- 1). Use your screwdriver to remove any electrical outlet covers, switch covers or other obstructions from the wall under your kitchen cabinets. Use your non-sudsing cleaner and clean rags to wash the wall and remove any foreign substances or debris. If you are tiling over a painted wall, use your 100-grit sandpaper to do a once-over and roughen the surface so that your tile grout has maximum grip.
- 2). Use your tape measure to find the center point of your backsplash wall. Stretch your tape measure from one side of the wall to the other and mark the exact center. Place your level at the center mark and draw a level line up and down the midpoint of the wall using your pencil.
- 3). Lay out your tiles on the floor in front of the backsplash wall. Place the tiles as they will appear on the wall and fit them together as best you can to eliminate unnecessary cutting later. Remember to use tile spacers to create the proper grout lines and overall size of the installation.
- 4). Put on your protective eye goggles, face mask and work gloves. Mix your thinset mortar according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread your mortar over the wall using your slotted trowel. Apply the mortar at a uniform thickness about 1/4 inch or as deep as the grooves in your trowel. Place only enough mortar on the wall to install eight or so tiles at once.
- 5). Place your first tile along the two edges formed by your pencil-drawn center line and the counter top. Use your tile spacers and set the rest of the bottom row of tiles in place on the wall. Allow enough space between the tiles and the counter top for a line a caulk which you will add later.
- 6). Use your score and snap tile cutter to cut tiles which require only a straight cut, such as those along edges or in corners. Use your wet saw and tile snips to make more complicated cuts. such as those around fixtures. Cut notches in the tile with your wet saw and then use your tile snips to break off the remaining slivers and finish the cut.
- 7). Remove the oven from its normal position and install two rows of tile behind it below the bottom level of the rest of the backsplash. Use your masking tape and spacers to hold these rows of tile in the proper position until dry. Allow 24 hours for the mortar to set and dry completely before moving forward. Once dry, remove all tile spacers, tape and excess mortar from the tiled surface. Use your vacuum to remove any dust, dirt, dried mortar or other debris from the tiled surface.
- 8). Apply your un-sanded, premixed tile grout with your foam-lined grout float. Take a large scoop of grout onto your float and spread it across the tiled surface. Press the grout down and into the tile seams firmly until each is fully packed and there are no gaps remaining. Do not press grout into the seams along the bottom of the tile surface where it meets the counter top.
- 9). Fill your bucket with clean water and dip your sponge. Run your sponge over the tiled surface and remove any excess grout or grit. Wipe across the tile seams so you do not remove the grout from within. Repeat the sponge-cleaning process until the surface is grit-free. Allow the tiles to dry off, then wipe away any film or cloudiness with your clean rags.
- 10
Apply caulk to the seam between the bottom row of tile and the counter top. Use your clean rags to wipe away any excess caulk. Allow the grout to dry according to manufacturer's guidelines.
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