7 Big Lessons I Learned Too Late While Tiling My Kitchen Backsplash All by Myself

To the uninitiated, tiling a kitchen backsplash by yourself sounds like a Herculean task. While I promise it isn't as daunting as it seems, if you’re dreaming of a beautifully tiled kitchen but are yet to brave the mortar and spacers, take it from someone who has: there’s a lot that I wish I’d known before sticking that first tile to the wall.

DIY tiling can save you heaps of money, especially during a renovation that's already burned through the budget, but you need to be prepared. There's a lot more to it than simply sticking tiles to mortar — a fact you'll quickly learn when spacers are scattered around your kitchen, and there are smudges of grout up to your elbows.

All of this aside, I don't want to put you off DIYing your own kitchen backsplash ideas. Ambitiously — and somewhat ignorantly — my partner and I decided to tile the small area directly behind our oven using rustic Delft tiles (including two we hand-painted ourselves). My vision was simple: a rustic backsplash that complemented our small cottage — and while we eventually succeeded, bringing it to life proved trickier than we first imagined.

From uneven spacing and messy grout lines to unfinished trim and material shortages, there are plenty of pitfalls when taking on a tiling project yourself. Along the way, I learned a few lessons I wish I’d known from the start. Never one to gatekeep, I'm here to share seven cautionary tips that will help you avoid the same mistakes during your own tiling project.

1. You Need A Smooth Surface for Your Tiles to Adhere Properly

It's simple, really: for the best kitchen tile results, you need a nice and smooth surface to work with. We'd lived without a backsplash for quite some time, which meant the paintwork on the wall behind the oven had begun to crack and peel. Despite dutifully sanding down the wall, uneven patches and deteriorating plaster still hindered the adhesion of our tiles, leading to a wobbly finish where the tiles don't all sit completely flush.

Grazzie Wilson, head of creative at tile brand Ca’ Pietra, notes that without a level base to bond to, your tiles can loosen, shift, or crack over time. "Any existing bumps or uneven patches will show through, particularly with glossy or geometric designs where light and lines highlight imperfections," she says. "Always start by removing old adhesive, filling any holes, and sanding the surface until it is smooth and dust-free."

If your wall has been freshly plastered during a renovation, you'll also need to let it dry fully before priming it with a suitable tile primer to improve adhesion. "Taking the time to get this right is what separates a lasting, professional-looking installation from one that starts to fail within months," Grazzie says.

2. Order All of Your Supplies Ahead of Time (And Order Extra!)

I'll admit, our small kitchen backsplash project was something of a rushed job. From the get-go, even ordering supplies was done quickly, which meant we failed to purchase trim for the finishing touches, as well as spare tiles in case of accidents.

Of course, this isn't the be-all and end-all of tiling, but it certainly stalled our progress. Forgetting to purchase a tile trim, for example, meant living with an unfinished backsplash for longer than planned. After buying a pencil trim from a different brand, we then discovered it wasn't the right color match for our existing tiles, forcing us back to the drawing board.

Even if you're buying all your supplies from the same company, Grazzie warns against similar issues if you don't buy everything you need up front. "Tiles are made in production batches, and even slight differences between them can be noticeable once installed," she says. "Ordering everything in one go ensures consistency of color and size. It is also important to buy at least 10% extra to cover any breakages, awkward cuts around sockets or windows, and to keep a few spares for future repairs."

Grazzie Wilson

Grazzie has worked in the interiors industry for more than a decade. At Ca’ Pietra, one of the UK’s leading stone and tile brands, she heads up creative, overseeing product collections as well as the company’s distinctive brand, look and feel. Her stylists’ eye and passion for the technical side of tiling is unparalleled.

3. Don't Cook Straight After Laying Your Tiles

I wasn't exaggerating when I said our tiling job was a rushed one. Due to busy work schedules, we ended up laying the tiles one evening after work. All well and good, except I completely overlooked the fact that it meant we couldn't use our oven until the adhesive had dried.

When tiling a backsplash (or any area, for that matter), you'll need to allow for adequate drying time. "After applying adhesive, tiles must be left undisturbed for at least 24 hours, sometimes longer, depending on the adhesive type and temperature," explains Grazzie. "Grouting should only begin once the tiles are completely set, and grout itself needs another day to dry before sealing or exposing it to moisture."

For this reason, it's important you avoid any direct activity in this area to prevent your tiles from moving or lifting, especially in busy, steamy areas like the bathroom or kitchen.

For us, that meant the oven was out of bounds for multiple evenings during the week of application. "Plan ahead by preparing meals in advance or setting up a temporary kitchen space," recommends Grazzie. "It might feel inconvenient, but rushing this stage can compromise the finish and longevity of your new backsplash."

