While backsplashes are not essential to the function of a kitchen they have a huge visual impact on the look and feel of your kitchen. They are trendy and create style. The designer in me adds: over so many years I installed countless number of beautiful stone and metal backsplashes in many different lay-outs, patterns and styles. Today’s new trend of mixed glass/stone material is the clear winner of them all! This photo does not quite give it justice.
The glass has a translucent quality, which adds a lightness, an airiness to the kitchen. Outside light slightly colors the glass pieces. Changing light throughout the day changes the color of the glass ever so slightly but noticeably.
This glass tile is from Glazzio Tile.
Everyone who has visited simply cannot take his/her eyes off this glass backsplash. It is a focal point and precisely why installation details of a backsplash really matter. Sloppy installation will be a huge “miss”. So here are six must-know installation details/tips:
(1) Since glass tile combinations are today’s rage know that specialty adhesive is required as setting materials – cost about double the regular thin-set. (Great way to gauge the knowledge and quality of your tile installer – quizz them about it!)
(2) Glass tile are transparent and must be set with “white” not grey adhesive (it seems obvious but not to many installers!)
(3) Installers must work with trowels that have small grooves so that the setting material stays thin and out of the joint of the tile
(4) Ever seen crooked electrical plugs and switches in backsplashes? This is because the tile was not properly cut to the electrical boxes. The so-called “ears” of the plugs and switches must sit on top of the new tile, i.e. the tile has to be brought precisely (!) to the electrical box
(5) Unless the countertop is totally out of level, the backsplash tile should follow the counter – even when the resulting tile is actually slightly out of level. In other words our eyes will not pick up a slight deviation but your eyes will register cuts against the counter
(6) Some people shy away from light grout colors due to a belief that light colors collect dirt more than dark colors – absolute nonsense! Pick the color that best goes with your backsplash material.
Know these details when you compare installers’ price proposals! Look behind the numbers. Know what they stand for and know the right questions to ask. In home improvement “the devil is always in the details”!
Finally, it is hard to believe that some manufacturers create glass tile sample boards with silver and other background colors. Avoid them! Glass tile is a transparent and picks up background colors. Select sample boards with white background instead so that you see true colors. This is how you can be sure that the glass tile you select will have the same look on your wall.
Enjoy decorating your kitchen. Bring in a fresh, new, airy feeling to your kitchen with a new glass backsplash. It’s so worth it!
