How to Measure Your Backsplash Wall for a Copper Panel — A Complete Guide
IBRAHIM GULSUNMeasuring your backsplash wall correctly is the most important step in ordering a copper panel. Get it right and your panel fits perfectly. Get it wrong and the panel either leaves gaps or overlaps outlets and cabinets. The good news is that measuring a backsplash wall is straightforward — it takes about five minutes with a tape measure and a notepad. This guide walks through every situation you are likely to encounter.
Natuross has been making hand-hammered copper panels for over five years. Every panel is made to your exact wall dimensions. If you are not sure about your measurements, send a photograph of your kitchen via live chat and Ibrahim will help you work out the right dimensions before you order.
What You Need
- A metal tape measure (cloth tape measures stretch and give inaccurate readings)
- A notepad and pen, or your phone to take notes
- A helper is useful but not required
Measure in inches. All Natuross panels are sized in inches.
The Standard Stove Wall Measurement
The most common backsplash is the stove wall — the area directly behind the range, between the countertop and the upper cabinets (or the ceiling if there are no upper cabinets).
Width: Measure from the inside edge of the left cabinet (or wall) to the inside edge of the right cabinet (or wall). This is the full width of the open wall space behind the stove. Measure at countertop level, where the panel will sit.
Height: Measure from the top of the countertop (or the top of the backsplash tile if you are replacing existing tile) to the bottom of the upper cabinet (or the ceiling). Measure at the center of the wall, not at the edges, as countertops and cabinets are not always perfectly level.
Write both measurements as: Width × Height (for example, 36×24 inches).
Measuring Around a Range Hood
If your stove has a range hood mounted on the wall above it, you have two options:
Option 1 — Panel behind the hood: Measure the full wall width and height as above. The panel goes behind the range hood, which mounts in front of it. This is the most common approach — the copper panel is visible on either side of the hood and the hood sits in front of the panel.
Option 2 — Panel below the hood only: Measure the width of the wall and the height from the countertop to the bottom of the range hood. The panel fills only the visible area below the hood. This works well when the hood is large and covers most of the upper wall area.
If you are not sure which option suits your kitchen, send a photograph via live chat and Ibrahim will advise.
Measuring Around Outlets and Switches
Outlets and switches on the backsplash wall are handled with cutouts in the copper panel. The panel is made with precise cutouts at the exact location of each outlet or switch, so the panel fits flush around them.
To provide outlet locations, measure from the left edge of the wall space to the center of each outlet or switch, and from the bottom of the wall space (countertop level) to the center of each outlet or switch. Note whether each is an outlet (rectangular) or a switch (rectangular, usually taller).
Example notation: Outlet at 14 inches from left, 8 inches from bottom.
If you have multiple outlets, note each one separately. A photograph of the wall with a tape measure visible is the easiest way to communicate outlet locations accurately.
Measuring a Full Wall with Windows
If your backsplash wall includes a window — common on sink walls — you have two options:
Option 1 — Panel on each side of the window: Measure the width and height of the wall section to the left of the window, and the width and height of the section to the right. These become two separate panels. This is the most common approach for sink walls with centered windows.
Option 2 — Full wall panel with window cutout: Measure the full wall width and height, then measure the window position (distance from left edge to left edge of window frame, and from bottom to bottom of window frame, plus the window width and height). The panel is made with a cutout for the window. This works well when the window is not centered and the wall sections on either side are unequal.
Measuring an L-Shaped or Corner Backsplash
If your backsplash wraps around a corner — for example, the stove wall continues around a corner to the sink wall — measure each wall section separately. Each section becomes a separate panel. Note which sections share a corner so the panels can be designed to meet cleanly at the corner joint.
Corner joints between panels are handled with a simple overlap or butt joint — one panel overlaps the edge of the adjacent panel by half an inch, creating a clean corner without a visible gap. Ibrahim will advise on the best corner treatment for your specific layout.
Measuring for a Sink Apron Panel
A sink apron panel covers the front face of a farmhouse or apron-front sink. Measure the width of the sink apron face and the height from the top of the apron to the bottom. The panel is made to fit flush against the apron face and is typically installed with construction adhesive or standoff mounts.
Rounding and Tolerances
Measure to the nearest quarter inch. Natuross panels are made to the exact dimensions you provide, so accuracy matters. If your wall has slight irregularities — a countertop that is not perfectly level, cabinets that are not perfectly plumb — measure at the tightest point (the smallest dimension) and note the irregularity. The panel can be made slightly smaller than the wall space to account for irregularities, with the gap covered by the panel’s edge or by the adjacent cabinet.
What to Send When You Order
When you are ready to order or get a price, send the following:
- Width × Height of the wall space in inches
- Location of any outlets or switches (distance from left edge and from bottom)
- Note of any windows, range hoods, or other features that affect the panel shape
- A photograph of the wall if possible — even a phone photograph helps confirm the measurements and identify anything that might affect the panel
If you are not ready to measure yet, a photograph of your kitchen is enough to start. Ibrahim will estimate the dimensions from the photograph, suggest the right size, and send a digital mockup with a price before you commit to anything.
Not Sure About Your Measurements?
Send a photograph of your kitchen via live chat and Ibrahim will help you work out the right dimensions. A tape measure visible in the photograph makes it easier to confirm the scale, but even a photograph without measurements is enough to get started.
Questions? Start a live chat — Ibrahim responds personally.
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