If you do a lot of cooking in your kitchen (or even if you don't), the wall area immediately behind your cooker hob can become dirty and stained.
Here is a guide to enable you to create a splash-back area using wall tiles to prevent your kitchen walls becoming dirty, looking unsightly or eventually ruined.
There are quite a few splash-back options available but using wall tiles is certainly one of the cheapest, if done correctly it will look great and last for years, plus they are stain resistant, easy to clean and can provide a watertight barrier.
If your wall has a pelmet it is best to remove this before fixing the wall tiles as it will be easier later to cut a small amount off the pelmet rather than tiling around it.
Once removed, find the vertical centre of the wall.
This is important when using tiles to create a splash-back as the area will look better if both edges are perfectly symmetrical.
Use a spirit level to mark the centre of the wall as this is where we will apply our first wall tiles.
When fixing the wall tiles, work from the work surface upwards.
Ensure that you leave a gap between the work surface and the bottom row of wall tiles.
Use tile spacers to make sure of this.
This will ensure that if you ever need to replace the work top, a new one can be installed easily without any disruption to the tiles.
The gap will be filled with a waterproof silicone sealant when the tiling is finished.
Apply the tiles to the area ensuring that the finish is symmetrical then allow 24 hours for the wall tiles adhesive to dry.
Once the adhesive is dry you can then apply the grout.
Grout nowadays is available in a range of colours so whatever tile colour or pattern you have chosen, you should be able to buy grout that will complement it.
Apply the grout evenly and then remove any excess with a damp sponge or cloth.
Use a shaping tool to ensure that the grout is neat and covers all gaps between the tiles.
Cut a few millimetres from the pelmet and reattach, this will add a neat finish to the area.