Marble herringbone above a marble counter
Herringbone in real marble, run above a marble counter and taken up to the underside of the cabinets with no filler strip.
Home / Kitchen backsplash installation
Kitchen backsplash installation in Gatineau and Ottawa
Herringbone, subway, mosaic, arabesque and full-slab backsplashes. Usually done in a day or two without taking your kitchen apart.
What's included
The cheapest change that makes the biggest difference
A backsplash is the one kitchen job where a couple of days of work changes how the whole room reads. It is also the job where bad cuts are most obvious, because you stand two feet away from it every day.
The parts that separate a good one from a cheap one are the outlet cuts, the end of the run, and where the tile meets the counter and the upper cabinets. We do not leave an edge raw and we do not hide a bad cut behind a plate cover.
What we install
- Subway, brick and handmade-look tile
- Marble and stone herringbone
- Arabesque, fishscale and picket mosaic
- Glass and metal mosaic sheets
- Full-height behind the range
- Full-slab and quartz backsplashes
- Tiled hood surrounds
- Returns into window jambs
The details that decide how it looks
- Outlet cuts tight enough that the plate is not doing the hiding
- Mitred outside corners instead of a metal edge where the look calls for it
- The run balanced so you do not end on a sliver
Gallery
Backsplashes we have run
Herringbone under the cabinet lighting
Herringbone run under a continuous LED strip. Raking light like that shows any lip between tiles, so the whole wall is levelled as it goes on.
Handmade-look brick with a tiled hood
Brick-format tile with a handmade face, carried onto the hood so the hood disappears into the wall instead of sitting on it.
Subway over butcher block
Plain subway over a butcher block counter, taken around the whole kitchen including the return by the fridge.
Herringbone around the window, farm sink
Herringbone wrapped into the window reveal above a black farm sink, so the tile returns into the opening rather than stopping at it.
Penny mosaic up to the cabinets
Penny round mosaic taken right up under the uppers. Round tile has to be fed sheet to sheet so the spacing never jumps at a seam.
Photos are from our own jobs. Tap any one to see it bigger.
How we do it
Step by step
I
Measure and work out the layout
We figure out where the centre line goes, usually the range or the sink, so the pattern reads straight and the slivers do not land at eye level.
II
Protect the kitchen
Counters, cooktop and floor get covered. Cabinets get taped. You keep using the kitchen in between.
III
Prep the wall
Old backsplash off if there is one, holes patched, and the wall checked for flat. A wavy wall shows badly in a glossy tile.
IV
Set the field
Tile set from the centre out, spacers in, ledger where the run needs support overnight.
V
Cuts, outlets and edges
Outlets and switches cut in, ends mitred or trimmed, and the tile returned into any window.
VI
Grout and silicone
Grout, then silicone along the counter and at the corners instead of grout, because that joint moves.
What changes the price
What a price depends on
- 01Square footage, and how many cuts the layout forces
- 02Tile type. Mosaic sheets and marble herringbone take much longer than subway
- 03Full height behind the range versus standard height
- 04Whether an old backsplash has to come off first
- 05How flat the wall is to start with
- 06Hood surrounds, open shelving and window returns
Most backsplashes we can price accurately from a visit and a look at the tile you are considering.
FAQ
Questions we get asked
How long does a backsplash take?
Usually a day to set and a short visit the next day to grout. Mosaic and herringbone take longer because of the cutting.
Do the counters have to come out?
No. We tile to the counter and silicone that joint. The counters stay where they are.
Can you do it with the kitchen still in use?
Yes. We cover everything and you keep using the kitchen around us.
Which backsplash is easiest to keep clean?
Larger tile with fewer grout joints. A glossy subway or a slab wipes down easily. Mosaic looks great but there is more grout to keep after.
How much tile should I order?
Ten percent over for a straight lay, closer to fifteen or twenty for herringbone or anything on an angle, because the cuts waste more. Tell us the tile and we will give you the number.
Can you match what I already have?
Sometimes. Discontinued lines are hard. Bring us a spare piece or a photo and we will tell you straight.
Get a free quote
Thinking about it? Just call.
Tell us what room it is and roughly what you want. We come measure, you get a written price, and there is no charge for that.
819-775-1613