Be sure to clean up after you cut the tiles so that no dust gets into the installation part of your project. Cut the tiles to fit the installation on a tile wet saw. Spray water onto the tile when needed to keep the surface wet. If your tiles are already on the wall and you wish to cut a hole in them, complete this step, then, You will need to reinstall the light switch and outlet covers after you have finished. Open the panel, then find the switch for the bathroom or kitchen electrical outlets (wherever you are doing the backsplash). I found it … Turn the float to 90-degrees to scrape off the excess grout from the surface of the tiles. How to cut glass backsplash. A glass tile backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom announces itself with shimmering light and rich colors. Typically, when you are installing wall tiles in a backsplash or dry wall area, you will encounter outlets. With hexagon tiles, you have to cut them to get a flat edge where your backsplash ends. Use a tile nipper for any circular incisions. People see the professionals work on different types of cutting machines to cut the tile and assume that tile cutting is a hard task.But I assure you that whenever it comes to cutting fewer tiles for home use, you … There is more to installing backsplashes than just arranging tiles, however; you have to measure and cut the tiles so that they fit properly. 6. We used this bullnose edging around the outer corners, and this flat edging along the sides and top of the backsplash. A beautiful stencil backsplash that you got right the first time Luckily after this tutorial you will be able to learn from my mistakes!I partnered with Stencil Revolution to create a gorgeous backsplash for our brand new pantry renovation project!They have the best selection of stencils & lot’s of different sizes to fit your space. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Don't cut straight through them. When you are installing decorative tiles or borders in the backsplash along with field tile, leave a gap for these, then install them after the field tile. Be sure to mark any outlet and light switch holes. Find the electrical panel in your home. Cut along the line slowly. They will be more disguised that way. A member in good standing with the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Asaff has working knowledge of all areas of home design. The only thing left to do is the installation, but it's not so simple as laying the tile down, you've got to cut it to fit in some places! This article was co-authored by Art Fricke. Or getting rid of all that carpet and redoing your living room. If you're cutting a brittle tile like ceramic, use your drill on the lowest speed, and frequently dip the drill bit in a little bit of water to keep it from getting too hot. You can rent many of the required tools from a hardware store. You may have to experiment before you find the right one for your type of tile. Prepare a layout of the area on a piece of paper using a pencil and come up with a design on how you are going to arrange the tiles. Do this on each side. Cutting tiles is not as hard as you think! If your blade can't go around the corners, skip them for now. Turn off the saw and remove the tile. Divide the backsplash into sections or straight runs and measure the height and length of each section. While stainless steel is not as common as natural stone and ceramic tile for backsplashes, it is a … You can use them on ceramic tiles, however. How to Cut a Stainless Steel Kitchen Backsplash for Outlets. Score along that line with a box knife. If they don't. Mounting a towel rack does not. cut them away with your box cutter. 1 July 2020. Glass tile is a favorite material for backsplashes because of its beauty, versatility, and durability. Step 2 Place a piece of masking tape over the marked line where you will cut. Glass tile installed on a kitchen backsplash using a high polymer content thinset suitable for glass tile. Remember to position cut tiles in areas where the sliced edges will be least apparent, such as along the top portion of a backsplash where the tile touches the underside of the cabinets. Hold the float at a 45-degree angle to the tiles to spread the grout. You will need to cut some tiles larger, and other tiles smaller. https://www.lowes.com/projects/kitchen-and-dining/how-to-install-a-tile-backsplash/project, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-install-tile-backsplash, https://www.wallcoverings.org/?page=PlumbLine, https://www.familyhandyman.com/tiling/new-backsplash-with-kitchen-mosaic-tile/view-all/, https://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/how-to-install-a-mosaic-tile-backsplash/, https://vintagerevivals.com/2014/08/the-nugget-installing-a-tile-backsplash-and-how-to-perfectly-cut-penny-tile, https://sawdustgirl.com/how-to-cut-a-hole-in-a-tile-backsplash/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Your strategy is what I would do. I tried a few different tools with a few different blades. Cut through the mesh by sliding along the line a knife. If you’ll need to cut the tiles to fit into corners or underneath cabinets, it may help to purchase more tiles than you need to make up for tiles that break while cutting. These are the best ones selected among thousands of others on the Internet. It is typically a small, metal panel painted to match your wall. Because of this it is much better to use a wet saw or a table saw with an appropriate blade. Flick the switch(es) to the off position. Installing a tile backsplash yourself is a great way to save money while getting the exact look you want. Installing a new electrical fixture will require you to get inside the wall. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Tips on Cutting & Installing Metal Tile Backsplash. Let the grout dry for 24 hours. Sarabeth Asaff has worked in and has written about the home improvement industry since 1995. The prices will vary depending on the tool and the store. Choose the one for dust. If the tile has a mesh backing, make sure that the mesh side is facing up. If your tiles are staggered like bricks or a honeycomb, you will need to cut around the tiles. To cut the drywall, first measure twice and then make a straight pencil line. How to Care for an Unglazed Kitchen Backsplash, How to Tile Drywall Without Overspreading Adhesive, This Old House: How to Install a Tile Backsplash, How to Put Tile Over a Formica Backsplash. Cut and tape at the other edge of your intended installation area. Step one, use a marker and a square to draw a straight line of where you want to cut. Measure the area that you are going to the tile using a tape measure.. This is to allow room for your marker when drawing the line. Step 2 Transfer the measurements onto the top side of the tile that will be cut using a China marker and taking care to check the measurements for accuracy. Cut through the tile using an angle grinder. The tiles should fall away from their mesh backing as you cut them. