Kitchen backsplash - mosaic tiles

mikeyp78 · 09-29-2012, 02:20 PM

Hey there folks.

I'm helping a friend put in a backsplash for his kitchen. He just recently had his counter replaced and thought that it would look nice. The space from the counter to the bottom of the cabinets is roughly 17" - figures that it wouldn't be a good number. He bought 1'x1' sheets of mosaic glass tile - the tiles are 3/4" each.

As we were hanging them, we focused on keeping the tiles spaced to the countertop evenly. As we progressed down the wall, the tiles got tighter and tighter up towards the cabinet to the point that we had to start cutting off an additional row of tiles to fit them up. The end result is that there is a space from the tiles to the bottom of the cabinet.

He insists that we did a bad job. I took a level to the cabinet and there is a slight pitch to them. I figured that the slight pitch would eventually cause the gap.

I told him that we should buy 3/4" decorative molding, stain it to match the cabinet and run it underneath the cabinet to hide the space.

What do you guys think?

Does he need to relax or did we do a bad job?

Thanks!

FTF-Tom · 09-29-2012, 03:16 PM

Sounds like the cabinets being out of level is what caused your issue. You need to take an angle grinder and cut the tiles at a taper to fit them. Why cover it up when you can just do it right?

JazMan · 09-29-2012, 08:22 PM

The only thing you guys did wrong is not measure (apparently) before starting the job, and choose a small tile that makes it impossible to hide the discrepancy. Sounds like the floor is not level and the cabinets were not shimmed to make them level.

Installing a molding is not gonna fix anything, it'll still look tapered, all it'll do is cover the gap.

Jaz

mikeyp78 · 09-29-2012, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazMan

The only thing you guys did wrong is not measure (apparently) before starting the job, and choose a small tile that makes it impossible to hide the discrepancy. Sounds like the floor is not level and the cabinets were not shimmed to make them level.

Installing a molding is not gonna fix anything, it'll still look tapered, all it'll do is cover the gap.

Jaz

Trust me... I won't be making this mistake again.

Jaz - seriously? The floor is probably not level? Or are you messing with me?

JazMan · 09-29-2012, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey

Jaz - seriously? The floor is probably not level? Or are you messing with me?

Why "seriously"? The base cabinets might have not been shimmed and leveled correctly, or the base cabinets are level but the wall cabinets are not. Floors are often out of level at least 1/4" somewhere, but sometimes they're pretty good.

Jaz

mikeyp78 · 09-30-2012, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazMan

Why "seriously"? The base cabinets might have not been shimmed and leveled correctly, or the base cabinets are level but the wall cabinets are not. Floors are often out of level at least 1/4" somewhere, but sometimes they're pretty good.

Jaz

I meant "seriously" in honest surprise. I had no idea that that could be the issue. Makes sense now, but it just never crossed my mind.

Thanks.

JazMan · 09-30-2012, 10:36 AM

Quote:

I meant "seriously" in honest surprise. I had no idea that that could be the issue. Makes sense now, but it just never crossed my mind.

Seriously?

Live and learn. I usually find the wall cabinets are level, and it's the base cabinets that are not. It's more difficult to get them right, and some people say, "good enough".

Jaz

mikeyp78 · 09-30-2012, 11:15 AM

I tell you what - when I do my backsplash, I'll be going at it a different way completely. I don't want to hear it from the wife.

Goldglv · 09-30-2012, 05:20 PM

So what would be the correct way to install these tiles? I have a similar issue. I was just about to install my mosaic tile backsplash this morning and noticed the measurement from the countertop to the bottom of the cabinets varied between 17 3/4" and 18 1/8".

Tiles are on 12x12 sheets, are 1/2" by 1/2". Tiles are 1/4" thick.

I have an L-shaped kitchen. So would I just start at the countertop and tile up as far as I can go before I have to start cutting tapered tiles to fit? Is it going to be difficult to do a tapered cut on a sheet of mosaic tile on the wet saw?

The spot where the measurement is 17 3/4, The tiles would fit in perfectly, leaving 1/8" gap at the counter and 1/8" gap below the cabinet. Then I'll hit the "L" part of the kitchen where I have the main issue. I'd have a full row of tiles going into the corner and then right where the other wall starts I'd have to have another row of tile tapered to fit above it?

One last thing, what do you guys do under the cabinet, 1/8" gap and caulk it or just run the tiles right underneath the cabinet with a small grout line?

Thanks....

mikeyp78 · 09-30-2012, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldglv

So what would be the correct way to install these tiles? I have a similar issue. I was just about to install my mosaic tile backsplash this morning and noticed the measurement from the countertop to the bottom of the cabinets varied between 17 3/4" and 18 1/8".

Tiles are on 12x12 sheets, are 1/2" by 1/2". Tiles are 1/4" thick.

I have an L-shaped kitchen. So would I just start at the countertop and tile up as far as I can go before I have to start cutting tapered tiles to fit? Is it going to be difficult to do a tapered cut on a sheet of mosaic tile on the wet saw?

The spot where the measurement is 17 3/4, The tiles would fit in perfectly, leaving 1/8" gap at the counter and 1/8" gap below the cabinet. Then I'll hit the "L" part of the kitchen where I have the main issue. I'd have a full row of tiles going into the corner and then right where the other wall starts I'd have to have another row of tile tapered to fit above it?

One last thing, what do you guys do under the cabinet, 1/8" gap and caulk it or just run the tiles right underneath the cabinet with a small grout line?

Thanks....

After going through this and talking with Jaz, I probably will only use small mosaic tile sheets as accents from this point forward. At least the larger tiles can be cut with the wet saw and you can make your adjustments with less of a headache.

JazMan · 09-30-2012, 08:14 PM

Quote:

After going through this and talking with Jaz, I probably will only use small mosaic tile sheets as accents from this point forward. At least the larger tiles can be cut with the wet saw and you can make your adjustments with less of a headache.

When the measurements vary more than 1/8" or so with tiles this small, it's best to do an exchange for larger tiles. Rows that taper from zero to 3/8" or so are gonna look like it was your first time. It wouldn't be very noticeable if the tiles were 3-4".

Two of the many reason why installing mosaics takes more time. Small size and they're mounted on sheets.

Jaz

Goldglv · 09-30-2012, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazMan

When the measurements vary more than 1/8" or so with tiles this small, it's best to do an exchange for larger tiles. Rows that taper from zero to 3/8" or so are gonna look like it was your first time. It wouldn't be very noticeable if the tiles were 3-4".

Two of the many reason why installing mosaics takes more time. Small size and they're mounted on sheets.

Jaz

These were special order tiles so I can't return them. That's kind of what I figured, even if I taper cut the tiles, it's gonna look like garbage.