A backsplash is the most looked-at tile in the house, and every cut sits at eye level next to a cabinet, an outlet or a window. Magic of Tiles handles kitchen backsplash installation across Stamford, CT and Fairfield County, from white subway tile behind a range hood to patterned and mosaic walls. We plan the layout around your range and hood before the first tile goes up, so the pattern looks centered from where you actually stand.
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Magic of Tiles
Subway tile shows every wandering line, because its joints run straight across the wall. We start with a full tile on the countertop and keep every course level from one end of the kitchen to the other, even where the counter is not.
Mosaic sheets need a smaller trowel notch than wall tile, or the thin-set squeezes up into the joints. Hexagons set point-up need their bottom points trimmed flat where they meet the counter. The navy hex backsplash in our gallery shows how that edge should look.
Printed and patterned tile only works if the pattern carries across every joint and around the window. We lay the tile out on the counter before any of it goes on the wall, so the repeat is settled while it is still easy to change.
Marble behind a cooktop needs looking after. Marble, limestone and travertine all etch when lemon, vinegar or tomato sits on them, and sealing makes stone more stain resistant, not stain proof. We seal stone backsplashes and tell you what to clean them with. Our tile installation page covers marble and natural stone in more detail.
The black and white geometric wet bar in our gallery got the same layout work as a full kitchen. For a vanity backsplash, see our bathroom remodeling page.
Magic of Tiles
The tile starts on the countertop and stops at the end of the counter, not at the end of the upper cabinets. Under the upper cabinets, the bottom row is a full tile and the cut row goes at the top, where the cabinet hides it. Where the tile runs past the end of the cabinets, the top edge finishes on a full tile. Behind a range, the tile runs a row or two below counter height, so no painted wall shows in the gap beside the stove.
Windows get a decision before the first cut: the tile either stops at the window trim or wraps into the opening. Exposed edges finish with a bullnose tile or a slim metal edge. A full-height backsplash, tiled to the ceiling, needs the same decisions made again at the top, under the hood and where the tile meets the upper cabinets.
Magic of Tiles
The seam between the countertop and the backsplash moves. The counter and the wall shift separately as the house heats, cools and dries out, and grout in that joint cracks. We leave a small gap at the counter and fill it with a flexible sealant in a color matched to the grout, so it reads as a grout line and behaves like a movement joint. Inside corners, where two walls meet, get the same treatment.
Magic of Tiles
A backsplash adds thickness to the wall, so outlets and switches end up sunk behind the new surface. Box extenders bring them back out before the covers go on. We also plan the layout so outlets land in the middle of a tile or on a clean joint, not on a thin sliver.
Magic of Tiles
Grey subway tile behind a stainless hood, a navy hexagon mosaic behind a gas range, a white and gold vine pattern under bright blue cabinets, a linear mosaic in greys and whites, and the geometric wet bar. See them all in our gallery.
Magic of Tiles
Taking out an old backsplash usually takes the paper face of the drywall with it, so replacements include repairing the wall before new tile goes on. We protect the countertop and range, take the old tile off, and patch or replace the drywall until the wall is flat again. Tiling over an old backsplash is sometimes possible, but it pushes the surface out at the outlets and at the edge where it meets the cabinets, so we usually recommend taking it off.
In a condo, the board sets its own work hours, elevator bookings and insurance paperwork, so we sort that out with the building before the first day.
Magic of Tiles
Call us or use the form to tell us about the wall and the tile you like. We will talk through how it lays out around your range, window and outlets, and put together a free quote.
Magic of Tiles
We measure, check the wall is flat, note every outlet and the window, and pick the center line, usually the range and hood or the sink and window, so both ends of the wall finish evenly.
The countertop and range are covered, outlet covers come off, and any old backsplash is removed and the wall repaired.
Tile goes on from the countertop up, starting with a full tile at the bottom.
Grout goes in once the mortar has cured. The countertop joint and inside corners get sealant, and stone gets a sealer.
Outlet covers go back on, extended to the new surface, and we clean up and walk the wall with you.
Get a Quote For Your Project
Contact us today to schedule your consultation and experience the magic of professional tile installation. Let’s bring your vision to life!
Contact us today to get a quote on your project or learn more about our company. We look forward to speaking with you.
Serving Fairfield County, CT
Mon - Sat: 7 am - 7 pm
Sunday: Closed
Contact us today to get a quote on your project or learn more about our company. We look forward to speaking with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most tile backsplashes take two visits: one to set the tile and one to grout it, because the mortar has to cure in between. Removing an old backsplash or sealing natural stone adds time. We give you the schedule with the quote.
After. The countertop has to be installed first, because the backsplash sits on it and the layout starts from its surface.
Caulk. That joint moves, so it gets a flexible sealant in a matching color rather than grout, which would crack.
Sometimes, if the old tile is flat, clean and firmly bonded. It adds thickness at the outlets and the cabinet edges, though, so in most kitchens taking the old tile off gives a better result.
It depends on the grout. Standard cement grout is usually sealed. Some newer grouts are made to go without sealer. Natural stone is usually sealed as well.
