DIY subway tile

I did it! I installed the subway tile in our laundry room to the ceiling and refreshed the decor. For such a small space, this laundry room refresh really took a lot of my time.

This DIY subway tile post is meant to inspire you to tackle that project that you have been putting off. I guess you could also read this and decide it’s too much work and decide to hire someone to do it for you. Either way, I hope this step by step guide helps you in some capacity.

What? Like it’s hard? It’s not, but it is time consuming. Anyone can install subway tile with some planning, the right tools and the right attitude. If you are like me and installing tile is not your day job, you will get overwhelmed and frustrated before you get in a groove. But, if you have extra time on your hands (like we all do during this coronavirus pandemic), this will be a very satisfying project for you like it was for me!

Here we go…

Here’s the before shot…

When we built this house, I knew with as much time as we spend doing laundry for a family of four, I needed to love the way our new laundry room looked. The patterned concrete tiles inspired the whole room. To compliment the navy in the floor tiles, I had the cabinets painted the same SW Naval as my kitchen island and butler’s pantry. However, I could not decide whether to tile the walls or wallpaper them. So, I told the builder to paint the walls white and decided to live with it for a while until I decided exactly what I wanted.

Fast forward two years…

I found 4 leftover boxes of white beveled subway tile in our attic from when the house was built. Why our builder had this much tile leftover from our kitchen back splash I have no idea, but hey, I have it and I was determined to figure out a place to use it.

Seeing those boxes of tile gave me an idea… that I could learn to tile and actually put this leftover tile to use! Once I got the idea in my head, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I watched at least 50 tutorials on Youtube and by far the best one was by Home Renovision DIY. Click HERE to watch the video.

Here is my step by step guide to a DIY subway tile backsplash.

Step #1: Pick & measure your space.

I decided that I would attempt my first tile project in my laundry room.

Most professionals advise that you purchase 10% more than your measurements require to cover yourself because you will break some tiles and mess up a few before you know what you are doing. If you don’t happen to have lots of leftover tile laying around, the first step is to measure your space to determine how much tile you will need. My tile is a 3 x 6 white beveled subway tile and is available HERE from Home Depot.

I chose subway tile because it is a classic and you never have to worry about it going out of style. In addition, it is also super cheap! Seriously. You can buy a case from Home Depot for less than $28.00!

Step #2: Get your tools and supplies.

Next, you will need to head to Home Depot for all your tools and supplies. Here is a list of what you will need for your DIY subway tile backsplash:

Disclaimer: This post is not at all sponsored by Home Depot, but I am open to it if they wanted to sponsor it 😉 I elected to go to Home Depot because their website was super user friendly and I was able to construct my list before I drove to the store. I had everything in my cart and their website let me know where the products were in the storeand whether they were in stock. Added bonus, everything I needed was in stock! During the pandemic, they are also offering order pickup if you do not want to go into the store. See below to shop the supplies!

Step #3: Prep your workspace.

Once you have all your supplies and tools, the next step is to prep your workspace.

Step #4: Split your tiles.

It’s time to start working with your tiles. For this step you need a tile splitter. Since I was using subway tiles and I was applying them in a classic pattern 50% offset, I knew I would need to split lots of tiles in half. I was able to move through this project much quicker with most of the half tiles already split. I chose an Anvil 14″ ceramic & porcelain tile cutter.

When I tell you I enjoyed using this tile cutter, that is an understatement. It is very satisfying to use and once you cut a couple tiles, it is very easy to crank out all your tiles. Start by testing your cuts on a couple extra tiles first. I used a measuring tape to measure the middle of tile and marked it with a chalk marker that I could easily wipe off after cutting.

Step #5: Apply adhesive to wall & start tiling.

The tools you will need for this step is your Trowel, adhesive or thinset, tiles and spacers.

I chose a premixed adhesive/thinset. I did this for a couple reasons. First, this was my first tile project and I did not want to over-complicate it by also learning how to mix it properly. Second, I did not want to buy the drill attachment required to mix the thinset or grout. In addition, the pre-mixed adhestive/thinset is already the perfect consistency. The premixed adhesive and grout made this project much less complicated and allowed me to focus on learning how to cut and apply the tiles properly.

I chose AcrylPro premized tile adhesive. Another great thing about this product is it tells you what size trowel to buy based on the size of the tile. So, read the back of the container and purchase the size trowel recommend based on the tile you are using in your project.

• 

• 

Because I used the premixed adhesive, I was able to split the application of the tiles into two days and take my time without having to mix anything. The key to the application step is to make sure you put a spacer between each tile on the top, bottom and on each side. This will ensure your grout lines are perfect. Trust me, don’t fail to buy the cheap bag of spacers!

If you are super nervous about this, I would recommend going back and watching the Home Renovision DIY video again. Disclaimer: This post is in no way sponsored by those guys, but if they wanted to work with me on a project in the house, I would totally be down for that!

The biggest thing I learned in this step is to apply the adhesive a little at time instead of to the whole wall. I worked on a 2 square foot section at a time and that way, I was able to start and stop when I needed to. When I completed each secion, I made sure to add the spacers as I went.

I tiled this wall over the course of 2 days without any issue with the adhesive drying out. The key is not applying the adhesive too thick and you will be fine. The directions on how to apply this product are on the back of thecontainer and watching the manufacturer’s video helped get me comfortable getting started.

Step #6: Grout.

I waited 48 hours to make sure all the tiles were set before I removed my spacers and began grouting. For this step, you will need grout, a grout float, gloves, 2 buckets of water and 2 sponges.

Again, I chose a premixed Single Component Grout by Fusion Pro. It was less than $20 for the smell size and was a no brainer for me. No mixing and no extra mess. The Fusion Pro pre-mixed grout comes in 16 colors. I chose bright white to match my subway tiles.

For this step, like the adhesive, you need to read the directions on the back of the bucket. I decided to use a foam grout float to make the application easier since my tiles are beveled.

Step #7: Caulk

This is the easiest step other than prepping your workspace. This step is also the most satisfying. You will will need: caulk, a caulk gun and baby wipes or damp paper towels. I caulked the space between the tile and walls, the space between the tile and moldings and the space between the tile and the counter-tops. After you caulk a section, simply run your finger over it to push the caulk into place and smooth it out. I like to go back over it with a baby wipe to clean off any excess.

Once you finish caulking, you are done! All you need to do now is remove the paper and tape and admire your handiwork.

All in, this project cost me less than $200 because I had the tile on hand already. I have linked all of my materials below.

I am very pleased with the final product!

Here are my key takeaway tips from this DIY subway tile project:

• Buy the premixed adhesive and grout. Trust me. It is much easier and you don’t want to go buying a drill attachment to mix powder and water. If you do this, watch the instructional video that comes with the product you chose.
• Start from the bottom and work your way up. You always want the full tiles at the bottom and the cut tiles at top.
• Unless your surface is perfectly level, don’t start your first tile directly on your counter or floor.
• Split as many tiles as you can before you put any adhesive on the wall. It will make your project go much faster.
• Always use spacers! it takes all the guess work out of how to get those perfect grout lines.
• If there is any grout left on the tiles after you are finished, purchase the grout remover and it comes off super easy.

Happy DIYing friends!

-Lauren