White Subway Tile Back Splash Tutorial
Okay now for the fun part, I’ve told you about the grimmy part and the LONG race to, well, nothing part, well I guess that long race ends right here, when we decided to make some last minute changes before the move!
I told you that we couldn’t paint our cabinets under strict instructions from our Realtor (yes, we hired a rental agent to help us get our house rented, I don’t think they have them in every state, but it was worth it to us in our time crunch, I am happy we did it!)
So I had to decide what simple changes we could make to our kitchen, for the biggest impact fastest turn around and keep it super affordable. I decided that I wanted to use white subway tile on the back splash. But can I admit something? I HATE, HATE ,HATE IT when a kitchen has the short 4 inch back splash(counter material) then another material back splash above it. It is just a personal pet peeve, I wouldn’t judge someone for having that, but I prefer a full back splash So, if you are doing a back splash, it should be the same material from counter to cabinet if at all possible.
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Here is the starting point (above). You can see that we have the annoying 4″ back splash(above). But since our counters are not factory made, the back splash piece and the counter piece are separate, and just caulked in between, and secured with adhesive to the drywall. I decided to rip them off!
1. Carefully remove the existing back splash. I started by taking an exacto knife and scoring all the caulk around the edges of the back splash. Then with the help of a crowbar (or two), I gently pried off the back splash. Be careful not to break the drywall when prying it off.
2. Repair damage to drywall. I patched the wall with joint compound. Since some of the drywall paper tore off with the back splash this was a necessary step before I could install the tile. Allow the patch to dry then sand lightly. Once the wall was dry I also threw on a quick coat of leftover paint to help with the adhesion of the tile setting mats I chose to use instead of mortar (see below).
3. Fill gaps with caulk Once the small back splash was removed, there were some rather large gaps between the wall and the counter. To be safe and keep water from traveling behind my cabinets(and creating a mold problem), I filled those all up with a good amount of caulk.
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***One note about our particular kitchen…. Because of the old bar and the way we built the columns I didn’t want to remove the back splash directly behind our sink. Since I was using the tile setting sheets instead of mortar this was fine. So I just cut off the back splash in line with the edge of the column and everything worked out perfectly, but I wouldn’t always do this!!!
4. Install the Tile Setting Mat Since time was of the essence, I decided to try out a product from Home Depot for installing tile, a tile setting mat (instead of mortar) This saved a ton of time (not money FYI)! It helped because I wasn’t in a hurry to get the tile up before the mortar dried. In fact I hung the mat, and tiled over the next couples days as I had the time and I needed no additional help from my hubby, so he was free to work on other things!
All you need to install the mat is a measuring tape, some scissors and a grout float (explained below). Be sure the surface you are adhering the mat to is free from any grease, or dust. (which I why I cleaned, patched and painted my back splash walls prior to installing.) Measure and cut your mat to the proper size (save any scraps until you are done with the project they came in handy for me several times!) Place the mat where you want it, be sure to do this right, it doesn’t move once it is in place!!! With your grout float, on top of the plastic protective sheet, press the mat into the wall surface to ensure a good adhesion, smoothing toward the edges. Do not remove the top plastic sheet until it is time to tile. I even taped the seams of the separate top sheets together since it took me a day or two to install the tile and we had a lot of construction dust around.
Here I am installing the tile mats in my trashy, nasty home improvement pj’s glory (remember we only had four weeks to finish the house, we were working on the house like 18 hours a day, I wasn’t thinking about glamour shots, or showers) Luckily our niece came and lived with us for those four weeks to help with the kiddos! But I will admit, even with the help it was hard mentally to be so distanced from my kids. I can’t believe how little Lydia was! Cute baby!
HINT: In order to avoid really intricate cuts on the tile saw. I cut the molding from our column off to the thickness of the tile using my Porter cable multi tool. I took a piece of wood the same thickness of the tile and used it a a fence of sorts for setting the height of my cut, then just cut through the moldings easy as that. (Best choice ever, after the tile was all said and done, that lines looked nice, clean and professional)
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This is the piece that came off of the crown molding so you have an idea of what you are looking to cut:
from Home Depot. The Daltile 2″ x 4″ subway tile 12″ sheets about $2.50 per square foot, and I really like the scale of the tile.
