Looking to remodel your kitchen? A kitchen backsplash may be the most fun you’ll have during your remodeling project. It brings together the counters, cabinets and flooring, allowing for great creativity, and it offers an avenue of personal expression.

1. Measure carefully
Measure the backsplash area carefully. Measure it twice and order some extra. Once you have chosen your tiles, you need to calculate how many will fit. If you have a pattern of differing tiles or a mosaic, look for a way to fit them together to fit the space.

2. Draw on the wall
Yes, draw on the wall by transferring your math.  There’s no substitute for a life-size sketch to visually represent what you are about to do. Spaces! Don’t forget to include the space between tiles in your little drawing.

PRO TIP!
Make sure the space between tiles is consistent. Plastic spacers are available in the tile section in your local home improvement store. The pros use them to get those perfect gaps for their grout, so why shouldn’t you!

3. Cut the tiles
Watch your fingers and cover your eyes for this task. A good idea instead of purchasing a tile saw is to rent one for smaller projects. It is the most cost-effective way to get what you need. If you plan on tiling an entire house, you may consider buying a tile saw. As an option, you can always resell the saw when you’re finished. Make sure to get all your cutting done before you start your adhesives. You’ll thank me for that tip!

4. Apply adhesive
Apply a layer of thinset adhesive using a 3/16″ square notched trowel and comb the thinset at a 45-degree angle. Don’t apply more thinset than you can apply in a 5 minute time-span. When setting the tile, don’t press so hard that you have thinset squish out between the tiles. Press it in lightly and wiggle it back and forth to get out any air bubbles.

5. Set tiles
Wipe each tile clean and do some back buttering (apply a thin layer of thinset to the back of each tile). Start at the center and work your way out to the edges. Have an odd size at one end? For symmetry’s sake, you’ll need to install the tiles from the center of the wall so you can split that odd size between the left and the right. Looking good!

6. Grout
Grout between the tiles. It’s not hard, just wait until after the tile is set and adhesive is dry.

7. Seal
Apply a sealer about 48 hours after the grout is set to protect against water. Good news if you purchased a glazed ceramic tile,  they only need to have the grout sealed. If you use decided to go with slate, terra cotta or marble…yup, you guessed it… you need to seal the tile too, in order to prevent stains.

To learn more about what tiles or stone you can use for your next kitchen backsplash project, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

Franco Pecchioli was founded in 1897 by the Chini family (pronounced “Keeney”) and the Pecchioli family. Galileo Chini, a master ceramicist and partner of this fledgling firm, opened the original formace (or ceramics factory) and called it LArte della Ceramica in the small village of Borgo San Lorenzo. Chini first worked with decorative stoneware vases, making his work stand out from the rest with intricate glazes and bright colors.

Later, he became one of the influencers of Italian ceramics throughout the early 1900s and 1920s; this daring artist was commissioned by the king of Siam to create large-scale frescos all around the royal palace. Unfortunately, the ceramics factory was bombed in World War II by U.S. bombing raids. This lead to a merging with Pecchioli, who financed the rebuilding and expansion of the company. Today, the Pecchiolis controls the business side of the company, with the Chinis controlling the artistic side.

Pecchioli distributes their products to not just Europe and Asia, but to the U.S., the Carribean, Bahamas, and Bermuda through the forged relationship with Una Terra, Inc. Pecchioli has already started to leave its mark on the United States businesses. Some commercial work that Pecchioli has done include: a Buffalo subway station, the Buell Theater in Denver, The Renaissance Center subway station in Detroit, and a Thai and a Burger restaurant in Las Vegas. Many residential bathrooms, kitchen floors, backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, foyers, and sun rooms have also experienced the artistic touch of Pecchioli through Una Terra.

Experience Pecchioli for yourself! They have a wide variety of tile available. Check out their standard tile collections, such as Water & Sky, Blacks & Whites, Violets & Roses, and more. Each of their standard tile collections are glazed using machine-made Italian terra cotta biscuits in different sizes, thicknesses, and shapes. Pecchioli also sells beautiful plumbing fixtures that will make you (and your guests) gasp with surprise and pleasure. What better way to make a unique statement than to order a vessel sink, shower base, and toilet in matching colors? If you want to make a statement at your dinner party, consider a dinnerware set in rich colors, dipped and fused together with gold, silver, and platinum. The guests wont want to put food on the plates and cover up the glinting beauty winking back at them!

To learn more about Pecchioli, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

Stile’s products are in used decorative products, medallions, borders, floor and wall tiles, table tops, sinks and architectural elements such as fireplaces, statues and much more. Imagine a silky smooth white marble tile that is inlaid with pewter in swirling or geometric designs of varying widths and thicknesses. They even combine wood flooring with metal inlays, like something you would see in a palace hall.

Stile also merges hardwood flooring tiles with actual stone, the stone weaved into a floral or vining pattern or more modern, angular designs. They offer several of their products in round “tiles” in varying diameters a well as in square and border shapes that can be 36″ x 36″ for tiles or down to 3″ x 12″ narrow borders. There’s a border to match with every design and color scheme, floral patterns, designs that look like rectangular chain links, starbursts, and flourishes, just to name a few.

Stile has a huge array of styles and designs, but they can also create a custom design that fits your precise needs. Their mosaic creations are amazing, combining different shapes, materials, and colors in stunning designs that end in a unique and dazzling look that puts your home or office on an elite list of customers with Stile’s tremendous style.

So whether you need a kitchen backsplash, a new floor for a foyer, a marble bathroom floor or wall, or even a facing for a fireplace, Stile has the upper echelon of specialized tile that will set your room apart from any other. You can bring a little bit of the rustic Italian beauty right into your home or office or church, and you’ll certainly have a look to be admired.

To learn more about Stile Artistic Design, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.