How to tile a kitchen splashback

Inspired by a popular UK tiling guide. This walk-through is based on the Tile Mountain tutorial "How to Install Kitchen Wall Splashback Metro Tiles", featuring Craig Phillips, UK TV presenter and builder. It covers everything from finding your centre line to finishing the grout joints, and it's worth watching for the cutting tips alone before you attempt the tricky sockets and corners.

1. Measure and plan your tile layout

Measure the width of the splashback area and find the centre point. Mark a vertical centre line in pencil. This is your starting point — working outward from the centre means any cut tiles at both ends will be the same size, which looks far more intentional than a big tile on one side and a sliver on the other.

Do a dry run: lay tiles along the worktop to check how the layout falls before touching any adhesive. Allow for grout joint spacing using tile spacers.

2. Prepare the wall surface

The wall needs to be sound, dry, and flat. Remove any grease, paint flakes, or old adhesive residue. On newly plastered walls, let the plaster cure fully before tiling and apply a coat of tile primer.

If you are tiling over existing tiles, check they are all firmly bonded. A hollow sound when tapped means they need to come off first. You can tile over sound, flat existing tiles if the wall structure can carry the extra weight.

3. Mix and apply the tile adhesive

Use a waterproof wall tile adhesive or flexible adhesive for areas near the hob where there may be slight movement. Apply it to the wall using a notched trowel, working in sections of about half a square metre at a time so it doesn't skin over before you lay the tiles.

Hold the trowel at roughly 45 degrees to create even ridges. These ridges compress when you press the tile in and give a solid bond across the full face of the tile.

4. Set tiles from the centre out

Place your first tile on the centre line and work outward in both directions, pressing each tile firmly and twisting it slightly to bed it into the adhesive. Use tile spacers in every corner to keep the joints consistent.

Check frequently with a spirit level — even a small drift early on compounds into an obvious slope by the time you reach the end of the row. A straight first row makes everything else easier.

5. Cut edge tiles and work around sockets

Edge tiles that need trimming should be cut with a tile cutter or angle grinder with a diamond blade. Measure each cut tile individually — walls are rarely perfectly square and the gap often varies by a millimetre or two along the run.

Around electrical sockets, always isolate the power before you start. Cut tiles to fit neatly around socket boxes. Leave the socket face plates off until the adhesive has fully cured and you have grouted, then refit them.

6. Leave the adhesive to cure

Wait at least 24 hours before grouting — longer in cold or damp conditions. Remove the tile spacers once the adhesive has firmed up (usually after a few hours) but before it has fully set hard. Trying to pick out spacers from fully cured adhesive is a frustrating job.

Check the adhesive instructions for your specific product, as curing times vary. The tiles should feel completely firm with no movement when pressed before you grout.

7. Apply grout and finish the edges

Mix your grout to the consistency described on the packet — typically smooth, like thick cream. Apply it with a grout float held at 45 degrees, pressing firmly into every joint. Work in sections and wipe off the excess from the tile faces with a damp sponge before it dries hard.

Finish the joint where tiles meet the worktop with a bead of kitchen and bathroom silicone sealant rather than grout. This allows for slight movement between the wall and the worktop and stops the joint cracking over time. Neat silicone lines take a bit of practice — a smoothing tool and masking tape help enormously.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the wall behind is uneven or needs boarding out first, the area includes awkward cuts around an extractor fan, or you'd like the socket work handled at the same time. Getting the prep right is what separates a splashback that lasts from one that starts to lift in six months.