How To Install Tile BackSplash and Cut Electrical Outlet Spaces 

We just successfully installed this style of back splash using your video as a guide over and over. It turned out perfectly!! We had never worked with tiles before and bought the wet saw to make sure it would work out. Thank you for the great tutorial!!

Thank you for not having music playing over your narration. Thumbs up!

I’ve been watching a lot of videos in preparation for my first attempt at doing my kitchen backsplash. I’d like to say thank you for your great work on this video. You showed different techniques that I liked better from what I’ve seen in other videos.

I found this video very helpful! Your technique for cutting out the outlet is genius and seems easier and I will be using this method. Thank you!

The suggestion for cutting around the outlets was brilliant and accurate. I found your youtube after I had done about half of a kitchen backsplash with lots of switches and outlets. After using your method of fitting tiles around the outlets it cut my time and frustration way down, and it was almost enjoyable to do. Thank you SO MUCH!

Thank you so much for this video. We just finished installing our tile backsplash, and used your method of cutting out outlet spaces. It looks great, we learned a lot, and appreciate ALL the tips on your video.

I can finally start ! Someone thought to show the tape location at the base and has the perfect way to simplify cutting out the outlets. I don't even know how many Vids I watched with no forward progress. You should do a START to finish. Covering our new custom granite was and is a top issue for me and I am sure for all of us looking to you for tips as well. Starting glass mosaic, corners, window edges to avoid tiny pieces is a must for people with OCD is very important. Thanx , Dennis

Very helpful. Saw something different from other videos and it was the way you cut the tile for the outlet openings. I liked it better, you made it easier to do.

Wow, GREAT video. Thanks so much for taking the time to make and post it. That part about how to cut around the outlet is gold, glad I found this before starting my project. Cheers!

PRO TIP: Start in the corner and cut a tile in half, placing one half on each side of the corner. That way you don't have to bother with filling in little gaps with cut pieces.

Saw your Video First! My first time with tile at all. Glass / Metal Tile Backsplash. I did not even bother to watch any other videos. Thank you! Everybody says, "Looks amazing." My brother had the wet saw, I just invested in the higher end blade. Cut like warm butter!

Great Tip! We're about to do our kitchen back splash and the outlets were the only thing I was concerned about. Thanks!

I found this video super helpful! Thank you for helping me make up my mind to let a professional install my backsplash

I love the amount of detail u put into explaining what I were doing. Definitely for the receptacles!

As simple as it may seem, I didn't even think to cut one sheet into separate sheets around the outlets lol... Great tips!

thanks...great all inclusive vid. short,to the point, showed all phases...

Thanks for the great video!!!👍👍

Awesome video, great explanation of your step by step! I will watch it again. Thanks.

Thank you so much! You saved me $10 per square foot. Messed up three already. Saved me the rest haha

Great video! Easy to follow and great at explaining how to do it! Do you think I can use an oscillating tool to cut the small notches for the outlet screws instead of a dremel?

Great instructions on tiling around outlets! Thank you!

I started doing tile when o was 16 now im 43 thats a long time but i had a good teacher The Jones Brother out of Washington N.C and im still workin on flooring or anything to do with floors and my name is haywood and everyone knows me by the tile man

With such a small backsplash, you should be able to precut the entire back wall, including outlets before even mixing cement. Just dry lay sheets on the countertop or floor . The first sheet you cut in half or close to it and save the other side of sheet for when it's time to do the side wall, this way it matches pattern precisely. So now you have that first sheet cut and dry lay all sheets across the countertop to the other side, forgetting the outlets for now. Just measure the length of back wall and transfer that measurement to the dry laid tiles to get the sheet cut for the right side. You now can make your top cuts by simply measuring the height of backsplash. You now have made all your cuts for the back wall. Now just measure from the left wall to your outlets and from countertops to outlets and make your outlet Mark's on your dry lay....with a little planning it's pretty easy to precut the entire back wall , then mix thinset and spread from bottom to top about 1/4 of the way across , then install and repeat....before you pick up your dry lay, just take a measurement that 1/4 of the way and transfer that mark to the bottom row where it meets the countertop, this way your installing the same as your dry lay......by spreading with cuts already made, your thinset stays fresh because your not wasting time making cuts and spreading from top to bottom in one shot makes the wall flatter.....

Very informative video thank you. I had a question about the tile edging. How do you get that 90° angle on the tile edging, what is the best way to cut it and bend it?

Fabtastic! Easy to follow! I checked out your other videos! They were All just as easy to follow! I highly recommend your channel to all! Subscribed! Thank you So Much for all you do to help us All!

