A Surface That Handles A Real Kitchen
Fired clay is a far more robust everyday surface than emulsion or a painted splashback, and it does not lose its face the first time something is scrubbed off it.
Brick Slip Specialists
Brick Slip Kitchens& Splashbacks FittedAcross Teesside
A kitchen wall with genuine brick character that still wipes down after a busy Sunday — set out around units, sockets and the hob so the finish looks intentional from every angle.
Five-star reviewed on Google · 25-year workmanship guarantee
30 years in the trade25-year workmanship guaranteeOwn Middlesbrough showroomFive-star reviewed on GoogleFree, no-obligation quotes
The Service
Character In The Hardest-Working Room
Kitchens punish surfaces. Steam, splashes, heat near the hob, cleaning products and constant contact wear out paint and tile grout far faster than anywhere else in the house. Brick slips give the room genuine texture and warmth in a material that was fired at high temperature long before it reached your wall.
The two common applications are a splashback run between worktop and wall units, and a full brick wall on a dining or island elevation in an open-plan kitchen. Both bring the same benefit: they stop a modern handleless kitchen from reading as a showroom display and give it something with depth.
The difference between a kitchen brick wall that looks designed and one that looks stuck on is entirely in the setting out. Units, sockets, extractor, window reveals and the ends of runs all have to be planned before the first slip goes up.
Who it is for
- New kitchen installations that need one surface with texture rather than another slab of colour.
- Open-plan kitchen-diners where the dining end needs to feel like a room, not an extension of the units.
- Homeowners replacing tired tiles or a marked painted splashback for something that survives daily use.
- Island and breakfast-bar elevations that would otherwise be plain painted board.
When it is needed
- Before the kitchen is fully fitted where possible, so setting out can be coordinated with the units.
- During a retro-fit, once old tiles are off and the substrate is back to something sound.
- When an open-plan space feels flat and the dining end has no visual anchor.
Why It Matters
The Cost Of Getting A Kitchen Wall Wrong
In a kitchen, a badly set-out brick wall is expensive to correct because it is surrounded by finished joinery. Once units, worktops and appliances are in, taking a wall back means working around thousands of pounds of kitchen — or removing parts of it.
The visible failures are always at the edges: a course that dies awkwardly behind a wall unit, a socket cut through the middle of a brick face instead of planned to a joint, an end of run that shows a raw edge where nobody thought about the return, or a splashback that stops at a height that lines through with nothing.
There is also the maintenance question. A brick surface behind a hob or sink lives in a different world from one in a hallway, and that has to be considered up front rather than left to chance.
Common mistakes we are called in to fix
- Fitting the brick after the kitchen so the setting out is dictated entirely by the units rather than agreed with them.
- Cutting sockets and switches through the middle of brick faces instead of planning them into the layout.
- Leaving raw slip edges at the end of a run instead of using corner slips.
- Fitting straight over old tile adhesive or unsound plaster.
- Choosing a heavily textured, deeply weathered blend directly behind a hob without thinking about cleaning.
Our Process
Five Steps From First LookTo Guaranteed Finish
- 01
Step 1 — Inspection
We look at the actual wall, not a description of it. Substrate type, flatness, moisture, existing finishes, sockets, skirtings, window reveals and the way daylight hits the surface all change what the finished wall will look like. Send photographs and rough measurements, or visit the Middlesbrough showroom, and we will tell you straight away whether the wall is suitable as it stands.
- 02
Step 2 — Brick Selection & Free Quote
You choose the brick from the full range in the showroom — in your hand, in daylight, against your own colour samples if you bring them. We then set out the quantity required including wastage and corner slips, and issue a free, no-obligation quote covering supply and fit, or supply only if you would rather fit it yourself.
- 03
Step 3 — Preparation & Protection
Surfaces, floors and furniture are protected before the first slip goes anywhere near the wall. The substrate is prepared so the adhesive bonds to something sound, and the setting-out is marked before fixing begins — bond pattern, joint width, start course and corner returns are all decided in advance rather than improvised halfway up the wall.
- 04
Step 4 — Installation
Setting out is coordinated with the units, worktop height, extractor and sockets so courses line through with the kitchen rather than fighting it. Corner slips finish the ends of runs and any external returns, and the layout is planned so cuts land where they are least visible.
- 05
Step 5 — Pointing, Verification & Guarantee
Joints are pointed and struck for even colour, then the wall is cleaned down and checked against the units for line, level and consistency. Sealing and any finish appropriate to the position is discussed with you as part of the job. Every installation carries our 25-year workmanship guarantee.
What You Get
The Difference A SpecialistMakes To The Finish
Texture Where Kitchens Usually Have None
Modern kitchens are flat by design — slab doors, flat worktops, flat walls. One genuine brick surface gives the whole room depth.
Set Out To The Kitchen, Not Against It
Course lines, socket positions and the ends of runs are planned around the units so the finished wall looks like part of the design.
No Grout Grid
Brick coursing reads as masonry rather than as a repeating tile pattern, which is why it ages far better than a trend tile.
