There was a time when changing the look of your kitchen or bathroom backsplash was an expensive and involved process. These days though, you can create a whole new backsplash by yourself, thanks to peel and stick backsplash tiles.
Here are three expert tips to help you choose the perfect peel and stick backsplash tiles to complement your decor.
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Traditional ceramic tiles are installed by embedding them in wet mortar. This is because they are too heavy to be supported by adhesives alone.
Peel and stick backsplash tiles are specially designed to be thin and lightweight, and are made using synthetic materials that are strong but not heavy. As a result, these tiles can easily be installed using powerful adhesives on a smooth surface.
These tiles already come with pre-applied adhesives protected by a removable backing paper, so installing them is super easy.
While peel and stick backsplash tiles are primarily synthetic in nature, they usually sport a thin layer of a different material on top of a plastic polymer for capturing a natural feel. Here are some of the best materials for peel and stick backsplash tiles:
Need something durable? => Vinyl
Backsplash tiles are rather thin by design, and materials like wood or glass do not improve its durability. Synthetic materials like vinyl, on the other hand, are quite strong.
It is also available in a dizzying array of patterns and colors, so you are likely to find a style that suits your kitchen (or bathroom) look quite easily. Moreover, vinyl is also waterproof as well as stain proof, which makes it pretty low maintenance.
Like to keep it bright? => Glass
Glass is your go-to option for a sophisticated look. Glass tiles reflect light beautifully, creating a very bright and cheery atmosphere in your kitchen. Colors show up especially well in glass, so picking a colored tile or a frosted panel can work very well.
The only problem with glass as a material for backsplash tiles is how much maintenance it requires. Fingerprints and grease stick quite easily on these tiles, forcing you to clean it quite frequently.
Going for a modern style? => Metal
Metallic materials like stainless steel, tin, or copper are great choices for a backsplash tile. They are easy to clean and have a natural sheen that lends a very distinct look to your kitchen or bathroom.
The only drawback is corrosion, which can be avoided if you choose stainless steel, which is also more durable and resists scratches.
Metal backsplash tiles fit quite well with a modern styled bathroom (or kitchen), which already focuses on utilitarian design with a chrome finish. These tiles also make it possible to make clever use of lighting to confer a bright, reflective appearance.
Want a more traditional look? => Wood
Wood is an excellent material for backsplash tiles, as the subtly varying grain of each tile creates a wonderful gradient effect with very little effort.
The backdrop of polished wood evokes the timbered house look, which makes wooden backsplash tiles work particularly well with a kitchen or bathroom with an antique theme.
If polished semi-regularly, wooden backsplash tiles can really add to the aesthetic appeal, especially if you weave a tapestry of various shades ranging from soft muted colors to darker tints.
Looking for a natural texture? => Stone
There is quite a large variety of backsplash tiles available with a mineral layer on top. Minerals like granite, limestone, marble, or onyx are great at capturing the natural stone feel. No two tiles look the same, which can help in creating a very unique and distinctive backdrop.
Minerals like granite are also durable and water-resistant; qualities that are ideal for a backsplash tile. The only problem is that the rough texture tends to accumulate dirt, and ends up being a tad difficult to clean.
For this reason (and due to its natural porosity), many people like to apply a sealant after installing stone backsplash tiles.
Once you have decided on the kind of peel and stick backsplash tiles you are going to use, one question still remains: which pattern are you going to stick your tiles in? These are some of the popular styles:
Want to keep it simple? => Stack bond
If you don't want to do anything fancy, then there is nothing easier than a stack bond. Simply arrange the tiles in a basic grid, matching them edge to edge.
To spice up things a little, you can use wooden or natural stone tiles, which will naturally create a gradient of varying shades without any extra effort on your part.
Wish to emulate the standard tiling pattern? => Subway
If you have ever paid attention to how tiles (both floor and wall) are normally laid out, you might have noticed this pattern. The idea is to place the tile of the next row from the middle of the first tile, like laying down bricks.
The most traditional style, it works well with any kind of decoration theme and isn't too difficult to create either.
Wondering how to create a checkered look? => Basket Weave
Peel and stick backsplash tiles may be rectangular, but with some clever placement, you can easily create squares out of them. You need tiles of at least two different colors to make this work.
Place two tiles horizontally (of the same shade) and two tiles vertically in parallel to get alternating squares. Rinse and repeat to get a checkered box pattern.
Aiming to impress? => Herringbone
By far the most complicated pattern to install has to be the herringbone. But if you get it right, the look is quite compelling.
This pattern is about diagonally arranged tiles. The key is to get the first tile right; use a protractor to sketch out a line at 45 degrees at the bottom edge. After that, each subsequent tile is placed from the middle (like in the subway design).
You will see that adjacent columns are oriented opposite to each other, which creates a delightful contrast you can leverage further by using tiles of different shades or colors.