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When it was getting late (and I didn’t want the neighbors cursing my name for cutting tile at 11:00 at night outside) , I asked for a tiny bit of help to get the last few pieces up!) So yes, I guess for 3 square feet I had help. But I did the rest!
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So over the next day I worked my way around the kitchen! Installing, measuring and cutting tile! One section down, and few more to go:
6. Grout! Once all the tile was in place I chose a non-sanded Charcoal colored grout. Read the package instructions at lest twice all the way through before you mix, so you know the timeline. I always mix in batches, not all at once. The grout should be the consistency of a creamy peanut butter, not runny, but not crumbly either. You need to work the grout into the cracks by running the grout float diagonally across the grout lines. Be sure to work your way across each line several times. After the time if says on the package use a sponge to remove excess.
Black grout may not be the norm right now, but I had to share a few great inspiration shots that convinced me to go with black grout! ( and I am mourning the fact that my cabinets couldn’t be white… but I love my tile so lets keep looking at the bright side, right?)
From Elle Decor this great inspiration shot above.
This great kitchen featured on Houzz.
From HGTV this back splash looks great too (love that Brass light!)
This image above was the one I loved the most, I found it via Pinterest, sorry it wasn’t pinned properly, so i don’t know the true source!
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TIP: When the grout has set for the time allotted on grout the package, take cheese cloth (IT IS LIKE A LITTLE MIRACLE) and rub the excess grout right off the tile! It comes off like a magic eraser (check out the image above, you can see the sponge side and the cheese cloth side! Do not wait or get to far ahead of your self with grout, you need to follow the packages directions or you will have really ugly grout lines. You do not want that.
TIP: After grouting I found out that a tile in the MIDDLE of my wall was chipped and all of a sudden it was VERY noticeable. What I heard from a tile contractor is that you can take just a little bit of white nail polish to cover that nick and no one will ever notice! Ta Da fixed!
Okay so the kitchen is getting better, but we have one more little update for ya tomorrow. See ya there!
I am the husband of the amazing Cassity of Remodelaholic. I love to problem solve and to design and build things inside and outside the house to make life better. I am a professional Landscape Architect by trade and love the outdoors.
Thanks, I’m installing subway tiles and this really helped! Will post pics shortly
We can’t wait to see! Glad to be helpful.
I didn’t see an explanation for a grout float What is it?
When you go to your local home store in the tile /grout isle, they will have all of your tile tools.
A grout float is a rectangular tool, with a handle that has a soft hard sponge like surface on the rectangle or portion of the tool. What you do is you put some grout on your float and then you work it diagonally into the gaps between your tile.
Because the grout float is kind of a soft spongy / Styrofoam (like a pool noodle) finish it doesn’t scratch the front of your tile as you work in the grout into the grout spaces. Because you actually have to go back-and-forth a couple times to make sure you don’t have any air pockets or any little boys you want to make sure it’s really in there and so having that soft tool to move the grout around on top of that already installed tile is really helpful!!
I am starting the same project. I know this is an old post but hopefully you will see it. I have some intricate cabinet molding that I need to cut like you did. You mentioned a Porter Cable mini tool? Can you tell me exactly what that is? Thank you.
Hey Kate I’m excited for you it’s so nice to get a beautiful backsplash up!
So the multi tool is a relatively new tool to the last five years. If you look up Multi tool it’s like a cordless or corded almost looks like a Dremel but it has different blades and it kind of just vibrates and that’s how it cuts so you can cut like straight on you don’t have to cut from the side and it’s just really nice!
If and this is a big if so it may not be possibility but if there’s a way that you can remove the crown molding and apply it back on and just cut like a half inch off the end near the wall that would be the best bet but it may affect the paint or whatever you have on your cabinet so that may not be a possibility!! I’m just putting it out there in case it is!