Yesterday I gave you a tour of our updated kitchen but today I’m giving you a little peek behind the scenes of our white subway tile backsplash. We actually decided to DIY, our first ever tile project. Scary? Yes. Totally worth it? Bigger yes. The best part? Our friend gave us a good lesson on how to install a kitchen backsplash.
One of the reasons I’m happy we took on this project ourselves (with a bunch of help from our friend Nick) was the cost. We don’t have a small kitchen but the entire backsplash cost us about $250, and that includes enough leftovers for our butler’s pantry. That’s a lot of surface area to install a kitchen backsplash on.
Our supply list:
- Lots of white subway tiles from Lowe’s ($163.80 for all tile including butler’s pantry)
- White unsanded grout ($11.78 per bag, needed 1 bag)
- Grout boost ($39.98 per jug, needed 1 jug)
- Porcelain tile mortar ($13.98 per back, needed 1 bag)
- Grouting sponge ($2.97)
- Metal tile trim ($11.97 per 8ft)
- Notched ceramic tile trowel ($6.20)
- Grout float ($10.84)
- Spacers ($3.47)
- Grout haze remover (optional, we ended up not using it)
- Wet saw (we had one but you can get this one for only $85!)
To start take off all electric outlet covers. Then you’ll want to measure the space in between your countertops and the bottom of the cabinets. We measured all of the spaces on the wall and marked it with permanent marker (it will be covered up by tile in the end). Then you’ll need to trim your metal edging with a pair of strong scissors to fit the height.
Note: we decided to use metal edging instead of a tile edging for a few reasons. As novices, it gave us a nice clean finished edge to work with. Also even though it’s barely noticeable in the end, the slight bit of metal goes nicely with our stainless steel appliances.
Next it was time to get the mortar ready. We just followed the instructions on the bag for measurements. We used a large mixer and bucket to mix. Just make sure you don’t make too much mortar at a time. It will start to dry as soon as it’s mixed!
We used a trowel at a 45 degree angle to spread the mortar on the wall.
Once you get a small section with mortar, go ahead and place your metal trim and press into place. Then you can start laying your first set of tile flush with the top of your countertop and flush right with the metal trim.
Then it was time to cut the pieces to fill in the gaps. We held up a single piece of white subway tile in place and marked the cut mark with a marker.
Now it was time to start cutting. We had the wet saw set up outside for this. I have never used a wet saw before but it seemed to go quite easily if you’ve used a normal table saw before (just wetter, right?). My biggest piece of advice is take it slow. Also you’ll need some extra tiles, trust me. Some will chip or your cuts will just be off. Not a big deal, just plan for it.
We placed the filler pieces in the gaps and held in place with spacers. These will be your best friends. Trust me. Buy lots of them.
Once we got the hang of these steps we really started to move and groove. The biggest pain in the tush was working around outlets and the corner windows. We also had to cut every single tile for the top row directly under the cabinets since a full piece of tile didn’t quite fit.
Behind the stove we also used the metal trim. This kept the tile from slipping down once it was set in place. In our last house we used a piece of wood for this instead. Either one works perfectly.
Once all of the tile was in place we had to wait 24 hours for the mortar to set before we could grout.
Now as mentioned we used Grout Boost instead of water to mix the grout. The reason we decided to spend the extra $40? With Grout Boost you don’t have to seal your backsplash every year. Totally worth it in my book. I’m not the type of girl that remembers to seal my grout every year.
Once you’ve mixed the unsanded grout with Grout Boost or water, let the mixture stand for 5-10 minutes, then re-mix it. Also remember to periodically re-mix the grout to keep it from drying out.
Apply the grout mixture with a grout float at a 45 degree angle. Work diagonally. Wipe off any excess grout. This part will not look pretty. Have no fear. It will get there.
Then you’ll want to wipe away the excess grout with a damp sponge. Periodically clean out your sponge. Repeat this process several times, but start to limit the amount of water you use in the sponge. Let it dry for a couple hours then wipe away again with a slightly damp sponge to remove any haze. Trust me, buy these sponges before you try to install a kitchen backsplash!
We waited about 24 hours before we caulked. You’ll want to hit where your new backsplash meets your countertops and where it meets the bottom of the cabinets. I have a little trick on this to get super smooth lines, but I’ll wait until tomorrow to share. For now, let’s just take a look at the finished backsplash…
And here’s some detailed photos of the finished edging.