Space too big, outlet sunken? Try the Effortless Electrical Spacer found on Amazon. Comes with extra longer screws too. Great new product to help with problem single or gang outlets.

Very well explained through out the whole process. Thanks.

I've watched several videos on this subject. This is the best so far. Thank you.

Excellent video, well presented step by step for us beginners, Thanks!

I like the way you marked for the outlets. My opinion - you could do a more thorough job of troweling the thinset off with the v notched trowel then you wouldn't have so much mastic oozing through the grout joints. Also, if you start with squared off sheets in the corner and worked your way out you wouldn't have to paste all those little pieces in the corner. That would be extra helpful if you are tiling the adjacent wall and had to meet in the corner. Other than that, nice video!

finally I found the right video ! excellent demonstration and very helpful .thanks, I just subscribed you video.

Thank you very helpful video. Easy to follow. : )

This is the best demonstration video with more clarification

As a tile installer I’d say for a beginner it’s not a bad start at all. The issue you have is when attaching faceplates with screws that sit above and below the mounting screws for the outlet itself. For faceplates with 2 facial screws on both top and bottom you need to make an individual notch into the glass tile that fit those areas

Extremely help...Great instructor!! Thanks.

Awesome video thank you so much

Hi, awesome and very clear video, what kind of caulk did u use please? Acrylic or silicone? please advise, Im newbie on that stuff. Thanks

Great video!! My weekend project ❤️😁

Hey Joe, cool channel man. I found it because my wife wanted me to put in a backsplash. I've got a baseball channel with 40,000 subs. You'll be there in no time if you keep making informative vids like this. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks!

Excellent video! Thank you!

Brilliant. Fabulous job. Thank you

should i remove my valence before starting or tile around?

Good video, is it hard to cut the mesh tile sheets with a tile saw like you did for the left side? Other videos show people using a hand held saw and cutting along a straight edge which is holding the tiles in place

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Excellent video dude thanks

Very informative video. At 2:32 in the video you use a small roller to press the tiles to the wall. Where did you get this roller?

Well done video!

wow, a great way to make openings for outlets

Thanks for the video. Question, was that glass tile? and what kind of tile saw did you use to cut it? Doing a small project myself and don’t want to mess up

Best video. Very detail

I am getting ready to put similar tile in. Here are a few questions and notes. 1) I have to sand and put down Primer T on the walls for the thinset. Polymer enriched thinset mortar... so it will stick... esp where there is mud/joints. 2) How many times did you have to mix the thinset? With this kind of tile, getting the thinset between the edge tiles ready for the next set of tiles... before it dries can be a challenge. If the work time for the thinset is short... you will not be able to cut the tiles fast enough to place much before the thinset dries out. How did you get the thinset between the end tiles in like that? 3) Since my tile is both glass and stone, I have to seal the tile BEFORE GROUTING... Or apply grout release... Also good to use after. Otherwise there could be a bad haze on the tile, especially the stone. 4) I am a little nervous because this is not like the large tile I used on a shower, which I cut most of the tile before it was put together. I still had to mix thinset many times as the work time was not enough.

A few questions:1) What did you use to cut the little filler tile pieces?2) At 5:12, one of the tiles appears to overlap onto the electrical outlet box (the further right box), but a few seconds later, that tile is cut to match with the outlet box edge. I'm presuming you cut the tile in place. How did you cut that tile once the mosaic sheet was in place, and what did you use to cut it?3) For DIY folks like me, who might be installing 20 sf or so tile, we probably should rent a wet saw, I presume, to cut the tile?4) What do you like ot use as an end treatment on mosaic tile if the tile doesn't butt up or end at a trim piece or wall?Thank you!

Nice work dude.

Very professional thank you.

Very helpful!

Thanks that’s exactly what I need. I’ve watch lost of videos and and They got me more confused. This video straight to the point specially how to cut the tile that was my problem. Now I’m ready to start my kitchen thanks again.

Very good instructions

Great info thank you

That was just great, thanks.

Good job

Hey buddy I am installing my backsplash but I am having the same problem you had on the outlet can you tell me what did you use to cut the glass around the screws???

