How To Instal Wall Tile For A Backsplash

Ask this old house general contractor tom silva teaches a homeowner a simple technique for tiling backsplash.

How to instal wall tile for a backsplash.

Tile backsplashes need a 1 8 inch expansion gap around the perimeter where the tile meets the. Plan the tile layout. Remove the old backsplash and patch the wall if necessary. Add tile spacers for help keeping the tile pieces lined up.

Remove outlets and covers. Subscribe to this old house. Remove any outlet and switch covers with a screwdriver and then apply painter s tape. The simple and mess free way to install tile step 1.

Do not grout the bottom seam where the tile meets the countertop you ll want to use caulk in that seam. Apply grout with a rubber float working diagonally across the tile. Use the rubber float to push the adhesive mat to the wall for a permanent bond. Place the mosaic sheets along the wall.

How to install a tile backsplash prepare the walls for tile. Hold the float at a 45 degree angle as you work the grout into the seams. Slightly rock the sheet up and down perpendicular to the trowel lines to collapse the ridges and help the tile settle into place. Use the float to take off any excess grout then allow the grout to set for 10 minutes.

Peel the plastic coating off of the adhesive mat and carefully place each tile section onto the adhesive. Hold the tile up to the wall to determine where it will need to be cut to size. Depending on how the old backsplash was attached it. Flatten the tile with a grout float if necessary.