I’m loving the look of the new backsplash and so happy we conquered this project ourselves (with a lot of help from our friend Nick!). That’s how to install a kitchen backsplash!
TOTAL COST ON THIS PROJECT?
$248.46 plus tax
(does not include the wet saw).
A couple of things:
- I’m still not confident enough to use a wet saw myself. If we didn’t have to work around our corner windows, it might have been a different story. I just don’t want to give you too much confidence though that this is a great beginner DIY project. Love that we can now install a kitchen backsplash (still with a little help)!
- Caulking changes everything! There were a couple areas where I was nervous how it would look in the end, but caulk hid pretty much all imperfections. Can’t install a kitchen backsplash (or any backsplash) without it!
- I’m glad we used the metal edging. It gives a nice, clean finish and kept our edges level and straight.
So would I do this project ourselves again?
YES, in a heartbeat.
I’m already thinking of my next tile project.
Judy I, St. Louis MO says
October 14, 2014 at 10:44 amAwesome project.. You guys did a great job and the detailed step by step photos would be a help to anyone that wanted to tackle a project like this.
howtonestforless says
October 14, 2014 at 8:55 pmThank you so much Judy!
Bryn says
October 14, 2014 at 2:07 pmThat looks so good Erin! I’ve got a tile project all set and ready for you…
howtonestforless says
October 14, 2014 at 8:55 pmLet’s do this!!
Brandi says
October 14, 2014 at 3:16 pmCan you post a picture of what the metal edging looks like in the end? You mentioned it was barely noticeable and went well with your appliances.
howtonestforless says
October 14, 2014 at 8:55 pmI just uploaded 3 detailed pics. I hope they help!
Brandi says
October 15, 2014 at 10:16 amWow! What a super clean and finished edge. I love it. Great job!
Tara says
November 10, 2017 at 9:09 pmDid you caulk between the tile and metal edge, or is that grout? We coincidentally picked up the same tiles and planned to do the metal edge, but the only place I’ve seen the metal edge used before had 1/4″ tile rather than 1/8″ tile so it was more flush.
howtonestforless says
November 16, 2017 at 6:13 pmThat’s just the grout, no caulk was needed there!
Joni says
October 26, 2014 at 12:26 pmGreat tutorial and pix! Your instructions are clear and the end results looks beautiful.
Thank you.
howtonestforless says
October 26, 2014 at 7:21 pmThank you!
Renee Johnson says
November 5, 2014 at 9:19 amHey! Can you post where you got your tiles from??
howtonestforless says
November 5, 2014 at 10:04 amLowe’s!
marie Goodman says
January 6, 2015 at 9:52 pmWhere did you shop for the supplies?
howtonestforless says
January 7, 2015 at 3:12 pmLowe’s.
Alyson R says
January 14, 2015 at 9:01 amGreat Job!….it’s beautiful. Now I need to know where I can get your “great little trick for the smooth lines”?
howtonestforless says
January 14, 2015 at 11:52 amAll the details here! https://howtonestforless.com/2014/10/15/how-to-caulk-like-a-pro/
Marian says
January 16, 2015 at 10:44 amIt looks fantastic. I’m getting ready to do mine but I was wondering about the outlets. Do you need to do anything to them or do the covers and screws fit right back on even with the additional depth of tile added?
howtonestforless says
January 16, 2015 at 10:48 amYou’ll need to purchase longer screws for the outlets (not the outlet cover, but behind that). Sorry, should have mentioned that 😉
Anna says
March 25, 2018 at 10:16 amThat was my question too. Do I just remove the old screws, pull out the outlet, and reinstall using long screws?
Laura says
January 26, 2015 at 9:40 pmLooks gorgeous! Question though- Did you use backer board? I didn’t see anything about it and if not, have you had any tiles loosen? I’m almost finished cutting tiles (strips cut from FREE granite, marble, soapstone and quartz scraps) and I’ve been told that I need them and that I don’t by different stores. I don’t want to waste the money if I don’t need them. No one has really given me an answer why or why not to use them.
howtonestforless says
January 29, 2015 at 3:12 pmNo backer board was used! Tiles have held up perfectly. We also did our own backsplash in our older home and never had an issue!
