How to Tile a Backsplash

Shopping for Mosaic Tile

The hardest part of a tile backsplash project may be choosing the look.

• The tiles come in various shapes and materials, and many sheets have glass or metallic tiles built in for accents.
• Most common are 12 x 12-in. sheets, but other sizes are available.
  • 4 x 12-in. strips are common for borders and accents.
• Don’t pick an overly intricate pattern, cautions tile supplier Drew Mansur. “They can be tricky to align and require more precise cuts — which won’t really be feasible until you have some experience under your belt.”

Family Handyman

Evaluate and Prep the Wall

Like many projects, proper prep work is essential to a quality finished product. While hanging backsplash mosaic tile directly onto drywall is acceptable, you will need to clean and patch the wall to provide adequate adhesion.

• Take a moment to evaluate the wall surface, looking for damage and evenness. Jenya Teplitskaya, Senior Branch Manager of AAA Distributor’s Dallas, advises a two-step process:
  • Inspect for damage, such as cracks, holes, water damage, or any other imperfection that could affect the adhesion of the mosaic tiles.
  • Use a straightedge to identify high or low spots. Uneven surfaces will make it difficult to achieve a smooth finish.
• Clean the wall.
  • If the wall has been exposed to cooking or other oils, use a degreaser to eliminate any residue.
    • Thinset won’t adhere to grease, points out Teplitskaya, so a clean surface is essential.
  • Break up any grease stains with a sponge dipped in a mixture of water and mild dishwashing liquid (such as Dawn).
• Patch the wall as needed.
  • Fill in holes or cracks with patching spackle.
  • If your straightedge revealed uneven sections, professional tile setter Mikey Presnell says a rapid set thin-set can be floated over the wall surface to level things out.
  • Teplitskaya also recommends lightly sanding the entire surface. “Create a slightly rough texture,” she advises, “which will help the adhesive bond better.”
• Mask off the countertops and any upper cabinets that will have tile installed along the side.
  • This way, you won’t have the tape caught beneath the tile after the installation.
  • Don’t tap all the way up to the wall. Leave a 1/4-in. gap from the wall to account for the tile.
  • Cover the countertops with a drop cloth or cardboard.

Setup your Cutting Area

Cutting tile and mixing thin-set is messy. Presnell recommends taking a little time to prevent the accidental creation of a bigger mess than needed.

• A garage is ideal for your wet saw setup.
  • Ideally, it will have power and water access.
  • Outdoor workstations also work very well.
• Lay down a tarp or other protection for the floor around the cutting and mixing areas.

What To Do With Outlets

You’ll almost certainly have an outlet on your backsplash. For first-time tile setters, outlets can seem intimidating. Luckily, they’re not difficult to deal with, as long as you think ahead.

• Turn off power to the outlets in the wall and remove the cover plates.
• • Make sure the power is off by using a voltage detector.
• Place outlet extenders in the outlet boxes.
• • The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires extenders when the boxes are more than 1/4-inch behind the wall surface.
  • Set the extenders in place as a guide for placing the tile. You’ll remove them later for grouting.
    • Putting in extenders now and cutting tile to fit around them is much easier than adding them later.

Family Handyman

Draw a Center Line

The area between the range and the vent hood is usually the largest space on the wall—and certainly the most seen by the cooks in the house—so it’s a great spot to use as your center point.

• Mark a centerline between the upper cabinets so the tiles will be centered under the vent hood.
  • It doesn’t need to be perfectly centered, but it does need to be visually straight. Use a straightedge or plumb bob, and take your time.

• Measure from the centerline to the cabinets.
• • If you’re like me, you may find it helpful to lay out the mesh squares of tile to see what the finished product will look like.
  • If you’ll have to cut tile to fit, move the centerline slightly so you’ll only have to cut the mesh backing (at least on one side).

Spread Adhesive

There are a number of different adhesives you might use for this project. The most common are mastic and thin-set mortar. Which one is right for your job depends on the type of tile, how it will be used, and the backing material. For most DIY backsplashes going right over drywall, a high-quality mastic is the best choice. (To keep things simple, we’ll be saying “mastic” in this article.)

That said, it’s important to take time to read the manufacturer’s instructions. “Using the wrong adhesive can be devastating,” says Presnell. “Stay within specifications.”

• Using a trowel, scoop some mastic adhesive out of the tub and put it on the wall.
• • The mastic or thin-set will indicate what type of trowel to use.
• Spread the mastic along the centerline, cutting in along the ledger board and upper cabinets.
• Use broad strokes to fill in the middle.
• • Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle to the wall to spread the mastic thin—you should be able to see the layout lines where the points of the trowel touch the wall.
• Have a water bucket and sponge on hand to keep the trowel clean. Whenever the mastic starts to harden on the trowel, wipe it off with the wet sponge.
• Place plastic tile spacers on the countertop. This will leave a gap so the tiles don’t sit directly on the countertop. (You’ll caulk the gap later.)

Here’s how to test if the mastic is too thick:

• Align the first tile sheet with the centerline directly over the spacers.
• Press it onto the wall with your hand. If the sheet slides around and mastic comes through the joint lines, you’re applying the mastic too thick.
  • In that case, remove the sheet, scrape off some mastic and start over.
• Scrape away any mastic that squeezes into the joints. A utility knife works great for this.

