Kitchen update #6: Tiling the backsplash
I realized it's been a year since we were tiling our backsplash, rounding the corner to completion on our kitchen remodel. We had updated the lighting and the electrical, built a new island, added a new pot filler faucet above our cooktop, and replaced the bamboo floor with heated ceramic tile. I guess it's time to write up about this part of the project. After all, it started with ripping out a bunch of the sheetrock above our countertops for the new electrical and plumbing.
After attempting to make our trusty wet tile saw plow through large-format, 12x24" floor tiles and allowing that it just wasn't going to cut it (get it, haha?), I had run to Lowe's to pick up a Kobalt tile cutter halfway through that job. It made a huge difference. It was no less amazing on our smaller, 3x9" matte white tiles for the backsplash. I cannot recommend one enough.
About the tiles, K was adamant about which tiles we went with for our kitchen. She had seen this matte white rectangular style at Ikea and couldn't get the idea out of her head. It took some internet sleuthing to find them, but ultimately we did on none other than Home Depot's website. They do look really nice, more unique than a typical glossy tile. She's got a good eye, that one.
With the tile ready to install, we had to come up with a layout. We wanted a more contemporary look than the (again) more typical (and traditional) subway style. So we went with vertical. I lined up the center of each wall with the middle of our cooktop and the middle of our sink.
For the cement board we'd be hanging the tile on I had to make some cutouts. Knockouts, more specifically, with my trusty cold chisel.
I started by leveling a 1x2 furring strip above our countertops. The key is hanging that strip at a height that allows a full-height tile below it at the lowest point of the countertop. Tiles along the bottom row can be cut if needed, but if the space between the countertop and bottom of the first tile is more than the space of the other rows (in our case, 1/16") it will look amateur. We then quickly hung all of the full tiles above the cooktop. We reused the levelers from the floor installation.
Then we had to start making cuts. Enter: the magnificent tile cutter. It was a breeze to use, snapping tiles perfectly 99.9% of the time in a few seconds versus the few minutes it would take to set up the wet saw and make a single cut. I just couldn't believe it took me this many tile jobs to learn the value of a tile cutter.
In time, we had the first wall complete.
Our friends were kind enough to take H that day while S was in school, so we were rocking on this project. We'd finish up in a day, which meant we kept right on tiling onto the second wall. Sort of like Mike Mulligan and Mary Ann.
For some cuts, the wet tile saw was still necessary. Namely, ones for the electrical boxes. There's no way to make those kind of cuts with a tile cutter, which can only snap tiles in one direction. I also used my ol' tile nippers to break off the little ends before cleaning up the cut with the tile saw blade.
Speaking of odd cuts and random tools, I even had to break out my old school miter box I picked up at some garage sale years ago to cut the vinyl tile edging. Spoiler: we painted our kitchen green.
There were, of course, coffees.
Then, rounding the third corner, I finished up the final tiles while K went to pick up the kids.
After K cooked dinner and with what was left in the day, I mixed up the grout and got it set.
The next day, I caulked the spaces between the first row of tiles and the countertop as well as around all of the cabinets and molding. Tiling takes some planning and is detailed and meticulous, but with the right tools (yay tile cutter!) nothing too difficult. The final step of our remodel would be to paint the ceiling and the walls.
