How to Install a Kitchen Tile Backsplash

Tiles create the ultimate shield for your kitchen walls, turning a chaotic workspace into a clean, durable, and visual focal point. A backsplash takes the abuse of grease splatters and steam, but if installed correctly, it stays pristine for decades with only a damp cloth for maintenance. Good backsplash work is all about the layout and the prep. Rushing the start leads to crooked lines that haunt you every time you reach for a coffee mug. When you take the time to find your center and ensure your first row is dead-level, the rest of the wall falls into place with rhythmic ease.

1. Clean and prime the wall. Scrub the drywall with trisodium phosphate (TSP) to remove grease and debris. Once dry, apply a coat of wall primer to ensure the adhesive bonds permanently to the surface.
2. Find center, avoid slivers. Measure the width of the wall and mark the center point. Dry-lay your tiles horizontally from the center outward to ensure you aren't left with tiny, ugly slivers of tile at the corners.
3. Spread adhesive in sections. Mix your thin-set according to the package directions. Use a notched trowel to spread the adhesive onto the wall, working in three-foot sections so the thin-set doesn't dry before you place the tiles.
4. Press and space each tile. Press each tile firmly into the adhesive with a slight twisting motion. Insert tile spacers between each piece to maintain uniform grout lines.
5. Cut corners, then cure. Measure the gaps at the edges and corners, then cut the tiles to fit using a wet saw or tile snapper. Press these final pieces into place and allow the entire installation to cure for at least 24 hours.
6. Fill joints and wipe clean. Mix your grout to a peanut butter consistency and push it into the gaps using a rubber grout float held at a 45-degree angle. Wipe away excess grout with a damp sponge after 15 minutes.