Tiling Over Tile: Subway Tile Backsplash

This weekend, I finally got around to tiling the kitchen backsplash. I tiled right over the existing tile, which was a beige stone-look porcelain. Even before I grouted you could already see the difference: 

The cream-painted cabinets and backsplash have muted the pinky undertones of the granite in a way that the old beige cabinets and backsplash didn't. Win!

Before                                                                                             After

The method I chose to use when I tiled over tile is unconventional, so I want to talk about that.

My DIY of this kitchen is just a temporary fix. We plan to gut renovate this kitchen at some point, taking down a portion of the wall behind the sink and range. In the meantime, quick fixes can make this kitchen not only "livable" but beautiful. Tiling this backsplash, however temporary, is one of them. Quick and inexpensive. But could it also be easy?

I found inspiration in this YouTube video by Terry Fahy:



Terry's method, while unconventional — evidenced by some harsh reprimands from professional tilers in his YouTube comments — is, as he says in his video, goof-proof. What I like about his method are: 1. It is neat and tidy and 2. allows for foolproof tile alignment, and 3. allows me to lay as much field tile as possible and let it set, while saving all my tile cuts for another day.

You see, my plan is to rent a professional tile saw and take care of all the cuts in just a few hours — making the most economic use of my tool-rental time. Then I'll pick up tile installation where I left off, with no messy mastic to scrape away.

Because instead of mastic, I am using silicone adhesive. Yes, you heard right.

Why not adhesive? No one blinks an eye when they hear that you are adhering ceiling tins or beadboard, or what have you to a backsplash using adhesive. So, why not subway tile?

There's very little risk, in my opinion, to using adhesive on a kitchen backsplash if the surface you're tiling over is sound. I might think twice about using this method in a bathroom — unless I was completely certain that the preceding tile job was still water-tight. But a kitchen backsplash, especially MY temporary kitchen backsplash, is unlikely to encounter a whole lot of water. Ross and I are both neat cooks and clean up artists. And I'll be sure to caulk it well.

So, how does one go about tiling with silicone adhesive? Like this:

The little plastic Xs are spacers. I have to give Terry Fahy credit for using them on the back as well. It's pretty ingenious. By applying spacers to the adhesive, you keep the surface of the tiles level. That is, you can't push one in more deeply than another.

Brilliant!

I didn't have to break out the leveler once during this job. And as you can see, my tiles are uniformly placed in the traditional brickwork pattern. They line up quite nicely:

After making my cuts and finishing up the tiling, it was time to grout.

I chose a color called "linen" that closely matches the color of the "almond" subway tile.

So, how did it go?

I am a novice tile setter. This is maybe the third time I've tiled. So, here's what I'd do differently; maybe it will help you.

The two challenges in my opinion are stirring the grout to the right consistency (some say peanut buttery) and getting the stuff into the grooves without a lot of drying grout to clean up.

Next time I'll spring for the more expensive pre-mixed grout and I'll apply the grout dirctly between the tiles using a pastry bag, the kind cake decorators use. This will really cut down on cleanup afterwards. It will also waste far less grout.

My project took a few days. One day to adhere the full size field tiles, another day to make my cuts and adhere the trimmed tiles, and an additional hour a few days later to grout, after I was sure the adhesive had cured.

All in all, I'm pleased at the outcome. With little expense and not a lot of time, I achieved my objective: The cream cabinets and subway tile backsplash have successfully muted the pinkness of the ugly granite in this kitchen. It's still not a stone that I would ever choose, myself, but I can almost appreciate its natural beauty.