Instead, consider one of the following affordable solutions that you can likely install yourself.

To get the same look of tiles without the high cost, use peel and stick tiles made of PVC. If you want a colorful option, consider the LONGKING Peel and Stick Backsplash Tile Stickers, which retail for about $3 per square foot. The tile sheets are resistant to heat and humidity and are easy to clean because the surface is wipeable instead of porous like some tiles could be. Other choices in basic styles like subway tiles and solid colors are also available as well.

While it might not be the first thing that comes to mind, wood is a beautiful tile backsplash alternative that will give your kitchen a rustic look. Plus, you can get real wood planks, like the Rockin' Wood Peel & Stick Rustic Reclaimed Barn Wood Paneling, which are easy to install. They are pricier than peel and stick tiles, but they are less expensive than regular tile. If you go this route, you'll likely want to seal your wood panels to make them more water-resistant. Also consider the dangers of it being flammable.

Oftentimes, when you buy marble countertops, you're given the opportunity to purchase a full backsplash to be installed at the same time as your new counters. This can be a great aesthetic change from the typical tiles, helping your kitchen stand out. However, this purchase can cost up to $130 per square foot, making it even more expensive than tiling. Instead, opt for a peel and stick option like the Chejiaye Marble Peel and Stick Waterproof Wall Panels, which are made of PVC, easy to install, and cost much less than the real deal.

Natural stone offers a more quirky kitchen backsplash design because it features a combination of stone aesthetics, making for a much more interesting effect than ceramic tiling. While the real deal will cost up to $68 per square foot, self-installed options like the Yipscazo Peel and Stick Stone Metal Tile Backsplash made from PVC offer the same look for around $3 per square foot. This option can make your kitchen feel more rustic and could complement just about any countertop and cabinet colors.

Installing brick for your kitchen backsplash would cost a similar amount to ceramic tiling, ranging all the way up to $40 per square foot. However, if you love the industrial look of brick in the kitchen, you can achieve it for way less by opting for peel-and-stick brick sheets like the PVC COMSTICKC 3D Brick Wall Panels, which cost under $5 per square foot. Because you can install these yourself, you'll save on labor costs and be able to switch them up whenever it's time for a kitchen renovation. 

Rather than spending time and money on a trendy kitchen backsplash, you can instead leave the walls exposed for a chic, simple look and feel. You could opt to keep the walls a fresh white hue or even paint them bold and exciting colors to match your cabinets or other parts of the room. The best part of this approach is that if you decide later on that it's not the right look for your home, you won't need to remove anything in order to start tiling or adding a new material to the wall.

Another route to giving your kitchen an elevated farmhouse look is to add vertical wood paneling that you paint over. The stripes from the wood's panels will add dimension to the backsplash, while the paint color can be selected to match other parts of the room or be something different entirely. This style is trending and its popularity seems very justified: wood paneling is affordable, timeless, and eco-friendly. So long as you seal it correctly, a wooden backsplash will give you the durability and longevity you need for your dream kitchen. 

Want an intricate design without paying for tiles? Water-resistant wallpaper may be the best option. Opting for a geometric wallpaper like the Erfoni Herringbone Contact Paper is a great way to achieve the complex look for less. You could also potentially use wallpapers that aren't waterproof as long as you pair them with a short backsplash where the edge of your countertops rises from the counters and offers more protection. Find a peel and stick wallpaper like the James and Color Vintage Hummingbird selection that goes on in sections and saves you the headache of tiling your entire kitchen.

Nothing says "heat resistant" quite like tempered glass. There are plenty of glass artists who create large slabs of tempered glass with the intention of placing them behind stoves, like this mulitcolored backsplash from WallArtDecorFactory on Etsy. To purchase this, you would just need to measure the area behind your stove and select the proper size. You'll also save on installation costs by doing it yourself. Once your glass slab arrives, place it against the wall and use the provided tape to keep it in place. 

Want extra storage for your kitchen appliances and utensils? You can use a pegboard — for instance, the SKÅDIS from IKEA — as a backsplash that will hold your items to keep your counters clutter-free. Hang up your pots, pans, spoons, and much more with just a simple hook placed into the pegboard and easily move them around if you want to reorganize. You will have to be prepared for increased cleaning duties, but painting your board a darker color will help reduce stain potential. You may also want to avoid placing it behind the stove for safety.

If you've been holding onto your wine bottle corks and have amassed enough that you need a craft for them, boy do we have the idea for you. Line up your corks along your wall as a backsplash to give your home a natural aesthetic and make the most of your saved corks. Because cork is such a spongy material, you can easily poke things in it, like thumb tacks and small nails. This backsplash is ideal for chefs who need to visualize their recipes or families who love pinning up notes for each other. 

Instead of using regular paint for your backsplash, you can opt for chalkboard paint, which has ingredients like talc and titanium dioxide so that it holds onto chalk messages. This paint is typically non-toxic so you don't need to worry about keeping it far from food spaces, and because of its black hue, it won't show stains or water marks very easily. Once installed, you'll be able to write grocery lists or recipe measurements and let your kids doodle while you cook.