subject: How To Install A Tile Backsplash [print this page] Want an easy home project to spruce up your kitchen remodel? This easy step by step project will have your kitchen looking its best in an afternoon.
Tools:
Tape measure
Level
Tile cutter
Tile nippers/tile saw
Safety glasses
Notched trowel
Rubber grout float
Materials:
Waterproof mastic tile adhesive
Waterproof grout
Glazed wall tiles
Latex gloves
Tile
TIP:It's always a good idea to have spare tiles of the same dye lot in case you break some or have to replace one in the future. If you can't get the same dye lot, mix all of the tiles together so the color difference won't be as noticeable.
Next you need to estimating the amount of Tile needed.Once you have designed your backsplash, measure the length of all your countertops where the backsplash will go. Then measure the height of your backsplash whether it is four inches, full height or somewhere in between. Multiply the two numbers together to get the square footage of the area you need to cover. This will be the first question they ask you at any tile store.
1.Prepare the wall
If there old tile, wallpaper or paneling, remove it. You need to apply the tile to a smooth, clean surface of either plaster or gypsum board. Scrape off any loose paint. Remove all the switch plates and outlet covers from the back splash.Measure and mark the exact center of the room visual focal point at the counter level. Using a sharp pencil and a 2-foot level, draw a perfectly plumb starting line through the center mark.
2.Apply mastic or thinset
Scoop some tile mastic or thinset out of the bucket with the edge of the V-notched trowel.Holding the trowel to its long edge, use a sweeping motion to spread the mastic across the wall, covering only an area large enough for eight tiles.Look for any bare spots and fill them in with mastic.
TIP: Check with the tile dealer to make certain you are using a trowel with the correct-width notches for your mastic.
3.Set the field tile
Start setting the tiles at the bottom of the vertical center line. Place the edge of the first tile right on the line and make sure the base of the tile is parallel with the edge of the counter leaving just enough room for a bead of caulk.Firmly press the tile into the mastic. Then continue setting tiles, working out in both directions from the center line. Continue with the next rows up until you reach the row against the cabinets or one requiring decorative tiles.
TIP: If a skin forms on the mastic surface, stop setting and scrape the wall clean. Then apply a fresh coat of mastic.
4.Cut tiles to fit
When you get to a cabinet or pattern edge that requires you to trim a tile with a single straight cut, place a full tile in the space and mark it. Using a score-and-snap tile cutter, score the tile once with the cutting wheel. Carefully snap the tile along the scored line.
5.Notch tiles with a wet saw
Mark any tiles that need to be notched around a cabinet corner, switch box, or electrical receptacle. Lay the tile on the sliding table of a motorized wet saw (easier for shaped cuts) and push it forward into the blade to cut one side. Pull back the table, rotate the tile, and make the second cut. Use tile nippers to remove any material in the notch. Finish tiling the backsplash. On inside corners butt the edges of the tiles against the tiles on the adjoining wall, leaving room for caulk. Install bull nose tile at open ends of the backsplash and at the top if there are no upper cabinets for the tiles to butt against.
6.Fill the tile joints with grout
Allow mastic to dry overnight. The next day, mix a batch of unsanded tile grout. Sanded if grout lines are wider than one eighth inch, following the directions on the carton. Scoop some grout out of the bucket with a rubber grout float and smear it across the surface of the tile diagonally to the grout lines. Pack the grout deep into the joints, but do not get any into the seam between the tiles and the countertop or existing 4-inch backsplash.
7.Clean and caulk
After grouting the entire backsplash, clean the surface with a soft sponge and clear water, rinsing the sponge often. Wipe diagonally to the grout lines so as not to pull any grout from the joints.
Wait 30 to 45 minutes for the grout to set and for a hazy film to appear on the tiles, then buff off the haze with a clean, dry cloth until the tiles shine. Squeeze a thin bead of tub-and-tile caulk, the same color as the grout, into the joint at the very bottom of the backsplash, in the corners, and between the tiles and the cabinets. Smooth with a wet finger.
Follow the above steps and you will have a beautiful do it yourself project.