4. For a Clean Finish, Use Leveling Clips or a Laser

One thing this project has certainly taught me is that the human eye cannot be trusted. If you think a wall looks straight, it almost certainly isn't, in which case no amount of measuring with a tape measure is ever going to help you lay your tiles perfectly.

Although my partner (an engineer, I might add) deligently measured our backsplash area and used a spirit level when laying each tile, we still found that our tiles came out a little higgledy-piggledy. While it's not easy to fix an old, wonky wall, you can use leveling clips or a laser level to reduce imperfections (or invest in backer boards from Amazon, if necessary).

This is especially important if you plan to wrap your backsplash all the way around your kitchen, from the oven to the kitchen sink, since the larger surface area will amplify these imperfections.

"Tile leveling clips [available on Amazon] help to maintain a consistent height and spacing between tiles, preventing lippage where the edge of one tile sits slightly higher than its neighbor," says Grazzie. "This is especially useful when working with larger formats, handmade designs, or tiles with uneven edges."

A laser level, like this one from Amazon, can also be a great investment, helping to ensure your first row runs perfectly straight. "This is vital since every other tile aligns from that point," Grazzie adds. "Checking levels as you go avoids the classic issue of a drifting grout line that can throw off the whole pattern."

5. You Need to Clean Messes Quickly

Grouting is a messy ordeal, but the smudges on your arms and clothes will be the least of your worries. If you don't wipe grout from the surface of your tiles quickly, you'll be left with long-term marks (especially if you're using colorful tile grout).

As Grazzie points out, adhesive and grout can stain or dull a tile’s surface if left to dry. "This is particularly true for matte finishes, textured glazes, or natural stones with a porous surface," she says. "Keep a bucket of clean water and a sponge nearby to wipe away any residue as you work, rather than waiting until the end."

When it comes to grouting, she also suggests cleaning diagonally across the tiles rather than along the joints to avoid pulling grout back out. "If haze appears once dry, use a dedicated grout-removal sponge [available on Amazon] or cleaner designed for your tile type, and never anything too abrasive, as it could scratch the surface," Grazzie adds.

6. Rustic Tiles Look Great but Complicate Spacing and Grout Work

If you couldn't tell, I'm a huge fan of a rustic, cottagecore look. Inspired by recent kitchen tile trends, I spent a good year or so swooning over Delft tiles before committing to hand-painted ones from Decorum Tiles. Beautiful though they are, however, I didn't think about how difficult they would be to work with.

As Grazzie points out, hand-finished tiles add wonderful character to a kitchen, but the very qualities that make them so charming can also be their drawback. "Their irregular edges, subtle glaze variations, and gentle undulations are what give them that artisan character, but they also require more patience during installation," she says. "Because no two tiles are exactly the same, grout lines will vary slightly, and the layout needs to be adjusted as you go."

We encountered this precise problem when laying our own backsplash. What started as neat joints became more uneven as we went along (compounded by our wonky wall). To mitigate this, Grazzie suggests laying out a dry run first to mix the tones evenly and get a feel for spacing. "Use slightly wider grout joints to accommodate the variations, and choose a grout color that complements rather than contrasts, as this will help any inconsistencies blend beautifully rather than stand out," she adds.

7. For A Polished Result, Plan For Finishing Touches Like Tile Trim

One of the common mistakes that makes your tiles look cheap is forgetting details like tile trim. It's so easy to overlook, but a simple pencil trim or delicate ogee border tile can make all the difference to your backsplash, and unless you're tiling to a shelf or existing molding, it will look incomplete without one.

We overlooked trim completely when drawing up plans for our backsplash, and it took several unsuccessful purchases before we settled on one. Eventually, we chose an ogee molding to match the trim on top of our surrounding panelling — an obvious choice in hindsight that should have been considered from the start.

"For exposed edges, aluminium or brass trims create a clean, protective border, especially near cooker hoods or open shelving," Grazzie suggests, adding that any joins between tiles and worktops should then be sealed with silicone to prevent water ingress. "This not only protects your wall but gives that crisp, professional finish you see in showrooms."

Tiling your own backsplash isn't only an easy DIY that helps you save money, but it also offers creative freedom to decorate with tiles by designing a layout that's personal to you. As with any project, however, you'll need to steer clear of common mistakes.

To save you from trial and error, learn from my mistakes above. With care, attention, and plenty of patience, I promise you can have a backsplash that rivals professional work — plus the even more satisfying reward that comes with knowing you did all yourself.