We’re nearing the finish line on both duplex kitchens, and today we’re excited to share a major task we just completed: tiling both kitchen backsplashes. Since this is a two-unit house, we had two kitchens to tile, which felt daunting at first. We managed to finish both over a three-day weekend, and it’s such a relief to have this big item checked off our list. Below you’ll find how they turned out and eight practical tips to help you plan and execute a faster, more successful tile project.
We still have a few finishing touches to do—shelving above the tile and a wipeable beadboard-style treatment for the stove wall—but Sherry couldn’t resist styling things a bit to lift the mood. She’s in charge of morale, and it definitely helps make the space feel more complete.
Here’s a quick before-and-not-quite-after: this is the room after cabinet installation but before we started the backsplash work (more on that here):
And here’s how it looks now:
The floor-to-ceiling tile provides the bold color and pattern we wanted in each kitchen. The backsplashes are even visible from the front door, so they add visual interest to the whole downstairs area, not just the kitchens.
Both tile styles are from Tile Bar. The pink patterned tile paired with the blue Ikea Kallarp cabinets is called Bella Tate. The blue patterned tile paired with the wood Ikea Askersund cabinets is Bella Moma. We grouted both with Mapei Flexcolor in Warm Gray, which is our go-to grout for most projects because it performs well and looks consistent.
These are durable porcelain tiles that mimic the look of cement tile without the higher maintenance and staining risk of true cement. Each tile is roughly 9 x 9 inches and priced at $7.99 per square foot. The tile for each kitchen ran just under $400—more than a basic subway backsplash, but a fantastic value for the amount of visual impact they deliver.
Both backsplashes were fairly straightforward to install. We tiled, grouted, and photographed both in about 2.5 days. The key lesson: PREP AND PLANNING ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A QUALITY TILE JOB. Spending time on planning won’t feel as immediately gratifying as setting tile, but it will save time overall and dramatically improve the finished look.
Many of the tips below are especially relevant for medium-to-large tiles or patterned tiles. Smaller tiles like mosaics or hex tiles behave differently and may not require the same steps. Bigger tiles can create awkward slivers if you don’t plan for slopes and uneven walls, and those slivers are hard to cut and often look unprofessional.
8 Things To Do Before You Start Tiling
1. Find Your Maximum and Minimum Measurements
Measure your tiling area precisely—ideally to 1/8″ or 1/16″—and take multiple measurements across the width and height of the wall. Walls and ceilings often slope or bow, so identify the highest and lowest points. For example, our chimney side was 1/2″ shorter than the opposite corner, and some walls bow in the middle. Use a long level to check for bows and note any spots that might affect how many tiles you can fit without creating tiny slivers.
2. Lay Out and Measure Your Tile
Don’t rely solely on paper calculations. Lay out a row of tiles with spacers on the floor to confirm actual dimensions—the tiles often vary slightly from labeled size. In our case, 9″ tiles measured closer to 8.75″, and spacers added width, so seven tiles didn’t fill the wall as expected. Laying them out helped us avoid ending up with an awkward 1″ sliver at one end.
To avoid slivers and emphasize balance, we used six full tiles plus two slightly larger half tiles on the top and bottom. This centered the pattern vertically and masked the ceiling slope.
3. Plan for Outlets and Obstacles
Account for outlets, switchplates, pot fillers, and other obstacles. We prefer horizontal outlets placed near the counter because they’re easier to conceal. Starting with a half tile on the bottom made outlet cuts happen along tile edges rather than in the center, which simplified the work and produced cleaner results.
4. Plan the Pattern Horizontally
Plan side-to-side placement so the pattern reads centered where you want it—like above a sink or window. Lay out a top or bottom row in place before committing so you can avoid odd slivers and make cleaner cuts. On our project, centering a seam beneath the window allowed for a pleasing composition despite a slightly bowed wall.
5. Double-Check That It’s Level
If you use the countertop as a guide for your first row, confirm it’s level relative to nearby horizontal lines like cabinet bottoms or window sills. If your tile will span gaps without a continuous counter, snap a level reference line on the wall and verify your first row stays true as you install.
6. Cut Your First Row Before You Start
Cutting the first row of tiles all at once before applying adhesive saves time and reduces mistakes. If your wet saw has a guide you can lock, use it to cut multiple identical pieces quickly. You’ll still make additional cuts around outlets and corners, but pre-cutting speeds up the critical first stages while adhesive is workable.
7. Protect Your Work Area
Cover counters and floors with protective paper that has a moisture barrier—like red rosin paper—to prevent mastic or grout from soaking through. Run painter’s tape along the counter edge first, then lay the paper to ensure precise placement. If some tape gets trapped under a tile, remove what you can; any small remnants can usually be covered with caulk later.
8. Trim Molding Interferences
Use a Dremel or similar tool to trim window sills or moldings so tiles can slide neatly behind them. Cutting a small notch in the trim lets you run a straight tile edge behind the molding and avoids carving awkward notches into the tile itself. If you’d rather not trim moldings, you can cut tiles to fit, but trimming often yields a cleaner, faster outcome.
All these preparation steps might feel slow at first, but they help your project proceed more smoothly and deliver a cleaner final result. In the past we’ve sometimes rushed and ended up with small slivers that made finishes look less polished—often only noticeable to us, but still worth avoiding. This time, even with patterned tiles and a few tricky spots, the backsplashes came out exactly as we hoped.
We still have a few remaining tasks—installing the beadboard treatment behind the stove, adding floating shelves, and filling the cabinets with plates and cookware—then we’ll be ready to call these kitchens done. Kitchen pun intended.
PS: For more tiling ideas and tutorials, check the additional project posts listed below.
- What Makes Some Floor Tiles Easier To Install Than Others
- The Only Grout We’ll Ever Use
- Installing A Subway Tile Backsplash for $200
- How To Paint A Bathroom Floor To Look Like Cement Tile
- Adding A Marble Herringbone Backsplash To Our Laundry Room
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