San Leandro Backsplash, And Drywall Repair, February, 2024

Not every job fights back. This San Leandro kitchen backsplash, with some drywall repair, went unusually smoothly from start to finish, and it’s worth explaining why.

The right tile for a simple install

The client chose a glass mosaic with a mirrored foil backing. That backing made the whole job easier. Clear glass tile normally shows whatever is behind it, so it has to be set in white mortar spread perfectly evenly, or trowel lines and color shifts show through. The mirrored foil made this tile fully opaque from the front, so nothing behind it could be seen. That meant it could go up with a caulk-style construction adhesive, Liquid Nails Fuze It, instead of mortar. Adhesive is fast and clean, and it grips glass and mirror backing well.

Where the wall needed it, the drywall was repaired first, so the backsplash went onto a flat, sound surface.

Cutting and setting

Individual mosaic pieces were cut with tile nippers, which gives clean, controlled cuts around outlets and edges without chipping the glass. Sheets went up one at a time, with the joints between sheets kept invisible so the pattern reads as one continuous surface.

Finishing details

The client chose unsanded grout, the right call for glass mosaic. Unsanded grout fills narrow joints fully, and it won’t scratch the glass surface the way sanded grout can.

The outside corners got a clean metal edging, which protects the tile edges where they’re most likely to be bumped and gives each corner a crisp line. Along the top of the backsplash, the grout was finished at a bevel back to the wall. It’s a minimal edge that ends the tile without adding a trim piece.

The island, too

The client also had the face of the kitchen island covered in the same tile. Wrapping the island ties it visually to the backsplash, so the kitchen reads as one designed space rather than a set of separate pieces.

The whole job took a couple of days, and it added a very nice touch to the kitchen. When the materials suit the job, good work goes quickly.

Thinking about a backsplash? See what we install, or send photos for an estimate.