Kianna says
January 28, 2015 at 11:36 amI can’t decide if this is a stupid question or not. 🙂 By the windows where the tile does not go any further up where there is no cabinet, did you use the metal edging on the top, or caulk it maybe? I can’t figure out how that would be finished off.
howtonestforless says
January 29, 2015 at 3:05 pmNot a stupid question! We used the metal edging there as well, with the exception of the space behind the kitchen faucet. I’ll take a photo of that area and add to the post this week!
Sue P. says
March 2, 2015 at 3:57 pmSo glad I found your tutorial! We’re about to tackle our own kitchen backsplash next week. I hope ours turns out as beautiful as yours did! We’re also using the stainless-steel-looking metal edge. Thanks for all your clear photos and tips.
Sue P.
howtonestforless says
March 2, 2015 at 8:09 pmYou’re welcome Sue. Good luck with yours!
Jo says
March 23, 2015 at 8:20 pmThis looks fabulous, you guys did a fantastic job! Love, love, love subway tile. We’re in the midst of redoing our kitchen (white cabs, Jet Mist granite, light gray/blue subway tile backsplash).
Question unrelated to the backsplash … is your hardware for Top Knobs? What finish is it? It’s quite pretty and looks great with your kitchen. Thanks so much for sharing your project!
howtonestforless says
March 24, 2015 at 7:39 amThanks! Hardware is from Lowe’s. Just plain satin nickel!
ronda says
April 1, 2015 at 3:28 pmWhat subway tile did you use specifically? There are so many choices! Thanks, Looks great!
howtonestforless says
April 2, 2015 at 10:28 amWe purchased ours from Lowe’s. They were the ones in stock on the shelves!
Christy says
March 29, 2016 at 10:01 pmis it too hard to just add a model number or add the link, geez!
howtonestforless says
March 30, 2016 at 4:33 pmThis is the link to the tile:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_355358-74035-SL1024BJHC1P2_1z0vj2e__?productId=3477577&pl=1&Ntt=white+subway+tile
Everything else is photoed and I show a price. Just do a search on the Lowe’s page if needed.
Good luck and SMILE 🙂
Krista says
April 27, 2015 at 4:23 pmThis is excellent. We are looking at doing the same thing in our kitchen! I’m excited to hear about that metal edging. Looks awesome! You guys did great!
Sharon Densmore says
October 4, 2015 at 12:36 pmI have a really tiny kitchen so would probably be half the cost. You did a wonderful job makes your whole kitchen look brand new!!!!
howtonestforless says
October 5, 2015 at 10:30 amThanks Sharon!
valerie goetz says
October 10, 2015 at 1:23 pmWhat kind of wet saw did you use? Thinking of diy-ing my backsplash!!
howtonestforless says
October 16, 2015 at 10:17 amIt’s a Cobalt 7 inch sliding wet saw. Good luck!!
Erica says
October 27, 2015 at 10:50 pmI know this post is a little older but I wanted to ask if you had to do anything special with your outlets, like as far as raising them up/out so that the covers will accommodate the tile.
Erica says
October 27, 2015 at 10:54 pmNvm! Just went through all the comments and saw the longer screw answer! Lol
Ellen says
November 19, 2015 at 8:46 amYou put the tile right on your sheetrock? If so, it may fail.
howtonestforless says
November 19, 2015 at 3:08 pmYes we did. No fear about it failing though. We’ve done several this way over the course of 10 years and never had any issues.
Colleen says
January 6, 2016 at 9:56 amExcellent tutorial! Makes me think I can do my kitchen back splash myself too. All the helpful hints are appreciated.
howtonestforless says
January 10, 2016 at 7:49 pmThanks! And good luck to you!!
Morgan says
January 26, 2016 at 11:13 pmFantastic, what are those countertops? Brand and color, just great!
howtonestforless says
January 27, 2016 at 8:39 amThanks! The countertops are laminate: Belmonte Granite from Formica.
Maureen says
April 2, 2016 at 8:33 amcan I ask how much space is between your tile?? 1/16 or 1/8 we bought spacers (our tiles came separate and just curious what you used.
howtonestforless says
April 3, 2016 at 5:20 pmWe actually bought the adjustable ones that people normally use for outlets and switches:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_18989-1781-GSP-04___
Sarah says
May 8, 2016 at 6:41 amSo I’m confused about the outlets. You only remove the cover right? And then tile up to the outlet itself and get a longer screw for the outletcover?
howtonestforless says
May 10, 2016 at 9:35 pmIf needed you can use electrical spacers to bring the outlets out:
http://www.amazon.com/Gardner-Bender-GSP-04-Electrical-Spacers/dp/B000BQK0FS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462934122&sr=8-2&keywords=electrical+spacers
lillian says
May 10, 2016 at 12:20 pmHi,
Beautiful kitchen. Just wondering what paint colour and brand you’ve used?
