Tiling a kitchen splashback with no experience

VonLuck

I've heard from a few people that decent tilers are hard to find, and if you are lucky enough to get one, they'll charge you an arm and a leg. So I was thinking of doing it myself. It's about 2.5-3m2 of an area which is partially under cabinets as well as a continuous skirting above the counter. There are also a number of outlets / switches I would have to work around.

I don't have any tiling experience, nor do I have any tools to do the job! Basically I would be starting from scratch. Is this a worthwhile endeavour for a once off tiling job or am I best to fork over the big money for a professional job?

DublinDilbert

Take your time and you should be fine. Tools are quite cheap, you could even just buy a small angle grinder. A laser level would be handy to figure out if the base is level. Small subway tiles are ok to work with.

VonLuck

Thanks. I'm not afraid of a bit of DIY, just as long as it doesn't look like a DIY job at the end of it!

Are you suggesting using an angle grinder to cut the tiles?! Seems like it would be very difficult to cut a straight line with that unless I'm misunderstanding something.

monseiur

Yes a small angle grinder with the correct disc is ideal for the job, be sure to wear safety specs etc. Even if you cut a tile say 1mm too big you can grind it down to fit with the grinder. Regarding the sockets, remove the 2 screws from the face plate and pull them slightly away from the wall so that the tile will fit underneath say 10mm all around, when grouting etc. is completed screw them back on.

Get a spirit level that will fit between worktop and cabinets, you will need this to ensure that the tiles are plumb, use this same level to check that the skirting above work top is level, chances are it's not far out. (All DIY spirit levels have two viles, one for horiziontal, the other for vertical) Use trowel to apply a coat of adhesive, roughly a meter at a time, fit all full tiles first leave the cut bits under cabints, around sockets etc. to last. Use plastic tile spacers to ensure uniform joint. Once you get the first line both horizontal and vertical tiles up right you can't go wrong. Use a damp cloth to wipe adhesive off tiles before it sets. When grouting press grout well into joints, your index finger is best for this, don't worry about having grout on tiles it will wipe off, it turns powdery when dry and comes off no problem. Don' forget to remove the plastic tile spacers before grouting!

So in a nutshell the basic tools required are small angle grinder, spirit level, tilers trowel, measuring tape and...........patience! Enjoy.

VonLuck

Great tips there, thanks for the comprehensive response! I think my biggest challenge will be trying to get some kind of uniformity where the tiles meet a corner, but hopefully a lot of measuring will resolve that.

rustynutz

I tiled my entire house after never having tiled before, it came out fairly good, but the splashback in the kitchen I found was the most time consuming and if I was doing it again I would pay someone to do that part. The square meters are pretty low so it shouldn't cost that much. Not worth buying the tools to do a few square meters

Pawwed Rig

Could you get a single piece for the splash back? Have it cut to size and then mount it yourself?

VonLuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119154684#Comment_119154684

Never heard of that before. Is that a thing?

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156850#Comment_119156850

I've seen them in display units. Like a frosted glass window behind sink and hob. Your measurements would need to be spot on though

raxy

There are glass splashbacks, some of them are not suitable for near heat though, maybe your upstand would make it far enough away to be OK, they can shatter when heated apparently. Not sure it would be an easy DIY job though, your measurements would need to be exact.

I tiled my own backsplash with subway tiles. Wasn't too difficult. Had a tile cutter & an angle grinder (had the wrong disc so some cuts look a bit rough). I even managed to cut the center out of 1 tile so the socket was wired through it. There were 3 broken tiles attempting it but got it in the end.

I also didn't have the adhesive wet enough so ended up with half the tiles coming off & having to do them again. 1 tile fell off & when trying to clear it off to replace another & domino'd from there.

Some parts up close don't look the best but from a distance it looks perfect.

My biggest mistake was using black grout. Think it makes imperfections stand out more. That & it stained the sockets & presses & won't come off.

If doing it again I'd be a lot better & more prepared but happy enough with my effort. The wife approved so that's the main thing.