How do you mock up a backsplash?

duct tape, but put a towel down on the counter/stove, just in case any pop off.

Can't see why you need to paint under tiles.

If your hood & stove are the same width, I think the tile should be the same width too. Don't obsess over the full tile thing....If it starts in the center and works out to the sides, it will be fine, plus you have the 1/2 round piece to frame it. I really like that we took the 1/2 round pieces and ended them about an inch below the hood, I like the look of the separation. I thought I wanted the tiles to touch the hood, but it worked out best this way. Also, it really was determined in my case by how that last row was going to end. I didn't want some little scrappy pieces up there, so I have only full and 1/2 tiles on my top row. You might consider that.

I think the 1/2 round pieces in your case, should outline the entire subway area. And the part under the hood, should be determined at the time of installation, it could work out perfect that the 1/2 round almost touches the hood, or you could have a 1 inch space....

I know mine aren't subway, but you can see what I mean about the part under the hood, and see how we finished with full and 1/2 pieces...

{{gwi:1742797}}

two questions: 1) are the tiles exactly 3x6? Some are off by a fraction of an inch, which when calculating with grout lines can make a difference. 2) what is the height from countertop to bottom of hood? Looks like it might be ~30"?

as many answers as I can: 1) have you thought of using tape instead of child labor? LOL, love the creativity and teamwork, though! 2) I am inclined to go a little further out - I think it will look more purposeful than to be off by a small amount. 3) I would bring it only up to the hood, and probably get a few more liners to line across the top to make it look finished. 4) from a practical standpoint I would make the grout as small as possible - less grout to clean. 5) can't help with the paint ?

An unsolicited comment - ask your tile guy/gal their opinion. They spend a lot of time doing these layouts and are really helpful and understand how to do the math with groutlines, etc.

1. How to mock up? Get our your Sharpie pen! Only way to know for sure. Use a good ruler and level. (I needed to figure out where to place my electrical outlets so that they would fit horizontally inside one tile.) Don't forget the width of the grout!

2. Don't obsess too much about full tiles fitting into exact measurements - your installer can shave off some edges and you won't even be able to tell. (In fact sometimes people mess up an otherwise great design by wanting the tiles to measure out evenly without cutting.) The sign of a pro is the ability to lay out and fit the tiles evenly within any sized space.

3. How far up? I went all the way up the wall behind the hood with the subways, and used liner only on the sides of the cabinets -- I had to balance the cost of the ogee liner tiles and deco pieces, too.

4. If those are 3x6 subways, a nice groutline is 1/16th or 1/8th. It's sheerly a matter of taste, though. Scroll through some tile backsplash pix on the Finished Kitchens Blog to check out options.

5. No paint under the tiles! It's a completely unnecessary expense. I'm no expert, but fresh paint might even impede adherence of the mortar.

bkwife, jrueter, and circuspeanut, thanks for the suggestions. Actually, I did use duct tape but rather than a loop on each one, I laid them all out on a line of tape. So when I set it up there it drooped, and I needed the child labor, but it was cheap. (They were eager to get into the "red zone" of the kitchen - where they are not allowed without permission. : ) That was their payment.) I wasn't sure about using duct tape on the sheetrock, and didn't think painter's tape would be strong enough. Maybe I'll go the Sharpie (gulp) or pencil route, though it definitely helps me to see the full 3D effect.

BKW, I can't remember if I've commented but I've looked at your kitchen and backsplash a number of times and I just love them! I especially love the deep chocolate paint and the contrast of the white tiles. Congratulations on winning the contest, I'm so glad it worked out this well for you!

I love the way it looks not quite up to the hood. It's funny that I hadn't noticed that before, but when you have inspirations in your head, sometimes you don't see other options at all, and other times you see too many. Even though they aren't subway, it gives me a good idea of how it will look.

circuspeanut, I love the look of your tiles with your homey, warm kitchen. It looks like a very welcoming place. And jrueter, you know I love your splash!

Definitely the vertical needs to end with a full tile, but you think it's OK for the horizontal to be something other than full or half? (Of course, that's what you just said. Just repeating it to myself. No need to answer that.) But I see that yours (BKW and CP) both end horizontally at a natural boundary where it wouldn't make sense to try to get full tiles in, but I have the open space, so I thought it might be a little more noticeable to have partial tiles on the ends. But I'm sure you're right, CP, a professional could make it look unnoticeable if it's just a tiny shave.

jrueter, it is 30" from counter to bottom of hood, plus a small fraction of an inch. Now that you mention it, no, they are not exactly 3"x6"; they are 2 7/8"x5 13/16", but they do seem to be uniform in size. Maybe that's to allow for the grout, 2-3/16", which is the width circuspeanut is saying?

I will definitely look in the FKB, ask the tile person, mock it up without the child labor, one way or another, and continue to think about it way more than I should. : )

Thanks so much!

