⌛ Kitchen tile question...........

Okay, we are in the middle of tiling our kitchen countertops, etc.....and the tile guy wants to put the backsplash up before our upper cabinets are installed. I think that is backwards......anyone have any knowledge in this area who can direct me? Everything I have read says you put the backsplash up later....sometimes even several months later/
Thanks....AGAIN!!

 

Yes, you are right. It is the wrong way round to do it. Sounds like your tile guy wants to get the job finished and paid for now, instead of waiting and coming back later. I have recently installed a complete new kitchen and bathroom starting from scratch from bare concrete floors and bare plaster walls, so I'm currently "hands on".

Install the upper cabinets first as some of the tiles may need to be cut in to make a snug fit. Once the cabinets are in place, tile the splashback from the bottom upwards, using tile spacers to keep it even and neat. Any cut-in tiles should be at the top and at the sides, so fit the first whole tile at the bottom exactly mid way, so that any cut-ins will be equal size at either end. Remember to leave a space between the kitchen work top and the lower tiles and between the cabinet and the upper and side tiles. Once installed, leave them for 24 hours to allow the adhesive behind the tiles to dry out before you grout in the joins between the tiles, otherwise you will seal in moisture and the tiles may "bow" after a few months.

A useful tip seal the joints between the tiles and the cabinet, and the tiles and the worktop with a flexible mastik caulk, the same type as is used around baths and basins. This will allow for any movement of the cabinets and worktops, as using grout filler will crack and flake with any movement.

Hope this helps and good luck with the installation.:D

Roger

 

backsplash

Thanks for that great info!! I don't know what my guy's excuse is for wanting to do the backsplash first, he is also the one who is making the cabinets. I have a suspicion that he wants to do the backsplash, then just set the cabinets down to the top edge of the backsplash, saving himself the trouble of having to cut-in tiles. I did go to the house today with my level and did see that the lower cabinets are pretty close to dead-level, so, not sure, but if he did do it his way, it might be ok.....I am going to insist on doing the upper cabinets first anyway.