Types, thickness and rates
| Type | Thickness | Rate (₹/sq ft, supplied & fixed) | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard lacquered, plain colour | 5 mm | ₹180 – 260 | Wardrobe shutter inserts, feature panels |
| Lacquered, kitchen splashback grade | 6 mm | ₹240 – 340 | Behind the hob and along the counter |
| Toughened lacquered | 6 mm | ₹300 – 420 | Anywhere near heat; mandatory behind a hob |
| Lacquered with metallic or pearl pigment | 6 mm | ₹320 – 450 | Feature walls, bar backs, reception fronts |
| Back-painted mirror | 5 mm | ₹200 – 320 | Wardrobe doors, dressing areas |
| Low-iron (extra clear) lacquered | 6 mm | ₹360 – 480 | Whites and pale colours, where green cast would show |
Standard float glass has a green tint that shifts pale colours. For white or light grey panels, low-iron glass is worth the premium.
Why it is the right splashback for an Indian kitchen
- No grout. Indian cooking puts turmeric, oil and masala on the splashback daily, and grout absorbs all three. A glass panel wipes clean in one pass and looks the same in year eight.
- Continuous surface. A 6 ft panel behind the counter has no joint for grease to collect in.
- Heat tolerance, provided it is toughened. Behind a hob, toughened is not optional — annealed glass will crack from thermal gradient.
- Colour freedom. Any shade can be matched, including to the shutter colour, which tile ranges cannot do.
- Retrofit. A glass splashback can be fixed over existing tile without demolition, which in an occupied flat saves three days of noise and debris.
Fixing, cut-outs and the details that go wrong
- Measure after the counter is installed. The panel sits on the counter and meets the underside of the wall unit; both dimensions move during installation.
- Cut-outs before lacquering. Sockets, switch plates and the chimney duct are all dimensioned on the drawing. Nothing can be cut afterwards on toughened glass.
- Adhesive. Neutral-cure silicone in vertical beads, plus double-sided high-bond tape to hold the panel while the silicone cures. Acetic silicone releases acetic acid, which attacks the lacquer from behind and shows as a dull halo within months.
- Wall preparation. The wall must be flat and dry. A glass panel on a wavy wall is bonded only where it touches, and a knock will crack it at the unsupported point.
- Edge treatment. Polish the exposed vertical edges. A raw cut edge on glass is both sharp and visually obvious.
Humidity, the back face and where it fails
The one real failure mode of lacquered glass in Mumbai is moisture reaching the painted back face. Once it does, the paint blooms, loses adhesion and shows through the glass as a cloudy patch. It cannot be repaired.
- Use a splashback-grade product with a protective coating over the lacquer, not a decorative interior grade.
- Seal the perimeter completely with silicone at the counter junction and at both ends. An unsealed bottom edge lets water wick behind the panel every time the counter is wiped.
- Do not fix lacquered glass to a damp external wall. The same rule as wallpaper: fix the source first.
- In bathrooms, use toughened lacquered glass with a sealed perimeter, or use tile. Steam behind a panel with an open edge is a slow failure.
- Behind a sink, extend the panel high enough that splash never reaches an exposed top edge.
Care, life and BOQ wording
- Wipe with a soft cloth and any glass or mild detergent cleaner. Nothing abrasive; the front face is glass but the edges are not protected.
- Expected life: 15–20 years, with the failure always at the perimeter or behind the panel, never in the glass.
- BOQ: “Kitchen splashback in 6 mm toughened lacquered glass, low-iron where pale colours are specified, back face with protective coating; shade matched to approved sample.”
- BOQ: “All cut-outs for sockets, switches and duct per approved fabrication drawing; site measurement after counter installation.”
- BOQ: “Fixing with neutral-cure silicone and high-bond double-sided tape. Acetic-cure silicone not permitted. Perimeter fully sealed.”
Specification summary
| Property | Specification |
|---|---|
| Glass | 6 mm toughened; low-iron for pale shades |
| Back coating | Protective coat over lacquer for wet locations |
| Fixing | Neutral-cure silicone plus high-bond tape |
| Cut-outs | Fixed at fabrication drawing; none possible later |
| Perimeter | Fully sealed at counter and both ends |
| Rate | ₹180 – 480 per sq ft supplied and fixed |
| Life | 15 – 20 years |
| Avoid | Damp external walls, acetic silicone, unsealed bottom edges |
Frequently asked questions
Is lacquered glass better than tiles for a kitchen splashback?+
For cleaning, yes, decisively — no grout lines means nothing absorbs oil or turmeric. Tiles are cheaper and easier to replace in a single damaged area. In a kitchen that cooks Indian food daily, the glass panel stays looking new for far longer.
Can lacquered glass go behind a gas hob?+
Only if it is toughened. Annealed glass subjected to the thermal gradient of a burner two feet away will crack. Specify toughened lacquered glass for the entire splashback rather than just the hob zone — the price difference over one panel is small.
Why has my lacquered glass panel gone cloudy in one corner?+
Moisture has reached the painted back face, almost certainly through an unsealed bottom edge at the counter junction, or from a damp wall behind. The paint has lost adhesion locally. It cannot be repaired; the panel is replaced, and the perimeter is sealed properly the second time.
Can it be installed over existing tiles?+
Yes, provided the tiles are sound and reasonably flat. This is one of its best uses in an occupied Mumbai flat: no chiselling, no debris, no three days of noise, and the job is done in a morning once the panel is fabricated.
Does the green tint of glass affect the colour?+
On mid and dark colours, imperceptibly. On white, cream and pale grey, noticeably — standard float glass adds a green cast that makes white read as pale mint. For pale shades, specify low-iron glass and approve a physical sample rather than a shade card.