“It looks like a cable-knit sweater on the wall!” That was my first thought after installing the marble herringbone backsplash in our laundry room. We’d recently tiled the floor, and this time we finally used the wall tile we’d bought months ago to cover the area behind the washer and dryer.
The room instantly felt more finished than the blank box it had been, and we only needed thirteen sheets of mosaic tile to do it. The new shelf and counter are still unfinished—we’ll stain, seal, and install them later this week—but they will be removable and rest on L-brackets so we’ll still have easy access behind the appliances. The shelf will prevent socks from disappearing behind the washer and dryer and add warmth and texture to the space.
We built the shelf first so we could mark the correct height for tiling and avoid tiling where the brackets will be mounted. We’re planning a slightly darker stain than the raw wood shown in our mood board; the tile is Hampton Carrera marble in a small herringbone mosaic.
This tile project included two new elements for us: working with marble mosaic sheets and using premixed mastic to adhere tile to painted drywall. We sanded the drywall lightly to give it some tooth, then applied mastic instead of thinset. The premixed mastic has a consistency similar to spackle, and we used a 3/16″ v-notch trowel to spread it for the smaller mosaic sheets.
Cutting the mosaic sheets made us nervous because the tile was on back-order and we wanted to avoid waste. On a previous project with ceramic penny tile we had to experiment to make clean cuts, and while tile nippers had helped then, reviews for marble mosaic recommended a wet saw. The wet saw worked wonderfully for these sheets. A simple trick that helped was placing two scrap tiles (or wood) on either side of the blade so the mosaic sheet had a flat surface to rest on as it passed through. With a steady feed and plenty of water on the blade we got clean edges without shattering the small pieces.
The new saw’s rolling tray and laser guide made cutting smoother and more accurate than our older model would have. For this job we mostly trimmed the tops of a few tiles so they would sit flush against side walls or the undersides of cabinets. As long as we moved the sheet slowly through the saw we avoided chipping the corners.
Because mastic sets faster than thinset, we worked in small sections—two sheets at a time. After spreading the mastic with the flat side of the trowel and combing it with the v-notched side, my partner installed each mosaic sheet and “twisted” it slightly to ensure a good bond. Aligning the sheets required attention: some sheets did not line up perfectly at their edges, which could create visible seams. To minimize that we nudged sheets together, shifted them up or down slightly, and sometimes snipped excess mesh backing that interfered with a tight fit.
We also staggered the vertical placement of the sheets to disguise horizontal seams across the backsplash. For example, when the space above the appliances needed one and a half sheets tall, we started one vertical column with a full sheet at the top and a half sheet below, then started the next column with the half sheet at the top and a full sheet below. Staggering avoided an obvious continuous seam across the wall.
We installed the tile in about two hours during a Saturday afternoon nap window. The mastic was likely dry enough to grout that night, but we waited until the next morning to be safe. Because the grout joints were wider than 1/8″, we used sanded grout in a standard white color. This backsplash required more grout than the tile floor because of the many small gaps between the marble pieces, so I mixed enough grout for about half the wall at a time to avoid it drying out during the process.
To protect the floor, I laid a scrap board where the shelf will sit to catch any drips while grouting. After applying the grout to half the wall I wiped the surface with a lightly damp sponge to smooth the joints and remove excess grout. A haze often appears as grout dries, which used to worry us, but with polished marble a chemical haze remover is not recommended. Instead we used microfiber cloths and elbow grease to buff the haze away. Two passes significantly improved the shine, and we plan one more pass to make the marble as gleaming as possible.
Edge imperfections at the bottom are hidden by the shelf and counter that will cover them once stained and sealed. We saved extra tile and grout in case a future washer or dryer has a different height and we need to adjust the shelf or add tile lower on the wall. The shelf is removable, so changing its height later shouldn’t be difficult.
We’ve begun testing stain and sealer combinations on scrap wood pieces and expect to have the finished shelf and counter installed in a few days. We’ll also share details on reinstalling the washer and dryer and hooking up the overflow drain in the next post. For now, here’s an updated to-do list so you can see what remains:
Move washer & dryer and remove cabinetryDemo cased opening, side wall, back wall, part of the floor and the attic stepFrame new walls & doorwaysMove laundry plumbing hook-ups & drainsMove laundry electrical plus other outlets/lightsMove dryer vent & HVAC ductHang drywallAdd insulationMud, tape, and sand all the drywall seamsPrime & paint laundry room and hallway wallsTile & grout new laundry floorHang upper cabinets and install lower cabinetReinstall washer & dryer- Stain, seal, and install the wood counter & shelf
- Rehang the laundry door & add the new glass door to the future bunk-room
- Add cabinet fillers, crown molding, baseboard, & door casings
- Install cabinet hardware & soft-close drawer upgrades
- Add a ceiling light fixture & under cabinet lighting
- Hang art, ironing board, and bring in laundry room items (drying rack, trash can, etc.)
- Finishing touches and repairs (fix drywall in the garage, add an attic step, etc.)
We have seven items left to complete, but with the washer and dryer back in service it feels like we’re approaching the finish line. Also, fair warning: someone here may be gently petting the tile as I write this.