Kitchen Backsplash

The Decisions That Matter Before a Single Tile Goes Up

A kitchen backsplash looks straightforward — tile on a wall between the countertop and the upper cabinets. The challenge is in the details that most people don't think about until the tile is already in. Where does the pattern start? If you're running herringbone, does it center on the range hood or on the window? If the tile has a directional pattern, which way does it run? What happens at the end of the upper cabinet run where the wall meets a window casing?

We work through these decisions before mixing mortar. We take measurements, establish a layout line, and figure out where cuts will land. A cut tile that's less than half a tile wide at a visible edge looks unfinished. We plan to avoid that, which sometimes means adjusting the starting point by a few tile widths so the cuts at both ends are equal and generous.

The surface under the tile matters too. Kitchen walls often have a layer or two of old paint, sometimes grease near the range, and sometimes slight texture from previous work. We clean and prepare the surface before tiling — greasy walls are a common reason backsplash tiles delaminate within a year of installation.