The tile project I’m sharing today is one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done – first and foremost because it was so easy, thanks to this amazing product, and because it’s beautiful!
This product has a wavy texture that makes it look like it’s handcrafted… and it usually is! The real thing is very expensive, but I really wanted to use it for the small back wall in my laundry room/bathroom:
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You can install in a straight stack like this for a more modern look, or in a brick pattern for a more traditional look.
The truth is that authentic zellige tiles are handcrafted from clay and have an imperfect appearance that I don’t always like. They are also usually installed close to small grout lines (which adds to the imperfect appearance).
I’ve always preferred the more uniform versions I’ve seen, with little contrast to the plaster.
I did some research and found this ceramic version shown above that still has the handmade look, but is very affordable! Plus each tile is uniform and the same size, but still has the beautiful detail that I loved in the real thing.
I put it in my cart! I couldn’t be happier personally – it was so pretty!
I had some difficulty getting these tiles manufactured along the way because I didn’t order enough at first. I had to wait on backorders and then the second shipment was even shinier than the first. I was able to pick out what I liked from the boxes.
You can probably avoid this by purchasing everything you need at once so that they are from the same batch number.
But overall the installation process was very easy! I used a no grout product to install which makes installing the tiles very quick and mess free.
Before you start laying tiles, mark the middle of the area you will be working on. Since the backsplash is what we have, I marked the middle of the area and placed a tile in the middle:
Then I arranged the tiles in each direction to make sure there were no small splinters at the edges.
Once I was sure of my design, I pulled out the item that made the process go so fast. It’s the tile installation mat that you use instead of grout:
The funny thing is, I got these sticky mats as a gift years ago… maybe ten years ago. I didn’t need them then, and I put them in the garage where they were. I forgot about them until we moved.
I wasn’t sure if it would still work or not, but I kept the mats in hopes of trying them out someday.
Luckily, these products worked very well and were incredibly easy to use! They have an adhesive back that you can attach to the wall, and a strong adhesive that holds the tiles on the front.
Simply stick the mat to the wall, and when you’re ready, peel the paper off the adhesive front:
I used a pack and a half for the entire project. I really liked this product.
I love that this rug makes it easy to work in sections. You can tape the rug to the wall and step away from the project at any time.
The tile should include details to help you determine the size of the spacers between the tiles and the size of the grout joints you will need to use. This design suggested 1/16″ grout lines. I considered not using spacers at all, but ultimately decided to use them for a more consistent look.
My countertop was level, but I made sure to check the tiles because I wanted to make sure they were level too:
I wanted a more traditional look, so I did a brick pattern – which is also more forgiving in my opinion.
You have to be very precise so that the lines match up perfectly with the straight tile layout:
If you have outlets or switches that you have to work around, you will need to turn off the power at the breaker and remove the outlet cover to work around them:
Lift the tile mat and mark where you will need to cut before sticking it to the wall. You can use a utility knife or scissors to cut the mat.
The carpet is very sticky, but you can remove the tiles and rearrange them at first if needed. I’m not sure how that would work after they’ve been sticky for a while.
I have always used a wet saw when cutting tile, but since these saws are so small (and it was cold in the garage the day I was installing), I used a tile cutter instead.
It’s very easy to use! Just align the tiles where they need to be cut:
Then run the diamond blade along the tile with some pressure to scratch it. Make sure the pressure is consistent from start to finish.
Just push down and the tiles will install in a clean line:
It works very well and very fast. You can use it for larger tiles as well — just make sure the cutter you get fits your tile.
The only problem I had was cutting small strips of tile. I found that if I cut them with the same pressure from bottom to top, I could get very small pieces.
Always order about 10 percent more tiles than you will need!
My problem with not using a wet saw was cutting around the outlets. With a tile saw, you can angle the tile towards the blade to make intricate cuts. There are other ways to do this too – I was about to go out and buy a diamond blade for my Dremel when I noticed something while cutting with the tile cutter…
I realized that the two pieces would fit together perfectly after they were cut. An idea came to me — I measured where I needed to cut the outlet, then used a tile cutter to make it.
Then I used some Gorilla Glue, put them back together and held them together for at least an hour:
It worked! I wasn’t sure it would hold up, but I was pleasantly surprised.
It worked even when I had to cut the tile into three pieces to work around the outlet:
I stapled them together a bit while installing – making sure not to push them in too hard. But they look great and you’ll never be able to tell I cut them! This might also help if you don’t have access to a wet saw.
Another great thing about using tile mats is that you can apply the grout right away, unlike mortar. I used this pre-mixed, sanded grout to finish this backsplash:
Make sure to protect your surfaces before you start!
I love these pre-adhesive plastic panels for projects like this — just stick on the painter’s tape and pull the plastic out. They stick to any surface easily:
Plastering and grout on a vertical surface isn’t much fun — you’ll lose a lot of floor or counter space.
I didn’t have a grout float (mine was a mess and I threw it away months ago) so I used a plastic putty knife – which I think was easier to use:
Applying grout isn’t really that difficult — just squish it in. After fifteen to thirty minutes, use a large wet sponge and a bucket of water and start wiping the excess grout off the tiles.
If there are any spots you missed, you can usually move them around and fill them in with a grout sponge.
You will need to use clean water and sponge the tiles a few more times to remove any grout haze. The grout will lighten in color as it dries, so don’t worry if it doesn’t look good at first!
If you are tiling a floor or backsplash where it is expected to be exposed to wear and tear, you will need to use a grout sealer afterwards so that it does not leave stains.
Not too bad, huh? Installed pretty quickly!
To finish off this section of wall, I made some quick “floating” shelves to hang between the cabinets:
I used pieces of wood and scrap wood and then screwed them in from the inside of the cabinets. I then finished it off with a small piece of trim along the front:
These tiles are so pretty!! They come in cream, white, blue, grey and black. They are all beautiful.
I chose the cream color for many reasons, but the main reason is that our upper cabinets are not pure white. I was worried that the white tiles would look out of place.
By the way, if you have an outlet in a weird place, remove the tile at the bottom of the wall! It will flow much better than having it end up weirdly on the wall around the outlet.
I love this room!:
Here’s where I started with this field:
