Need Advice - New Kitchen - No Backsplash?

[Anonymous]

To the PP who installed her (his?) own--had you done similar projects before? What the learning curve like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who installed her (his?) own--had you done similar projects before? What the learning curve like?

PP 00:48 again (I'm a guy, FYI). I have done other DIY projects and am relatively handy. I have tiled bathrooms before using the premeasured tiles on mesh backgrounds, but I have never tiled with large loose tiles. We bought 13x13 tiles that were *HEAVY* ceramic tiles. There was some learning curve in handling such large tiles, especially reading up on the type of cement (special cement designed for larger, heavier tiles). I had also never used a wet saw before, but I've watched it on HGTV shows. I did a little Googling and found several guides on tiling and cutting and researched. One of the hardest parts was learning how to notch out for the plugs and switches. But, the first weekend, I still managed to teach myself how to do this and tile the first of two walls (about 1500 sq in or 10-11 sq ft) in about 3 hours...and only managed to miscut one tile. I ended up being able to use that tile for edge work where I had to cut pieces to fit in at the edge so it wasn't a complete waste. Make sure to measure, plan for the spacers (I ended up using 1/4" spacers to make my calculations, placement of the plugs/switches and fewer cuts easier) and also plan that even with the best of measuring, things could end up a little off. The tiles were not exactly 13" x 13" (maybe 1/16-1/8" off) and that slight margin of error meant needing to measure exactly for each tile that was cut. But then, I had an off shape that looks like one rectangle on the bottom with a second smaller rectangle on top in the middle for a higher space above the cooktop in the middle of the wall. Add in the border and I had to cut almost every piece of tile that I put in.

Note...this is not the hardest DIY job that I have done...it's about middling in difficulty as long as you have done your homework. I measured (4 times) and used MS Word to lay out my diagram of where every tile would go and what shape and the initial measurements. Referring to this diagram helped as I was hopping in and out between the kitchen and the driveway (where I was doing the cutting) and remembering which pieces to cut.

[Anonymous]

I think either would work fine and there is nothing wrong with not having a backsplash, but I really like having one and I do think it looks a bit more "finished." Especially if you are having granite and other high-end finishes it seems a bit odd to not have one.

We used a honed Carrarra (sp?) marble which is very neutral but has nice texture. There is natural variation too so it doesn't end up looking too white/plain. Travertine is another nice neutral option. A neutral glass tile would work too but glass is much more expensive and a whole wall of it might be overkill. We opted for a neutral glass behind the stove/vent hood and the marble everywhere else with glass tile cutouts every so often.

[Anonymous]

You don't say what color your cabinets are, but if they are white, you will want to think about tile with some color (even if it is a "neutral"). We bought a house with white cabinets and white tile backsplash (with gray countertops) and it looks like a hospital.

[Anonymous]

So if the purpose of a backsplash is to protect the walls from grease/spaghetti sauce/etc., do you need a back splash if your burners are on a center kichen island, not against a wall? We just have that 4 inch thing previous posters have mentioned, but I never thought the kitchen looked incomplete, but we've just kept what the previous owners had...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if the purpose of a backsplash is to protect the walls from grease/spaghetti sauce/etc., do you need a back splash if your burners are on a center kichen island, not against a wall? We just have that 4 inch thing previous posters have mentioned, but I never thought the kitchen looked incomplete, but we've just kept what the previous owners had...

In your case, the curb (that 4" thing) is enough since you don't need it for a functional purpose. However, many people still want it for the aesthetic value. At that point is is up to you. I still think it looks more finished and upgraded, but at that point it depends on your decorating tastes.

[Anonymous]

Although I personally think no backsplash can look fine, in a more traditional kitchen, I would probably opt to get it for all the reasons mentioned Also, I watch a lot of HGTV and the absence of a backsplash seems to always been mentioned (shows like House Hunters and Bang for your Buck).

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. We're looking at tile next week. If we decide to go with a backsplash, I'll post back with what we choose.

BTW, the cabinets are cherry-stained maple (brown with a tiny hint of red) and the countertops are Giallo Ornamental granite. Our reluctance on the backsplash is b/c a fear of over-decorating (too fussy looking) not cost. We think the cost of a simple backsplash would be about the same as the 4 inch granite curb.

[Anonymous]

Our 4 inch granite (I think we did 3 inch) was not nearly the cost of tile, but it depends on if you DIY. We intended to put in a backsplash but I prefer it without as I hate cleaning tile and if you get sick of it, the thought of changing it out for something different does not appeal to me at all given we'd DIY it. I'm saving the nice tile for the bathroom remodel.