Backsplash

[GGorman04]

Can someone please offer me some guidance on kitchen backsplash?
I want to install myself, and wanted to know:

1) most reasonable place to purchase?

2) How difficult is this to do myself?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sxk122]

Depends on your skill level. I'd say it's a relativly easy, but messy and time consuming project.

We bought glass mosaic tile sheets at Lowe's for about $5 a sqf. Used pre-mixed white tile adhesive to install, and grouted with non-sanded grout.
We were replacing the counter tops and backsplash which were all tiled. We demo'd everything, hung new drywall, had the countertops installed, and then I tiled. Easier than laying floor tile in my opinion.....

Kitchen when we bought the house--

Ripping out the old stuff--

Found a nice patchwork of old drywall, and almost got killed by falling cabinets. The cabinet pictured on the floor was held on the wall with 2 1" screws into nothing but drywall. When we broke out the tile, the whole cabinet flopped.

New counters and backsplash--

The new stove, microwave and fridge hadn't shown up in this pic--

 

[sxk122]

My most recent tile project, which actually took longer than the kitchen....

I always forget to take before photos.....



Built the planter and tiled it in slate from Home Depot. Picked it up for about $1.40 a sqf. Chose Home depot because we liked the color palette of their slate....

As close to a before shot as I have-

After

 

[victoria stiles]

When it comes to decorating the kitchen, it is important to pay close attention to every detail. And you have done that. Thanks for sharing the pictures. The house is really very beautiful.

 

[JimVonBaden]

My most recent tile project, which actually took longer than the kitchen....

I always forget to take before photos.....



Built the planter and tiled it in slate from Home Depot. Picked it up for about $1.40 a sqf. Chose Home depot because we liked the color palette of their slate....

As close to a before shot as I have-

After

That looks great! Exactly what I want to do to my new place!

How is it holding up so far?

Jim

 

[ellaharris]

This is an awesome kitchen and wonderfully decorated. Nice photography also.

 

[vertguy]

I just completed a backsplash project on the back wall of our kitchen and adjoining wet bar. As others have stated, it is not too difficult, but very time consuming. After an exhausting search, we ended up using sheets of glass tile from Home Depot ($5/sf) and the worse part was the trimming as the individual tiles were 3/4in. square. I ended up using a tile cutting blade on my 4.5 inch grinder for trimming as the tiles would shatter when trying to use a nibbler.

I also made the mistake of trying a new self adhesive sheet product in lieu of mortar. And it would have worked great, except the tiles we used had a mix of some that were fairly clear and you could see the adhesive through them. So we had to rip it off and just use glass tile mortar... thus the reason for the slightly tore up wall in the second picture.

Before:

After (no grout yet in these shots):

 

[Rudyjr]

Easy job but layout is crucial. Last two I did:

 

[45 ACP]

When removing the existing backsplash, do you remove the sheetrock as well? Then put up new sheetrock and its ready for the new backsplash?

 

[csp]

That depends on how bad the existing drywall gets torn up removing the old backsplash.

Will it be more work to repair the old or to install new? You'll need to answer that question once the old backsplash is off. You'll also need to determine that the new backsplash will firmly attach to repairs if you consider a repair vs. new.

 

[sxk122]

That looks great! Exactly what I want to do to my new place!

How is it holding up so far?

Jim

Great so far. Been through a few heavy rainy weeks, followed by freezes and no problems or cracks. The flat portions don't worry me really, however the raised bed does. It's the first freestanding structure I've built using cement blocks and mortar. Hopefully I did it correctly... time will tell.

The only thing that bugs me with the project, and I'm probably the only one that will ever notice are the bottom 2 rows of the lower landing. I laid out all the slate to get the right thicknesses and colors next to each other, and then clad the wall and the
upper level. Worked from the front edge to the door as i laid tile so as to have the cut tile next to the door jamb. Somehow on the 2nd day I worked on it I had a brain fart and started at the top edge of the lower landing rather than starting at the bottom edge. I didn't catch on to my direction error until I got to the bottom edge my last run of tiles was going to be 2" wide and look like ****. I also wasn't sure how well a 2" wide slate tile would hold up on the edge of a step. The 2" run was supposed to be the edge of the step leading to the top tier. Rather than rip all of it back up, I just pulled up the next to last row and made the bottom most rows 7" wide a piece.

Vertguy--

I'm glad we went with a traditional glass mortar now.... we thought about using a new adhesive product lowes offered, but without having any experience with it I didn't know how it would look through the translucent tiles. They need better descriptions on the adhesive stuff, looked like a good idea for an easy home DIY.
As far as cutting the glass tiles, they were so small I was nervous to try use the tile saw, so i used a glass scorer and 2 pairs of pliers and snapped each tile that needed to be trimmed individually. Slowed me down a bit because on the sink side each top tile needed to be cut in half lengthwise.

45 ACP--
I'd say most of the time it will be easier to install new drywall, rather than try save or patch the existing. Your joints don't have to be perfect looking as they will be covered with tile, so as long as you can get it even, and securely attached to the studs you ought to be good. Plus, when installing something new you can use something that is moisture resistant. The other thing to consider is if you decide to add a backsplach to a wall that didn't have one before, and that wall is painted, remember to sand the paint down a bit first. Your backslash will only stick on as well as the weakest link... .

 

[sxk122]

BTW. Rudyjr, I really like the tile you did in the kitchen with the black countertops. Love the picture frame over the sink, really makes it pop.

 

[Rudyjr]

BTW. Rudyjr, I really like the tile you did in the kitchen with the black countertops. Love the picture frame over the sink, really makes it pop.

Thanks, I did that in my dad's kitchen.Needed to do somethhing since there is no window over the sink. Takes a while to get the layout right but not too difficult with a good wet saw.As far as removing the drywall I never do unless it gets really torn up when removing the old backsplash material.