To save money, I opted not to install a backsplash above my granite countertops. I just painted with latex. It works fine, even above the sink, which occasionally gets splashed with water. When stains get on the wall, we simply repaint if needed.

The only drawback is that we occasionally get comments from visitors, wondering why we don't have a backsplash. For cosmetic reasons, I will probably install a backsplash above the countertop in my next house.

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University