Set the Tile

• Establish a 1/16-in. joint between sheets of tile.
  • You don’t need spacers for this, but don’t hesitate to use them if it’s helpful.
• For every two or three installed tile sheets, tap them into the mastic with a board and rubber mallet.
  • If individual tiles fall off the sheets, dab a little mastic on the back and stick them right back in place.
• The sheets aren’t perfectly square, so you may need to move individual tiles to keep joints lined up. Move the tiles with your fingers or by sticking a utility knife blade in the joint and turning the blade.
• If an entire sheet is crooked, place a grout float over the tile and move the sheet. You’ll have about 20 minutes after installing the tile to fine-tune it.
• Clean your tools and the tile as you go.
  • “Try to wipe away excess thin-set or grout with a damp sponge before it dries,” says Mansur, “because when it dries, it’ll be a pain to get off. “

Saw Tiles for Exact Fits

If you’re lucky, the tile sheets will fit against the upper cabinets and around outlets by simply cutting the mesh backing with a utility knife. But chances are that sooner or later, you’ll have to cut the tile with a wet saw. A wet saw may seem like overkill, but it’s typically the best tool to use here, as nippers and grinders can cause the slate tiles to shatter or crumble.

• Slice the backing to the nearest full row of tile, install the sheet around the outlet or next to the cabinet, then cut tiles with a wet saw to fill the gaps.
• Cut the tiles while they’re attached to the sheet. Individual tiles are too small to cut safely.
• If you installed porous tile (such as stone) let it sit for at least 30 minutes, then apply a grout sealer.
  • The sealer keeps the grout from sticking to the tile (it’s unnecessary for nonporous ceramic tiles).
  • Pour the sealer on a sponge, then wipe on just enough to dampen the tiles.

Apply the Grout

Wait 24 hours after installing the tile to add the grout. We used premium grout that has a consistent color and resists stains better than standard grout.

Because backsplashes are subjected to splatters from cooking, we recommend spending the extra money for a premium grout.

• Mix the grout with water until it reaches mashed potato consistency, then put some on the wall with a grout float. Work the grout into the joints by moving the float diagonally over the tiles.
  • Hold the grout float at a 45-degree angle to the tile.
  • Teplitskaya emphasizes proper technique here. “Applying too much or too little grout, or not properly packing it into the joints, can lead to gaps, cracks, or uneven grout lines.”
• Scrape off excess grout with the float after the joints are filled.
• Ten minutes after grouting, wipe the grout off the surface of the tiles with a damp sponge.
• If the grout begins to pull out of the joints, give it another 10 minutes or so to harden further.
  • Don’t let it harden completely! The goal is for it to be soft enough to tool smoothly but hard enough to stay in place.
• Continually rinse the sponge in a bucket of water and wipe the tiles until they’re clean.

Scrape Out the Corners and Joints

• After cleaning the wall, use a utility knife to rake the grout out of the joints along the bottom of the backsplash and in the inside corners. These expansion joints allow the wall to move without cracking the grout.
  • You’ll fill these in with caulk at the end of the job.
  • Keep the dull side of the blade along the countertop.
• Two hours after grouting, wipe the haze off the tiles with microfiber cloths.
• Caulk the expansion joints with latex caulk. I like to use sanded caulk that closely matches the grout in color and texture.
• Refer to the grout’s instructions to see when it can be sealed.
  • This step is easy to overlook, but it will protect both your grout and the tiles themselves from stains and moisture.
  • Mansur recommends a high-quality penetrating sealer applied evenly with a brush or roller.
  • Allow it to soak in for a few minutes before wiping off the excess.

Avoid Common Mistakes

Tiling a mosaic backsplash is a DIY-friendly project, but there are a few areas that frequently cause headaches for those new to tile-setting. We asked our experts to share tips on what to watch out for when getting ready to start a backsplash of your own.

Inadequate Preparation

Jenya Teplitskaya cites inadequate surface preparation as a common tripping point for beginners. “Failing to properly clean, level, and repair the wall can lead to tiles not adhering well or becoming uneven,” she says.

Similarly, Mikey Presnell emphasizes getting enough material to get the job done. “Have 10% more product than you need. There is nothing worse than running out and such a small installation.” Remember that you can usually return unused tiles.

Using the Wrong Materials

“Using the correct trowel is very crucial,” says Presnell. “If the notch on the trowel is too deep, it will be a nightmare of adhesive squeezing through the tile.” Always check the adhesive to see what trowel is recommended.

Speaking of adhesive, make sure the adhesive you’re using matches the job. As Teplitskaya points out, “Using the wrong type of adhesive, such as standard mastic in a wet area instead of a water-resistant thin-set mortar, can cause tiles to loosen or fall off.”

Too Much Adhesive

Both Teplitskaya and Presnell cited this as a common mistake. Spreading adhesive over a large area may seem like a time saver, but you’ll likely see it drying up before you can set all the tile. In the end, you’ll have to scrape off the adhesive and troweling on a new layer.

About the Experts

• Drew Mansur is the co-founder and head of growth at TileCloud – Australia’s leading online tile store. He graduated with a degree in construction management which led him into the construction industry. From there, he co-founded a commercial tiling business which ultimately led to the start of TileCloud.
• Mikey Presnell is a Certified Tile Expert at Earth Saving Solutions, a full-service, fully licensed, and insured general contractor for both residential homes and commercial buildings in the Colorado Front Range region. Mikey has helped guide ESS tile projects to successful completion for over ten years.
• Jenya Teplitskaya is Senior Branch Manager of AAA Distributor’s Dallas showroom. AAA Distributor is the among the largest distributors of kitchen, bathroom, and flooring products.