A tile backsplash is something that gets put around the kitchen where the counters meet the wall. The backsplash can be used to accentuate the theme or color scheme of a kitchen, as well as to keep the walls’ border around the counters clean of anything like cooking spills or water.
Types of tile
There are many different materials you can use, different types of tile, that could truly be the flourish that completes a kitchen design. Among the different kinds of tile available, some of the more popular ones are:
- Glass
- Sandstone
- Travertine (a type of limestone)
- Porcelain
- Marble
- Granite
- Pebbles and Stones
Besides those listed above, there are many different materials used, and double that many ways to apply them to your kitchen’s beautification.
To be able to install this yourself, I would recommend furthering your research and checking out the multitude of videos showing more detail. The tools needed for the job may not be worth buying if you do not mean to keep using them beyond your kitchen tile project here, because these tools can be quite costly. I suggest checking with your local department stores for rentals.
What tools you need
Among the tools you may find yourself needing, the bare essentials are:
- Tile Saw – The most essential part of this list is the most expensive as well.
- Three 5-gallon buckets – For mixing your thin set mortar in, and for water to wipe away excess grout from your grout lines.
- A drill and mixer rod – These will be needed to mix the grout and thin set mixtures respectively, although if you are not feeling up to buying the mixer or do not have the drill at all, you could use a shovel, but it is not recommended as it might discolor the grout or not completely mix the mixtures.
- Thin set mortar and grout (various colors) – The thin set is used with the trowel to spread across the floor before placing the tiles, think of it as a spreadable cement.
- Trowel – The sizes of the trowel depends upon the size of the tile you are using.
- Several big yellow sponges – The kind of sponges you would use to wash your car.
- Tile Spacers – These spacers’ size is dependent upon the size of your tile and the size of the grout lines you want between the tile.
- Rubber mallet and level – You will use this for tapping the tiles level with one another and the ground by placing the level on the tile and tapping it to whichever direction needed to level the tile with the rest.
- Rubber grout float – You probably guessed it: This is a soft trowel called a float, because it essentially floats across all the grout lines and pressing the grout in.
With all that above, you should be ready to install your back splash. But because space is limited and the step by step instructions quite lengthy, I have included an instructional video here* for your convenience. Still, I encourage you to keep browsing material and videos to best match what you are looking to do. With this to start with, you are well on your way. Happy tiling.
Article sources
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=tile+saw
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=5+gallon+bucket+
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=drill+
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=drill+mixer
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=thin+set+mortar
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=grout
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=tile+trowel
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=Tile+sponges
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=Tile+spacers
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=rubber+mallet+for+tile
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=small+level
https://www.google.com/#tbm=shop&q=rubber+grout+float
https://www.google.com/#tbm=vid&q=Installing+a+tile+backsplash+DIY