Subway Tile Kitchen Backsplash

Mike and I wanted a clean, modern feel in the Kitchen. The subway tile look is classic, but we wanted to do something a little different than the standard 3" x 6" tile. We decided to go with a 4" x 10" white ceramic tile. We chose to pair a dark gray grout with the tile to add contrast to the space. Follow along to see the simple install process! Material list is located at the end.

Step 1: Choose tile and grout // prepare the space

We purchased our "White Ice" colored tile from Floor and Decor. We got all other needed materials from Home Depot, including our pre-mixed grout in "Delorean Gray". We used builder's paper to cover the butcher block countertop and painter's tape to hold it in place.

Step Two: Install base row of tile and edge pieces

We applied thin-set mortar to the wall with a trowel where we planned to place our first row of tiles. We then applied thin-set mortar to the back of each tile as we placed them as the base row along the countertop. We used 1/4" tile spacers in between each tile. The tile spacers ensure consistent gaps between tiles for grout to be applied later. On both edges of our backsplash we installed a Schluter Strip as our edge piece. This strip gave a clean, finished look to the edges.

Step Three: Continue to work up the wall and make cuts as needed

We had the tile saw at-the-ready outside in our driveway for the cuts we needed to make. Mike showed some serious skill cutting the piece that went in between the window sill and the light switch. The majority of the cuts were very simple: cut outs for electrical boxes, vertical cuts for edge pieces, and horizontal cuts for the top row of tile (our ceiling is NOT level!!).

Step Four: Finish placing tiles on wall with spacers

Step Five: Grout

Once the thin-set mortar firmly hardened (overnight), we moved on to grout. We used a hard-edged rubber grout float to apply the grout to the gaps between the tiles. When applying the grout we made sure to hold the float at a 45 degree angle so there was even distribution of the grout into the gaps. We then swept the float at a 90 degree angle to remove any excess grout. As the grout started to harden, we wiped the tiles down with a damp sponge. Once the grout was completely hardened we came back with a damp cloth to wipe off the "haze" left behind on the tiles from the grout.