How to Install a Tumbled Marble Backsplash

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  • 4-10 hours
  • Beginner
  • 100-400
What You'll Need
Tumbled marble
Unsanded grout
Mastic
Trowel
Sandpaper
Level
Pencil
Wet saw
Grout caulk
Sealer
Rag
Tape measure
What You'll Need
Tumbled marble
Unsanded grout
Mastic
Trowel
Sandpaper
Level
Pencil
Wet saw
Grout caulk
Sealer
Rag
Tape measure

A tumbled marble backsplash can provide you with a beautiful old-world look in your kitchen area. The backsplash is an area that you will want to pay special attention to when designing your kitchen. It needs to look good and be functional as well. Tumbled marble presents you with a good option for both requirements. Follow the steps below for easy installation.

Measure the Area

The first thing that you need to do is measure the area that you are going to cover. Take the length and the width and multiply them together. This will give you the square footage of the space and you will know how much tumbled marble tile to buy.

Prepare the Wall

Once you have measured the wall, you need to prepare the wall for installation. Take the sandpaper and rough up the surface of the wall. This will help break up the paint that is on the wall and help the tile adhere to the wall better.

Seal the Tile

Tumbled marble is naturally a very porous type of tile. Therefore, you need to seal the tumbled marble before you install it on the backsplash area. Otherwise, the setting materials could potentially damage the tile. Take a penetrating sealer that is specifically designed to seal stone. Use a rag to apply the sealer evenly to the surface of the tile. Then allow the sealer to thoroughly dry before doing anything else.

Find the Center

Take your tape measure and determine where the center point of the area is. Take the level and use it to draw two straight lines across the area. This will help you determine exactly where to start laying the tile. You will lay the first tile in one of the corners of the cross that you drew on the wall.

Spread the Mastic

Mastic is a special type of tile adhesive that comes premixed. This type of adhesive helps tile adhere better to a vertical surface than thinset does. Take a v-notched trowel and spread out some mastic onto the surface of the wall. Make sure that the mastic is spread out smoothly and evenly over the surface of the wall.

Install the Tile

Take the tile and start to place it on the wall. Press the tile firmly into the mastic and make sure that the first one lines up with the two lines that you drew. Then press another tile next to the first one. Continue pressing tiles into the mastic.

Cut the Tile

When you get to the edge of the cabinets, you will have to cut the tile to fit. Measure the dimension that you need cut and cut it with the wet saw.

Allow to Dry

Let the mastic dry overnight once the tile is in place.

Grout

Apply unsanded grout to the grout joints of the tile. Use a sponge and water to wipe down any extra grout. Let the grout dry overnight, and your backsplash should be completed.