Kitchen Remodeling
One of the most popular elements of any home is often the kitchen backsplash. Backsplashes are practical and desirable because they protect the walls from stains and water damage. But the benefits of a tiled backsplash don’t stop there.
Installing a kitchen or bathroom backsplash can make a real impact on the look and feel of your home, here are several things to consider when shopping for a tile backsplash.
A backsplash adds a personal touch to the room’s style
Your walls are open canvases and you can add your style to them with paint but nothing adds a stylish and personal touch like installing a backsplash with unique tile that speaks to you and your personality. There are endless tile choices, let your imagination and creativity be your guide and you can have something truly unique to you and your home.
Not all tiles will eliminate stain risks or be easy to maintain
If you love to cook and hate to clean be careful which tiles you choose for your kitchen backsplash. Not all tiles are great at reducing maintenance and certain tile choices could actually add to your maintenance workload and schedule instead of reducing it.
For instance, while we love the look of natural stone, stone and marble are naturally porous materials so they are susceptible to staining and require scheduled maintenance with specialty cleaners and sealers. Small tiles may also end up needing more maintenance because they will have more grout joints and that’s where grease and dirt like to take up residence.
If maintenance is a high priority for you, we recommend ceramic, porcelain glass or even metal tile. Because these materials are non-porous, stains will not be able to penetrate the surface of the tile. We also recommend an upgraded grout for backsplashes, one that has stain-resistant technology built-in. One last thing to consider if you are concerned with less maintenance, the larger the tile the less grout joints and therefore the less maintenance needed.
Think long term
Whenever you are investing in your most valuable asset (your home) you should make sure you are considering the long term impact. For example, if you plan to live in your home for a very long time you most likely do not want to be remodeling every few years due to rushing a decision as large as tile selection or which tile contractor you hire. It would be a shame to choose something just because it is on sale only to later find out there was a reason it was on sale or you really did not like it and are now either stuck with it or have to spend more money to change it out to something you will truly enjoy.
On the other hand, if your home is temporary and you plan on putting it on the market within a few years, tile choices should be less about what you want and more for the general public. Choose neutral colors and tile that appeal to a larger group of people, think subway tile instead of mosaics. Subway tile is a classic look that has stood the test of time and is always in style.
When considering a tile contractor to install your backsplash, do not rush to make your decision or choose based solely on something as fleeting as price. We understand HGTV makes it appear as if something like a kitchen backsplash can be installed, grouted and ready for action in just a couple hours, but that is not the case! They call that TV Magic in Hollywood but in the real world there is a lot more involved in producing quality work that will last for generations to come.
Ask contractors what methods and materials they will be using. What grout and why? How about silicone caulking, will they use it in between the wall and the countertop? Or will they be grouting that joint? If they are removing an old backsplash, how will they protect the cabinets and countertops? How about protecting the rest of the home from fine dust? These are all valuable points to consider and make sure you get the answers you need.
Recent Tile Backsplash Projects
Rating
I can't say enough about the great job Rob at Conroe Bath Pro did for our bathroom! The tile work is beautiful, and his attention to detail is refreshing! He was professional and courteous throughout the whole process! We would definitely use Conroe Bath Pro again for our home!
Bathroom is a 9/10 and the results where above my expectations. Definitely love the heated floor. Robert pays attention to detail. Great worker.
Rob did a wonderful job in my bathroom shower, making it like brand new by giving it a much needed refresh! I had been using the guest bathrrom shower instead of my own until Rob made it enjoyable to use again. I highly recommend him for your handyman projects. I will certainly continue to request his services for our future home projects. C. Smith
They are amazing. Fixed our problem in 20 minutes at an incredibly fair price after having plumbers come out and say they couldn’t fix it. Call them first and get treated the right way.
Have you ever had someone that truly cares for your needs and ensures the job gets done right? Look no further. Rob ensures that all your needs are met. He truly puts care into the work he does. You will not be disappointed when you have him turn your project into a work of art.
Rob did a great job for us. His work was top notch and he was very personable. I recommend Conroe Bath Pro.
Rob went above and beyond for our shower remodel. His work was excellent and the cost of the project was VERY reasonable. He does amazing work and has the best attitude and suggestions. An all around great person who does great work. We would recommend him to anyone!
Professional and did a wonderful job after I was taken advantage of by another contractor. Thank you for making it right and making me love my bathroom as me and my late husband envisioned it.
Rob is very detailed oriented and has an incredible work ethic. He thought of things I didn’t think of and accommodated our wants and needs. My secondary bathroom renovation came out great. I’m very pleased with the results.
Rob Black, owner of Conor Bath Pro, is a professional, personable, talented craftsman. He took our master shower from totally unusable for a disabled person to a dream come true. He raised the shower floor 6 inches to be level with the bathroom floor, provided a new drain and installed a stone flooring that blended perfectly with the shower and adjoining tub surround tile. The addition of two handicap support bars provided an additional safety element to our renewed master shower stall. Share your dreams & needs with Rob and he will make them a reality at a very reasonable cost.
Highly recommend!! Rob did an amazing job on the renovation of our master shower after we had a water leak. The water leak required several tiles to be removed by a water restoration company. Rob found a great match and made our shower look brand new.
We hired Conroe Bath Pro for several reasons: 1) veteran owned, 2) only one person coming to the house every day and a non-smoker at that, 3) Experience and knowledge, and 4) He said I could help as much as I wanted! Rob is very responsive to phone calls, texts, and emails, and he came out a couple of times to help while the countertops were being installed. Rob arrived on time every day, worked hard all day, and made friends with my dog. He expertly remodeled our kitchen and master bathroom. We asked him to lower the kitchen bar to counter level, and it turned out terrific. He also installed appliances that we love. I highly recommend the Fisher & Paykel drawer style dishwasher, by the way. Rob did an outstanding job on the kitchen backsplash, as you can see in the photos below. Once we got that done, it was on to gutting the bathroom and getting rid of that horrible bacteria factory also known as a jacuzzi tub. My wife would not use it. Rob is a master at shower renovations, and this is where my DIY knowledge ended. He installed the Schluter system making the shower water tight! He modified the plumbing, and even rerouted the bathtub drain in the concrete. Nothing seemed hard for Rob. I finally got to help by “buttering” the backs of the tiles as we tiled the new shower and later the bathroom floor. Rob installed a fold down teak seat in the shower and together we installed a beautiful new shower door weighing around 175 pounds. The bathroom floor turned out to be one of our favorite things, and as you can see our bathroom has surpassed the builder-grade level by leaps and bounds. We are so impressed with Rob’s expertise and workmanship. We have another bathroom project planned and we will be calling Rob to do it. Side note: The quartz countertops in kitchen and bathroom and bathtub were supplied and installed by a local stone supplier and will be reviewed separately.
He was very responsive! Very helpful and understanding! A good man to work with and very explanatory! Will book him for future renovations/projects!
Robert’s work is professional, beautiful, and timely. He repaired and remodeled our shower, and we couldn’t be happier. He used the right products for a difficult job, made great suggestions and finished when he said he would. I fully trust and highly recommend him.
Robert is a skilled, efficient, knowledgeable general handyman. A Colorado school of mines graduate, he will recommend the best and most efficient materials for the job, how to to do the job based on your requirements and will complete the job in a timely manner. We are truly fortunate to have Robert working in our area
Excellent quality of work. Rob is also great about giving helpful suggestions on things you may not have considered.
Rob was very professional did the work in a timely fashion cleaned up every day I will use him on all my projects