What is an upstand?
An upstand is an extension of the kitchen worktop which goes a short way up the wall behind the worksurface (usually 60 to 120mm).
What an upstand is for
The purpose of an upstand is to create a seal between the worktop and the wall, to ensure that no liquids can seep behind the cabinets.
It also catches a lot of the day to day splashes and mess. This is particularly useful because upstands are easier to clean than kitchen walls.
What an upstand is made of
The upstand is usually a thinner slice of the same material as the worktop is made from. Thanks to this continuity of design, the upstand has a subtle effect, making it less noticeable. Upstands are generally 20mm thick, compared to 30mm for worksurfaces.
What is the difference between an upstand and a splashback?
An upstand is an extension of the worktop which goes from 60 to 120mm up the wall and features along the entire length of the worksurface.
A splashback is much taller, usually covering the whole height of the kitchen wall. Splashbacks sometimes continue along the length of the worktop, but they are generally used more selectively to provide additional protection behind hobs or sinks.
As a rough rule, if it’s lower than 200mm it’s an upstand, if it’s higher than 200mm then it’s a splashback.
Upstand design options
You can configure your wall protection in many different ways to suit the design of your kitchen, for example:
