Kitchen backsplash over knockdown texture?

Ponderous

I currently have painted knockdown textured walls in my home that are 10 years old. The texture is not like organge peel as much as the "spots" are much larger and are quite flat throughout the house. If and when I install a tile kitchen backsplash do I prep and installed the same as if it was a painted wall versus removing the current sheet rock?

just tile

i would at least sand it down to make it flatter before installing splash.

Ponderous

Yeah, I had read that was part of the prep for a painted wall ....I was just not sure if I had to do something different because of the texture.