Choosing a backsplash
Classic subway tile in a running bond is hard to beat. Stacked vertical tile reads more modern. Large-format porcelain or a slab-look tile gives you an almost seamless wall with very little grout to clean behind the stove. Handmade-look and glossy tile catch the light under the cabinets.
Bring your options to the site visit, or send photos of what you like, and we will tell you how each one will look and wear in your kitchen.
Layout is what makes it look right
A backsplash is right at eye level, so every cut shows. Before any tile goes up, we work out where the pattern centres (usually on the range or the sink), where it stops, and how it meets the window trim and the ends of the upper cabinets. The goal is full tiles where you look most and no thin slivers anywhere.
The details
- Tile cut cleanly around every outlet and switch box
- A finished edge where the tile ends, with a trim profile or a finished tile edge
- A flexible caulk joint where the tile meets the counter, not grout, so it does not crack
- Counters and floors protected while we work
Feature walls
The same skills apply anywhere a wall deserves attention: behind a bathroom vanity, a freestanding tub, a bed, a bar or a fireplace. A tiled feature wall is a big visual change for a modest amount of material.
Redoing more than the backsplash? See tile installation for floors, or heated floors if the kitchen floor is coming up too.