Thanks
howtonestforless says
May 10, 2016 at 9:37 pmThank you! The paint color is Inspire Awe from Clark+Kensington at Ace Hardware.
Moira says
May 13, 2016 at 3:54 amHello! What a beautiful kitchen! and the tiling looks amazing!
I haven’t tried tiling my kitchen yet – today is the day! But something we did which hopefully will be quite helpful…
We bought the tiles at the same time as the kitchen, and then my joiner installed the kitchen cabinets at the right height to fit the tiles without having to cut them! So the height of the cabinets perfectly matches the tiles.
His idea, not mine!
Anyway, thank you for the tutorial, which me luck with my tiling!
howtonestforless says
May 13, 2016 at 8:10 pmWell isn’t that SMART!! Good luck with your tiling too, but I think you’re on your way to a job well done 😉
Katie says
June 2, 2016 at 4:28 pmDid you have to do anything special with the outlets….bring them out to accomodate for the tile?
howtonestforless says
June 2, 2016 at 7:36 pmWe had to buy longer screws for the outlets.
If needed you can use electrical spacers to bring the outlets out:
http://www.amazon.com/Gardner-Bender-GSP-04-Electrical-Spacers/dp/B000BQK0FS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462934122&sr=8-2&keywords=electrical+spacers
Angela Joachim says
June 11, 2016 at 6:18 pmWhat kind of metal trim piece did you use for the end where the tile ends at the cabinets. What was it called and where did you buy it?
howtonestforless says
June 12, 2016 at 7:45 pmIt’s just called metal trim. You can get it from Lowe’s. Here is a link:
http://www.lowes.com/pd/Schluter-Systems-0-375-in-W-x-98-5-in-L-Aluminum-Commercial-Residential-Tile-Edge-Trim/3772497?-_-store_code=1503&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-Flooring-_-GroutMortarAndSealers-_-3772497:Schluter_Systems&CAWELAID=&kpid=3772497&CAWELAID=1474048323&k_clickID=ed6e92c3-bf9d-4c9a-bb73-ae632aef686d
Megan says
October 29, 2016 at 8:56 amThis looks beautiful. My husband wants to do this in our kitchen. Where did you find the subway tiles on a mesh back? We can only find individual tiles when I search for them which will make this project take longer than expected! Thanks for your help!
howtonestforless says
November 1, 2016 at 8:04 pmThey’re from Lowe’s!
You can find the mesh backing version here:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_355358-74035-SL1024BJHC1P2_1z0vj2e__?productId=3477577&pl=1&Ntt=white+subway+tile
Greer says
March 8, 2017 at 8:41 amThank you! Thank you! Thank you! For these easy-to-follow how to! I can’t wait to get started on my project (s).
You all (with help from your friend Nick) did a great job!!!
Betty White says
October 23, 2017 at 1:15 pmYou should have removed your backsplash and had the tile go all the way to the counter. Would have looked more finished and not like a DIY project.
howtonestforless says
October 23, 2017 at 6:27 pmThat would have been an expensive project since the laminate countertops were all one piece. New countertops were not in the budget. To each their own!
Anna says
March 25, 2018 at 10:18 amDid you have to cut the tiles face down, or with the porcelain side up? Did you encounter any cracking when you cut your tiles?
Stephanie says
March 31, 2018 at 1:06 amBeautiful! How does the white grout hold up in your kitchen? Is it difficult to keep clean? I just finished timing and am now choosing a grout color. Back forth between a light grey or white.
Stephanie says
March 31, 2018 at 1:07 amOops! Meant to sat tiling, not timing:)
Gifts SG says
May 2, 2018 at 11:09 amNeat piece of work, you make it look simple
Michelle says
May 16, 2018 at 6:35 amHi! I am wondering if you found the grout boost to be effective at sealing the grout and making it water and strain resistant? We are getting ready to do a tile backsplash and it seems the reviews aren’t actually that great for grout additives, though I really am wanting it to “work”! Thanks!