metal tile | Home Makeover Diva

Choosing A Metallic Tile Backsplash

12.16.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Tamyra writes:

Dear Diva, Please help! I am in the process of choosing a metallic tile backsplash and I just can’t decide on the color. I have a stainless steel appliances, a neutral beige countertop and cherry cabinets. On top of that my faucet and light fixtures are satin nickel. Originally I thought I’d have to go with some kind of a silver color but it looks blah because it blends in with the appliances what should I do?

Choosing a metallic tile backsplash can be difficult, especially when you’ve already got a metallic finish in the kitchen it is going in. It sounds like you started off in the direction I would have gone in first too. You’ve probably noticed that while the silver metallic tile matches your stainless steel appliances it does nothing for your cherry cabinets. That is because silver is such a cool color while Cherry wood is warm and rich.

While it sounds contrary to your initial instincts, I’d suggest going with a copper or aged bronze tile. A copper tile would accent nicely with your cabinets and it would also stand out from the stainless appliances and nickel fixtures in the kitchen. An aged bronze tile could work as well depending on the shade of your cherry cabinets. If the color of your cabinets are dark, the aged bronze tile may end up just blending in with them, and creating a similar problem that you were running into with the silver metallic backsplash tile.

Whichever way you go, remember to bring a sample tile home into your space and look at how the different light affects the way it looks throughout the day and evening before purchasing. There is nothing worse than installing a new metallic backsplash tile only to find out, it doesn’t look the same at a certain time of day. I speak from experience on this one! Only I made my mistake with paint and ended up having to paint over 2 huge rooms. Trust me this is something you can avoid with only a bit of patience before beginning your project!

If you can’t get a sample or the sample isn’t very big, one trick that has always helped me with any solid backsplash tile is to bring in paint samples to the tile shop. With a metallic backsplash tile this will be even easier to match up. Compare the paint samples to the tile you are looking at and find one that matches. You can then get a quart or sample can made at your local paint store. Back at home, paint a piece of masonite or even poster board with your sample color. Once it dries you can set it up in the kitchen in the backsplash area and find out if the color works for you. This trick takes a bit of the guess-work out of choosing metallic backsplash tile!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.

How To Tile A Backsplash

12.05.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Cindy writes:

We’ve just replaced our appliances in the kitchen and are now looking at doing something about behind the stove. Frankly, I have asked my husband about adding a new backsplash and needless to say he was less than excited at the idea. So know I am asking you, Diva. Can you teach me how to tile a backsplash? Is it really as big of a pain as I’ve heard it can be?

Well Cindy, learning how to tile a backsplash can be made into a really intensive project if you take the usual approach. However if you’re willing to mix things up a bit, try some non-mortar products that help make the job easier, you’ll find it’s not all that bad.

The key to learning how to tile a backsplash really comes down to the following points.

– What kind of tile are you going to be using?

– Something else to make your backsplash tile stay in place?

The tile, really comes down to what type of surface you’re looking for. Ceramic, glass, metal, the list goes on. Because this really comes down to personal preference, there is no really right or wrong choice here. Style, colors or perhaps even going with something that uses vinyl are all good options depending on the end result you might be seeking.

How to tile a backsplash made simple

Believe it or not, there are two great products out there that will allow you to make tile backsplash happen with less effort that most people might think initially. The first product is called Bondera and it’s a tile mat set. Then there is also SimpleMat as well. Bondera is available at Lowes while SimpleMat is a Home Depot product.

Not too long back, I demonstrated how one could use Bondera and some glass backsplash tile to make a small tray for the kitchen. It was applied in the same way as it would be when used for a backsplash. Apply the Bondera, apply the tiles, grout and enjoy. Obviously there is some prep time for the grout involved here, but when you’ve removed the need for mortar, you will see that learning how to tile a backsplash isn’t really that difficult. Take the simple approach, use Bondera. It’s works great!

Budget Friendly Tile Tips

09.17.2009 by Amanda Hartley //

Today a reader asks:

Dear Diva,

I have been wanting to do a new tile backsplash for my kitchen. After giving some thought to using vinyl tile as a backsplash per your recent post, I am curious if have any tips for keep the costs down since I am trying to do this on a budget. Still up in the air as to whether or not I will be using vinyl tile or another type. One thing for sure, price is a deciding factor.

I think I would start off by going to a tile manufacturer and looking at their “seconds” when looking to find budget friendly tile buys. Often times they have pretty expensive tiles on the cheap just waiting to be purchased. A friend of mine did her kitchen back splash in metal tiles and they were $3.00 a pound! These tiles had minor imperfections that so the vendor couldn’t sell them for regular price but they were a great find in the seconds bin. Glass tiles and hand painted tiles can also be found scored for similar prices if you just do some asking and looking around before you buy.

Use the expensive tiles as accents. Alternate accent pieces with regular tiles. Glass, metal and hand painted tiles are very popular, but they can really take a bite out of your budget. Find a porcelain or ceramic tile as your main tiles, and use something else for a border, accent or deco tile. You don’t have to give up the look you love just because it has a high price tag. Be creative and think of ways you can incorporate your favorite pieces without breaking the bank.

Shop at home improvement stores and tile liquidators. They get a discount on their products because of the shear number of there sales. Let them pass that discount on to you. Natural stone tiles are often half the price at big box stores than they are specialty tile places. They also have good deals on glass tiles. You don’t have to sacrifice your dream tile just because of the price, you just have to know where to look and what’s out there.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!