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. You should ensure that the wall you want to tile is clean and on the level. It will help you figure out whether or not you need to cut any tiles. Spread a thin layer of thinset mortar onto the backsplash wall. If the backsplash is already installed, you may still be able to cut holes into it for new fixtures, as long as you use the proper tools. Remember to flick the switches back on after you have finished installing the tiles. Installing a tile backsplash yourself is a great way to save money while getting the exact look you want. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. So we opted for metal tile edging to complete the backsplash. A metal tile backsplash can transform the look of a kitchen. Today I am going to demonstrate how I install a tile backsplash including the trick I use to cut out spaces for electrical outlets. Be sure to cut through the outlet and light switch holes. You can use them on ceramic tiles, however. You may need to cut tiles to properly fill your backsplash area. Place the tile on the wet saw tray with the pencil mark lined up with the blade. Mark the tiles that will be along the top edge of your backsplash, next to a wall, or under a cabinet. Measure the backsplash area where the tiles will be installed. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Installing a glass tile backsplash is made easy with a sticky thin-set mortar that secures the tiles firmly to the wall. Perhaps you're upgrading your bathroom and shower. Make sure that the level is straight. To get a clean cut, push the glass tile against the saw’s blade lightly and steadily. Mark the area that you want to cut on the laminate backsplash with a pen. You can also use a wet saw to make basic cuts on most tiles. To mask off the counters and cabinets: lay strips of painter's tape along any counter or cabinet edges that touch the backsplash wall. Turn the saw on and guide the diamond blade across the glass tile. Use the wet saw to make the cut. Do not use tile nippers made from slate. These are the best ones selected among thousands of others on the Internet. Masks are graded based on the size of particle they filter. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The most detailed guides for How To Cut Backsplash Tile are provided in this page. How to Install Peel and Stick Backsplash. % of people told us that this article helped them. Last Updated: July 10, 2020 Expert Interview. Remember to flick the switches back on after you have finished installing the tiles. Once you reach a piece that has to be cut, simply measure the space, then mark on the back of the tile. Start at one end of the cut line and run the blade along the tile surface to the other end. One example is how to cut the peel-and-stick tiles to fit in areas too small for a full tile. A multi-surface blade seems to work better than a tile blade, however. They can be covered in any tile material, including ceramic, stone or glass, and the tiles can be any size or shape desired. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Hold the float at a 45-degree angle to the tiles to spread the grout. How To Cut Granite or Quartz for backsplash - DIY - YouTube Step 1 Measure the spot where the cut tile will be installed. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work, and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers, fixing tiled shower leaks, replacing cracked tiles, and installing floor and wall tile. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. The plumb line will help you lay out your tiles evenly once you go to mount them on the wall. References. If you are uncertain how to cut a tile or what tool to use, ask a store employee for advice. Art Fricke is a home renovation and repair specialist and the owner of Art Tile & Renovation based in Austin, Texas. Then, stand the drywall up and lightly make a cut through to the other side, cutting the backing paper as you go. Press each tile into the mortar in the same layout you determined on the floor. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Because its rare for tiles to fit an installation without any cuts, and because backsplashes frequently have electrical outlets to tile around, before you begin tiling, make sure to cut all your tiles to size on a tile wet saw. First, prep your area based on the specifications from Aspect Tile. Home Renovation & Repair Specialist. Dont drag the rolling saw cart back through the glass tile after cutting. Turn on the saw and gently push the tile into the into the blade until the tile is cut through. Divide the area of your backsplash by the area of a single tile or tile sheet to get a rough idea of how many tiles you'll need. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Leave a 1⁄8-in (0.32-cm) gap around the backsplash, where it connects to the cabinets, counter, and adjacent wall. Cut beginning and end. Practice cutting on spare, damaged, or junk tiles. If your tiles are staggered like bricks, the gaps won't be consistent. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 21,044 times. Use a utility knife, level and ruler to cut along the top and bottom edges of the backsplash area. Using the glass cutter draw a line across the marked line. Extend a measuring tape to create a straight cut line. How to Cut Mesh-Backed Tile Around Outlets. A straightedge or level can help you keep the tile even. Use a tile cutter for porcelain or ceramic tile. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Begin with a full tile in the bottom center of each wall of tile and lay the next tiles up and out from here for a balanced installation. There is more to installing backsplashes than just arranging tiles, however; you have to measure and cut the tiles so that they fit properly. Place the sheet against the wall and mark them, if needed. Cut the same tile if the line was not exactly measuring the length of the edges of the kitchen backsplash tile designs. Withdrawing the cut portion of the grid and the tiles. Grout the backsplash by spreading grout over the entire area with a grout float. Start on one side (I started on the bottom of the left side) and do a row as far as you can until you run into an appliance or something! Turn off the power to your kitchen. Double check all the cuts on the floor layout before installing. Position the square 0.64 inches below the line. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ad\/Cut-Tile-Backsplash-Step-01.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Tile-Backsplash-Step-01.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ad\/Cut-Tile-Backsplash-Step-01.jpg\/aid9638000-v4-728px-Cut-Tile-Backsplash-Step-01.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"