Tiling a Kitchen Backsplash
Tiling a kitchen backsplash can be one of the hardest tiling jobs in the house. Because of the positioning of the tiles, and some potentially awkward shapes that need to be cut, the job can be quite tricky. Additionally, the task of finding the perfect tiles for your kitchen backsplash is never easy. In this article we will look at some tips and techniques which will come in handy when you are considering tiling a kitchen backsplash.
Choosing your tiles
Choosing tiles can often be a real pain, and this is usually because there is such a vast selection. Even still, it can sometimes be difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. To begin with, narrow down the field by outlining certain criteria: for example, what budget you have in mind, what kind of style you are looking for. This will narrow down the selection process, and hopefully enable you to go about finding tiles for tiling a kitchen backsplash in no time.
The first port of call for your tiles should be your local DIY superstore. If they are worth their merits, they will stock a vast range of tiles at more than affordable prices, and chances are, you will find something that takes your fancy if you look hard enough. If you cannot find anything there, you can always try specialist tile warehouses, although for some, this might be a bit too overwhelming.
A good tip to remember is that it is possible to paint tiles. If you do not like a tile design, or you cant find any designs that you are interested in, it is always possible to paint designs on tiles to match existing colour schemes in your kitchen. Painted tiles can actually work quite well when it comes to tiling a kitchen backsplash.
Tiling your backsplash
It is important to remember when tiling a kitchen backsplash that you should order more tiles than you require. The industry standard is 5% extra. Why? Well, everyone makes mistakes, even the professionals and it is better to have too much tile than too little. By buying that little bit extra, you can be safe in the knowledge that you can complete your job.
To start with, measure any awkward shapes and draw them onto some card. This can be used as a template for cutting your tiles, which is always handy. Alternatively, you could mark on the back of the tile the shape for cutting, to make the process easier when it comes to actually cutting the tile.
Another good tip is to position the tiles in place before securing them. That way you can make sure you are covering all the backsplash, and can fit everything in perfectly and accurately when it comes to securing the tiles.
Remember always to give your tiles a chance to dry, and apply tile sealant around any areas which are likely to come into contact with water to prevent any leakages or damp from occurring. And that is pretty much all you need to know about tiling a kitchen backsplash.
Tiling a kitchen backsplash is one of the toughest challenges when it comes to tiling, and getting it right can be so important. With these basic tips, you too can be well on your way to professional backsplash tiling, which could make all the difference to your kitchen.