Three ways to get a great backsplash

Whether you plan to have your kitchen backsplash professionally installed or want to have it become a do-it-yourself project, there are several things you can do to make it shine.

Plan them early in the design phase. With the wide assortment of colors and textures, you can use them to change the entire atmosphere of a room, either brightening or softening it. This way, all the other materials can be coordinated around it.

Remember, backsplashes are vertical and at eye level, so they’ll be the first thing visitors see. Make sure all the colors (including grout) are right for what you want to achieve; this would be a good time to ask the advice of your backsplash retailer.

Measure twice, cut once

Although backsplashes might seem pretty straightforward, you’ll have to deal with outlets, window ledges and more, and you’ll have to count all of them in the layout. You also have to consider both height and depth; if backsplashes are too thick, they can interfere with the proper functioning of the other elements, such as the counters.

DIYers beware

First, this won't just be a weekend project. It may take a few weekends and the amount of time depends on the size of the project and the amount of cutting that needs to be done. Keep in mind that you really can’t use your kitchen without a backsplash; it will harm the drywall. You’ll have to account for time for forgotten items or even not having the right tools...which brings us to.

Be brutally honest about your abilities to do this. If it’s tile, the cutting itself will be difficult, as will the layout, and there’s no going back. Either brush up on your skills or, better yet, have it professionally installed. Read through all of the instructions and follow them carefully, because you don’t want things like loose seams to cause water leaks.

Finally, don’t spend every penny on backsplashes; to put it into perspective, according to HGTV, in any kitchen remodeling, the cabinets take 35 percent of the budget, while appliances are 20 percent. Backsplashes, which fall in either their fixture or fitter category are three to five percent.

For more inspiration, and to hear about our free estimates, visit the About Floors n’ More showroom in Jacksonville, FL. We service Jacksonville, as well as Atlantic, Ponte Vedra, and Neptune Beach, FL.