Chosen In Person
Compare blends in the Middlesbrough showroom against your door and worktop samples before you commit to a whole kitchen wall.
Guaranteed Workmanship
30 years in the trade, a 25-year workmanship guarantee on every installation, and free, no-obligation quotes.
In Detail
Kitchen Brick Slips In Detail
The specifics below govern how a kitchen brick wall performs day to day. Product-level data such as dimensions and coverage varies by brick and is confirmed for your chosen slip before you order.
Splashback Runs
The run between worktop and wall units is a narrow, highly visible band with a hard start and finish at both ends. Course height, how the top line meets the wall units and how each end is returned are all decided before fixing.
Full Kitchen And Dining Walls
In an open-plan kitchen-diner, a full brick elevation at the dining end anchors the space. On a larger area a multi-tonal blend is usually the safer choice, as it disguises the scale and avoids the flatness of a single uniform colour.
Islands And Breakfast Bars
Island and bar elevations are almost entirely corners and returns, so corner slips do most of the work here. Setting out has to account for the overhang of the worktop and the height of any seating.
Sockets, Switches And Extractors
Electrical outlets are planned into the coursing wherever possible rather than cut through a brick face at random. Where an extractor or appliance interrupts the wall, the coursing is set out so the interruption looks intentional.
Behind Hobs And Sinks
Positions directly behind a hob or sink take the most heat, steam and splashing, so brick choice and finish matter more there. We will talk through which blends suit that position and what sealing is appropriate. Any manufacturer-specified clearance for your particular hob is Not Provided here and must be confirmed against the appliance instructions.
Cleaning And Sealing
Smoother-faced bricks wipe down more easily than heavily weathered ones, which is worth weighing up for the splashback zone even when a rustic blend is right for the rest of the room. Sealing options are discussed as part of the job rather than assumed.
Commercial Kitchens And Hospitality
Cafés, bars and restaurant interiors use the same method; hygiene requirements, surface specification and phasing around trading hours are agreed for the specific premises.
We supply and fit across Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Durham, York, Harrogate, Newcastle and Sunderland, working from our showroom at Thompson Yard, Middlesbrough, TS3 8RQ. See the full brick slip range, browse recent work or check the areas we cover.
Questions
Kitchen Brick Slips & SplashbacksQuestions Answered
Still unsure? Ring Stuart on +44 7747 771113 — a two-minute conversation usually settles it.
How much does a brick slip splashback cost?
It depends on the size of the run, the brick chosen and the amount of detailing around sockets and units. Quotes are free and individual to your kitchen.
How long does a kitchen brick wall take to fit?
Splashback runs are usually quicker than full walls, but the detailing around units and sockets drives the timescale as much as the area. You get a realistic timeframe with your free quote.
Can brick slips go behind a hob?
Brick is used behind hobs regularly, but clearance requirements for your specific appliance are set by the manufacturer and must be checked — those figures are Not Provided here.
Are brick slips easy to clean in a kitchen?
Smoother-faced bricks are easier to wipe down than heavily weathered ones, which is why brick choice for the splashback zone is worth discussing before you order. Sealing options are covered as part of the job.
Can you fit over existing tiles?
It depends on the condition of the tiles and what is behind them. We assess the substrate on inspection and tell you honestly what preparation is required first.
Should the brick go in before or after the kitchen?
Wherever possible, setting out is best coordinated before the kitchen is fully fitted so the coursing works with the units. We will advise on sequencing when we quote.
How long will it last?
Fired clay is an extremely durable everyday surface, and every installation is backed by our 25-year workmanship guarantee.
Which brick suits a modern kitchen?
Smooth greys and cleaner faces tend to suit contemporary handleless kitchens; weathered and antique blends suit shaker and traditional schemes. Compare them in the showroom against your door and worktop samples.
Do you cover Stockton, Darlington and Newcastle?
Yes — Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Durham, York, Harrogate, Newcastle, Sunderland and the wider North East.
Will you leave my kitchen clean?
Yes. Surfaces are protected before work starts and everything is cleaned down at the end — a point customers raise regularly in our Google reviews.
Related Services
What Else We Do
Interior Brick Feature Walls
Living rooms, hallways, bedrooms and bars — a real brick finish fitted flat, level and clean, without the mess or weight of full brickwork.
Learn moreFireplaces & Chimney Breasts
Chimney breasts and log-burner recesses clad in your chosen brick, with corner slips used so every return looks like genuine brickwork.
Learn moreBrick Slip Supply / Trade Supply
Buying the slips only? Choose from our full range at the Middlesbrough showroom and take away or arrange delivery.
Learn moreNext Step
Get A Free Quote ForKitchen Brick Slips & Splashbacks
Send a few photographs and rough measurements and Stuart will come back to you with a free, no-obligation quote. Every installation is backed by our 25-year workmanship guarantee, and the showroom is open six days a week if you would rather see the bricks first.
30 years in the trade · 25-year workmanship guarantee · Five-star reviewed on Google