Build a Ceramic Tile Backsplash

Adding a ceramic tile backsplash to your kitchen counters is one of the simplest ways to give your kitchen a fresh new look. The choice of tiles is endless, from a variety of glazed ceramic tiles, glass tiles, rustic textured porcelain tiles, stone tiles in a variety of finishes from polished to tumbled or exotics like Moroccan tile or hand-painted Italian tiles.

Design your backsplash
The smallest recommended size for a ceramic tile backsplash is four inches from the countertop. Many backsplashes extend all the way to the upper cabinets. Decide what kind of backsplash you want by taking into account how it will work around windows and electrical outlets, turn corners and terminate.

Determine how much tile you'll need
Once you've designed your backsplash, measure the length of all your countertops where the backsplash will go. Then measure the height of your backsplash whether it's four inches, full height or somewhere in between. Multiply the two numbers together to get the square footage of the area you need to cover. This will be the first question they ask you at any tile store.

Assemble your tools
You'll need the following tools:

• A level
• A chalk-line or pencil.
• A grooved trowel.
• A rubber mallet.
• Tile spacers.
• A hacksaw with a carbide blade.
• A tile cutter, available for sale or rent at any good hardware store.

If you'll be cutting tiles to fit over outlets or fixtures like a pot-filler behind a stove, you'll also need:

• A power drill with a carbide-tipped .
• A carbide rod blade for your hacksaw.

And for grouting your tile, you'll need:

• Rubber gloves.
• A rubber squeegee.
• Popsicle sticks, a butter knife or similar device for smoothing the grout. Your finger can also work.

Prepare your walls
If there's old tile, wallpaper or paneling, remove it. You need to apply the tile to a smooth, clean surface of either plaster or gypsum board. Scrape off any loose paint. Patch and fill any holes. Clean with a degreaser. Turn off the electricity to the area, remove any outlet covers and tape over the exposed outlets with masking tape or blue painter's tape.

Install the tile

• Using a level and a pencil or chalk line, mark your walls with two or three horizontal and vertical lines to serve as your guide.
• Spread the recommended adhesive over the area using a grooved trowel. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and spread the adhesive in a thin coat. Work only a small area at a time, no more than you can cover in 15 to 20 minutes.
• Start small, this will increase as you build confidence and experience.
• Apply the tile, pressing it firmly in place. Work from either the center and work outwards, or from a bottom corner depending on how and where you want cuts to show. Start from the bottom at the countertop and work up.
• Use tile spacers around each tile before applying the next to maintain uniform grout spacing.

 
Cutting tile
You'll inevitably need to cut tiles to fit at the ends of your counter or along the top row if you're going full-height to the upper cabinets. Measure the tile and mark it with a pencil. Lay it in the tile cutter and score it with the carbide wheel. Press the handle and the tile will snap in two.

For L-shaped cuts, you'll need to make the first cut by hand with a hacksaw with a carbide-tipped blade, then the second cut with the cutter.

For holes of any shape or size to fit over an outlet or fixture, drill a hole through the tile with your power drill equipped with a carbide-tipped drill bit. Use a low speed and steady pressure for best results. A piece of masking tape on the tile will keep the drill from "skating" over the surface. Once your hole is cut, install the carbide rod-blade in your hacksaw while the blade is through the hole, then expand the hole by hand-sawing as needed.

Grout the tile
Let the tile stand for 24 hours before grouting. Instructions may vary by manufacturer, so read the label before grouting. But generally, you'll be mixing the grout into a creamy paste and applying it with a rubber squeegee. Work it firmly into the gaps between the tiles and smooth it over as you go. You can use a butter knife, a popsicle stick or your finger to maintain even lines. Wipe the tiles clean as you go with a wet sponge. Depending on the manufacturer's instructions, you may need to seal the grout and let stand for 24 to 36 hours.

Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it to be a lot easier than you expected. The end-results will be well-worth the effort!