The Easiest Way to Tile a Backsplash

Installing a splashback is one of the most effective DIY projects for transforming a kitchen. It is a manageable task that, with the right tools, can yield a professional finish while saving on labour costs.

What is the Easiest Splashback to Install?

1. Vinyl Stick-On: The simplest option. These come in sheets or individual "tiles" with a peel-and-stick backing. They can be installed over paint, wood, or even existing tiles. They are easy to wipe clean and ideal for renters as they can be removed without surface damage.

2. Paint: A budget-friendly solution where you can mark out designs to mimic patterns or solid blocks of colour.

3. Beadboard: Available in pre-fabricated kits or sheets. For kitchens, bathrooms, or utility rooms, choose vinyl beadboard over MDF, as MDF can swell in moist environments.

4. Faux Tile and Brick: Thin, lightweight sheets that can be stuck over existing splashbacks or plain walls using a small amount of adhesive (like Gripfill or Liquid Nails).

5. Laminate Flooring: You can use leftover laminate flooring on walls. Unlike flooring, which "floats," these must be tacked into place using a brad nailer.

6. Real Tile: For the easiest experience with real ceramics, use pre-fabricated tile sheets. These are real tiles pre-mounted on a mesh backing, ensuring consistent spacing and a much faster installation.

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Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Measure Your Space

Measure the width and height of every section. Identify "stop points" like the underside of a wall cupboard or a window sill.

• Top Tip: Plan your layout so you end with whole tiles at the top where possible to avoid difficult lengthwise cuts (ripping).

Step 2: Factor in Material Waste

Always buy 10% more material than required. You will have odd cuts around corners and electrical sockets, and some tiles may break. Keep offcuts for future repairs or mosaic work.

Step 3: Identify Your Starting Point

• Corners: Start at the corner and work outwards in both directions.

• Long Walls: Start in the centre and work towards the edges.

• Focal Points: If you have a window or a range cooker, start there and work outwards to maintain symmetry.

Step 4: Protect the Area

Cover worktops, hobs, and sinks with dust sheets, newspaper, or heavy-duty bin liners. Ensure the protection doesn't cover the specific part of the wall you are tiling.

Step 5: Set Up a Wet Tile Saw

For ceramic or porcelain, an electric wet tile saw is recommended. It uses water to cool the diamond blade, preventing sparks, burn marks, and cracking. Ensure the reservoir is filled and the saw is on a stable, flat surface.

Step 6: The First Row

Mark the centre of the wall and "dry fit" (place without adhesive) the bottom row. Use tile spacers between every tile and between the tiles and the worktop. Once satisfied, apply tile adhesive to the back of each tile with a trowel and press into place.

• Crucial: Use a spirit level on this first row. If the foundation is slanted, every row above it will be crooked.

Step 7: Continue Tiling

Work your way up the wall. You can stack tiles vertically for clean lines or stagger them for a "brick" look. Remove any adhesive that squeezes out onto the front of the tiles immediately; do not let it dry.

Step 8: Cutting Tips

• Apply painter’s tape to the tile before marking your cut line to prevent chipping.

• Always cut with the finished "face" up.

• For complex cuts (like around a light switch), make several parallel "finger" cuts into the waste area with the saw, then snap them off with tile nippers and tidy the edge.

Step 9: Grout

After the adhesive has cured for a few days, remove the spacers. Apply grout using a grout float, pressing it into the gaps with a diagonal motion. Work in small sections. After a few minutes, wipe away excess grout with a damp (not soaking) sponge.

Step 10: Caulking

Apply a bead of silicone sealant (caulk) where the tiles meet the cabinets and the worktop. This provides a finished look and prevents water from getting behind the tiles.

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Pro Hack: Adhesive Mats

Instead of using traditional wet adhesive (mastic), you can use tile adhesive mats. These act like heavy-duty double-sided tape. Apply the mat to a clean, dry wall, peel off the front backing, and stick your tiles directly onto it. You can grout immediately afterward without waiting for the adhesive to dry.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Resurfacing a Flagstone Kitchen Floor in Broadbottom, Greater Manchester

The new owners of this lovely terraced house in the village of Broadbottom that was built circa 1900, inherited with it a lovely old flagstone floor in the Kitchen which was now in a rather bad state with ingrained dirt and stains.


I suspected that the White staining was due to alkaline salts, a problem more commonly known as efflorescence. However, I took a moisture reading of the floor with a damp meter and the readings were normal, so it may have been a historic damp problem that cause it. We are always wary of efflorescence issues when it comes to older properties as damp proof membranes which resolve this problem are a relatively modern invention.


After explaining the process, I worked out a quote which was accepted and booked a date in the diary for the work to commence, which would take place over two days.

Cleaning and Grouting a Flagstone Kitchen Floor

First the floor was in a terrible state and needed to be resurfaced if it was going to live up to its potential. To do this I used a 100 followed by a 200-grit coarse Diamond milling pads to grind off the top layer of ground in dirt, resurface the stone and reveal the beautiful stone beneath. These abrasive pads are run over the floor with a weighted floor buffer running on a nice slow speed and lubricated with water. The floor is rinsed with more water after each pad and then the soil extracted using a wet vacuum.