An easier method of cutting the tile around an outlet is by using a Dremel rotary tool and Diamond Rotary Cutting Discs. Harbor Freight Tools sells a set of 5 for $6.99. I used a similar method as this fellow did by using the cardboard backing. However, I actually drew pencil lines on the wall extending out from the outlet - put the cardboard on the wall and transferred those lines back onto the cardboard. I then cut a hole in the cardboard and placed it onto the outlet to PROVE it would line up correctly with the glass mosaic and the outlet. Then, using my Dremel and a Diamond Cutting Disc, I simply cut out the tiles I didn't need! In other words, I had a nice, smooth hole right in the glass mosaic sheet. It fit perfectly into the glass mosaic I had already hung onto the wall and fit perfectly around the outlet. Another trick was NOT putting the glass mosaic behind the switch or outlet. Why? Because most switches or outlets have horizontal piece on the top and bottom which the tile can go under and below that is the screw hole. But what if these pieces are broken off? Not to worry. Just cut your tile to fit exactly around the hole in the wall. Next, take a 1/2" piece of dowel (or any small wood) and drill a 1/8" hole through it. Measure from the SCREW hole in the outlet box to the edge of your glass tile. That's the length of dowel you'll need. In my case I needed a 1/2" length. Since I had 1 switch and 1 outlet, I needed 4 dowels 1/2" long. That's a total of 2 inches in length. I simply used a 1/8" drill bit and drilled vertically through the dowel, cut it into 4 sections 1/2" long, and used them as standoff's from the outlet box to the back of the switch or wall plug. Nice 'n tight. The cover fit perfectly.

Thank

Very nice 👍🏼

Thank you

if you use the correct trowel you wont have any mortar coming thru but it depends on tile, in this case he did use correct trowel but wasnt consistent on his troweling technique leaving thick and thin areas that oozed thru , so take your time and get all the trowel grooves consistent , also no need to disconnect outlets, just slip tiles under outlet ears.

nice video.

Wonderful, Joe!

OK listen up ! I used Hardy backer for my glass mosaic tile backsplash. Damp will cause it to dry too fast and you will end up with a huge mess and cost you a ton of money. You want it Good and WET to the point where it don't turn white in 45 seconds. you will have more time to get the lines straight and make adjustments. This Is a great vid and I wont say a bad word about it....D

GREAT GREAT VIDEO!

That's an awesome way to cut the outlet holes. Unfortunately I'm about to do a herringbone backsplash, that method won't work for me

some good tips thanks ... Question have you ever started in the corner and cut a sheet in 1/2 to start?

Nice video

Perfect 👍🏾😍

Thank you! This makes so much sense to me. Please do a DIY video for replacing porch rails for steps.

good job

Also, how tobkeep the tile from folding on itself. My tiles are thin (1/8") and on the mesh. Having a hard time trying to figure out how to get them straight without smashing them on the wall.

Thank you!

VERY GOOD

How did you keep the grout out of the bottom ?

thank you so much it was so helpfull.

? I have textured drywall where I want to apply the backsplash in my kitchen and laundry room. Do I need to smooth the texture or do I need to apply hardy board over the texture before I apply backsplash?

That was freakin awesome. Thank you so much.

Hello, you pulled or peeled off the old adhesive backing. What do you think of such adhesive? I have been considering using such adhesive. Don't know how strong it would stay. But using cement does not seem really difficult. Is cement more reliable and provide a stronger hold? If you are still there. The cut out tip seems practical & useful.

What type of dremel bit did you use to cut the notches for the outlets.

man best video I could find that was simple to understand... thank you

How long do you allow the ground to dry , so it can be clean with water ?

Don't forget to remix mortar and grout 10 minutes after initial mix.

███▓▒░░Thank you! Very informative video. I will get started on this project at home. ░░▒▓███

The 45 degree angle for a grout float is not off of the wall but relative to the joint lines. You went 90 degrees to some grout lines and parallel to others, you should be 45 from both that way the float doesn't dig into the grout line and dig the grout out.

Would have been beneficial to say what size screw you up sized too.

I never did this little tile pattern one but for large format tile we use Mastic on walls not mortor. Which I suspect is what you used since it white and not thinset gray. And you only use a little bit on each large tile. Since you're just gluing it the wall. And technically only to the paint on the wall. A dab in each corner and one in center. This small format looks like a nightmare to redo. Large format just pops right off.

Man! This is how I imaged hoe this process would go. I think my contractor took all of the tile pieces of the mesh

Wow

Do I need install sement board to do this?

Is it possible to tile around the outlet without disconnecting them? Cutting off the power will cut off the kitchen lights, the stove and refrigerator.

mine doesn't have cardboard backing.

I am new to this. When I go to install my tiles, I note that my coubtertop back splash is not level. What is the best way to hide that issue?

If you're a beginner, watch a different video. This guy got it done but wow. Way more work than necessary. His mortar is way thick and sketchy. Also the grout should be wiped completely out with the float at a 45 degree angle from the grout lines. Basically diagonal across the surface. He read to do that and thought they meant hold the float at 45 degrees from surface of wall... lol. Just watch a pros video if you want to see.

Shouldn’t you need outlet box extenders?