Well, I closed my eyes and jumped right in!

jrueter, in most cases you'd be right about asking the opinion of the tile person. Not this one. He was very funny. My GC has been in business probably 60 years, and this is the only tile guy he's ever worked with unless a HO gets his/her own.

He is probably in his 60s, a black man who grew up in this medium-sized Southern city during an era of heavy segregation and I'm not sure if that's what I was seeing in his demeanor (quiet), or sheer personality.

He sure didn't have much to say, and looked skeptical about the layout and how it would work out. He really did seem to want to cut the tiles in half horizontally because he didn't think they would reach all the way to the hood. I told him if they didn't, we'd paint up there. He looked so doubtful, and I think it made him determined to make it go all the way up. He also told DH he thought we should take it all the way across to the window. I don't know what he thought about doing on the other side. I am so glad DD had mocked it up yesterday and I had thought it through and was able to insist.

I had to laugh though. I showed him DD's artwork, which clearly had a running bond pattern. I did insist that I didn't want any tiles cut, but I did say clearly "Except the half tiles here on the ends of every other row." He heard me say "No cuts" because he told DH "She told me that three times", but when it came to putting up the 2nd row, he asked with a bemused look, "Did you want these rows staggered?" All he held onto was "No cuts".

Thankfully he did ask.

The only thing I might have told him that I didn't think to mention would be to line up the liners with every other horizontal line. He cut one of the extra liners and crammed them together closer than the tile. To anyone besides a TKO it will not be noticed.

Oh, and he was also befuddled by the bevel and the fact that it didn't have a built-in joint for grout. Good thing I didn't choose anything complicated! But he did a good job. GC says he has never had a complaint in the 40 years he's been working with him.

DH really likes it, says it gives it a solid feel. We will bring the beadboard over at the same height as the rest of the kitchen, and carry that around the corner, and then paint above it.

DD's rendering

Finished product

Thanks for your input on this!

Nice!!!

oh, it looks like he did a great job! hey, can I borrow your DD?

Thanks countrygal and squigs!

squigs, DD would LOVE to help you! She's artsy, very hands-on. When she was little (like 6 mos old) she would study things and figure them out. Taught herself to suck her thumb at that age (never had before) by studying her same-age brother who sucked his thumb in the womb and seeing how much he enjoyed it. Took her a while but she persisted and 11 years later is in braces b/c of the habit. At age 11 months she was able to fit pieces into the puzzles with the individual cutouts. She's not a genius, but engineering, puzzles and crafts are her thing.

Perfection! You and DD make a great team, and the tile guy did a great job, too! So glad he asked about the staggered tile, and only the most TKO (and bill_v) would have noticed the liners if you hadn't pointed it out. I can't wait to see it with the paint and beadboard - no pressure ;)

Circuspeanut--love your tile!!!

Beekeepers--All the times I looked at your backsplash, I never noticed the painted part above. Looks great.

JS--IT LOOKS TERRIFIC! I love the quilty look! Very rich!!

jrueter and sabjimata, thank you! And sure, j, no pressure... just like there's no pressure on you to finish and show yours!
; )

One floor estimate yesterday, one on Monday, as soon as those and the few trim and wiring items get done, we'll be ready to paint!

The backsplash looks perfect! Great choice!
I can't wait to to see it with your paint color and beadboard!!!! Your kitchen is really progressing!!!!!
I just love it that your daughter arranged the tiles, she sounds like a really cool kid!

The backsplash looks great and I love the paint sample on the wall. Is that what color you're planning to paint the kitchen?

Laurie

Thank you rookie! DD is a cool kid. I need to appreciate her and DS more for who they are (which is different from me in many ways). Thanks for the reminder!

Laurie, thank you. That is the color we are planning for the walls. It's BM Quiet Moments.

It looks great! In fact, picture perfect....keep going. And send your DD over here!

I wish I had an artsy craftsy daughter! I have two sportsy girls (not a scrapbooking/painting/decorating bone in their bodies). It used to make me madly crazy when it was book report time--they would throw some pics on a cardboard piece and proclaim they were done. I would have spent 10 hours on something like that as a kid LOL. It probably drove MY mom crazy (she was doctor and couldn't care less about art!)

The Quiet Moments color looks really nice--just a teaser I know, but can't wait to see the finished product...then are you done?

Thanks firsthouse! DD has many quirks related to her artsy nature, but I love her dearly!

With paint, we are done! (Unless the wood top for the small island is delayed in delivery, but it should be on its way.)

WHat's your timeline?

jsweenc-

Am in the process of choosing subway tile for behind the hood and will be using beadboard backsplash as well. Am looking forward to seeing how the clean fresh look of subway tiles looks once your beadboard is installed and painted. Your kitchen is looking just beautiful.

Thank you oldhouse1! I am at my mom's for a few days while the floors are being refinished, then I hope painting will happen next week. It's hard to tell how it will all come together until the paint is on the walls. I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as it's finished!