As the floor had quite a few areas where the grout had cracked and crumbled, I decided to rake this out and replaced it with a flexible grout using a colour sympathetic to the original. This and the milling made an immediate improvement to the overall appearance of the floor. The floor was then left to dry off overnight and I came back the next day to apply a sealer.

Sealing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The next day I checked the floors moisture level before sealing, all was well, so I applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is an impregnating sealer that has a matt finish. Tile Doctor Colour Grow is also fully breathable so should cope well with any damp issues and allow moisture to rise through the stone and evaporate. This is important as otherwise moisture could become trapped under the floor where it could eventually cause problems in the walls.


The customers were delighted with the outcome, the colour of the stone had really improved also Milling the surface of the floor makes it smoother so it would now be much easier for them to keep clean in future.


For aftercare I left them with a bottle of concentrated Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which once diluted is a pH neutral product that will not erode the newly applied sealer. Many household cleaners are too strong for sealed floor and will prematurely erode the sealer over time.


Source: Flagstone Floor Cleaning and Sealing Service in Broadbottom, Greater Manchester

Deep Cleaning and Restoring Old Pamment Tiles in South Yorkshire

The owner of this house in the village of Silkstone near Barnsley had discovered this clay Pamment floor when they had a tiler come in to tile the floor. The tiler stripped off the Vinyl floor covering and removed an inch of Bitumen that it had been stuck onto. With the Bitumen removed it became clear that there was wonderful Pamment tiled floor already there. They had a go at restoring the floor themselves but eventually decided to call in the experts.


Having been buried under Bitumen for such a long time the floor had a number of serious issues that would need addressing during the restoration. The grout/cement between the tiles was crumbling and there was a thick layer of dirt ingrained in the clay, there was also evidence of inherent salt efflorescence issues which manifests as white staining.


Pamment tiles are very similar to Terracotta in that they are made from clay and like Terracotta are very porous and need to be sealed to protect dirt getting into the pores. You don’t normally see them in use in Yorkshire, but are quite a common in Norfolk and Suffolk where they are still made by Norfolk Pamments. Silkstone dates back to the Doomsday Book of 1086 and there are some very old houses in the village so you never know what your going to find.

Deep Cleaning a Pamment tiled floor

We removed what was left of the grout/cement from between the tiles using a special tool and replaced with a grout specifically made for wide joints.


The next day once the grout had fully cured we came back to do the deep clean starting by applying Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the Pamments and letting it soak in for ten minutes. Then the tiles were scrubbed with a floor buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad and running at slow speed.


The floor was then rinsed with water and the slurry extracted using a wet vacuum. With the floor clear we could see that the process removed had most of the grime but there were areas that needed a bit more attention. To tackle the stubborn stains and neutralise the effloresce salts that were in the tiles Tile Doctor Acid Gel was applied and scrubbed in.

After a final rinse to remove any trace of cleaning product the floor was left to dry out for a few days.

Sealing an Old Pamment Tiled Floor

Due to the age of these tiles, the inherent efflorescence issues and the lack of damp proof membrane we sealed the floor in a fully breathable sealer 'Seal and Go Extra'. This provides a beautiful satin finish and allows the floor to breath and any moisture to escape.


Our customer was delighted with the results and was so happy to restore another original feature of the house.




Source: Pamment Tile Cleaning, Renovation and Maintenance Service in Silkstone, South Yorkshire

Grouting Wood Effect Porcelain floor tiles in Homes Chapel

I thought I would do a quick post on this request I received to finish off the grouting of these wood effect Porcelain floor tiles at a house in Homes Chapel. The owner is a DIY enthusiast and had been making some renovations to the property including the laying of this long format distressed wood effect tiles which are really realistic. Grouting a Porcelain Floor The owner had done a good job laying a level floor but was unsure how to apply the grout so put in a request for some Read more...

Grouting Porcelain Floor Tiles in East Cheshire

I thought I would do a quick post on this request I received to finish off the grouting of these wood effect Porcelain floor tiles at a house in Homes Chapel. The owner is a DIY enthusiast and had been making some renovations to the property including the laying of this long format distressed wood effect tiles which are really realistic. Grouting a Porcelain Floor The owner had done a good job laying a level floor but was unsure how to apply the grout so put in a request for some Read more...

Grouting Wood Effect Porcelain floor tiles in Homes Chapel

I thought I would do a quick post on this request I received to finish off the grouting of these wood effect Porcelain floor tiles at a house in Homes Chapel. The owner is a DIY enthusiast and had been making some renovations to the property including the laying of this long format distressed wood effect tiles which are really realistic. Grouting a Porcelain Floor The owner had done a good job laying a level floor but was unsure how to apply the grout so put in a request for some Read more...