After revealing my laundry room last week for the One Room Challenge, I got so many requests for more info on the backsplash! So here it is – a quick and easy tutorial for how to add this to your own home 🙂
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This is in no way sponsored by RoomMates, but I was very pleased with their tile! It was easy to cut, easy to apply, and forgiving. I have a few critiques, but I’ll get into those in the tutorial.
MATERIALS
- RoomMates Peel and Stick Tiles
- Scissors or a Utility Knife
- Square (or a board with a straight edge)
- Pencil
TUTORIAL
Of course the first thing you need to do is figure out how many sheets you need. Each sheet is 10.5″ x 10.5″, I ended up needing 19 sheets. They’re sold in packs of 4, so I purchased 5 packs. I would recommend ordering at least one extra sheet, just so that you can recut one if you make a mistake.
Before you start attaching the tiles, do something that I didn’t do – draw level lines! I ended up laying mine not quite level, so I had to fix it with a piece of trim I added under the cabinet. If you just draw a level line across your wall and line up your sheets to that, you’ll avoid the mistake I made.
I started on the right and worked my way to the left, though the direction you move doesn’t matter at all.
To cut the tiles, lay out your square (or just a straight board) and draw a line with your pencil. Then cut along that line with scissors or a utility knife. I used a knife at first but found if easier to use scissors. I cut the edges off the right and bottom sides of my first sheet so I wouldn’t have to patch in any half tiles.
Attaching the tile sheet is really easy. There is paper that peels off the back, just like a sticker, and you just slap it up there! Of course you need to lay it conscientiously so that it lines up correctly, but once you’re happy with it, push it on the wall nice and firmly.
When you go to lay the next sheet, you need to overlap the “grout” lines. My biggest grievance with this product is that this outer grout line is just a hair thicker than the inner grout lines, so even when you overlap it perfectly, the line still looks a little bit thicker. Not a huge deal, but this is probably not something I would use as a permanent solution for a focal area of the home (though it could be great in a kitchen, for example, as something to tide you over until you can get something a little nicer installed).
If you have any funky cuts, it is extremely easy to notch out the sheet by cutting it with scissors! Honestly, it definitely felt more like a craft puzzle then real tiling (in the best way).
It took me less than 2 hours to install this backsplash, which is a huge plus for me! My only other issue with this product is that it’s a little stinky when it’s first installed, but that fades. Even up close, these look like real tiles. They feel a little softer and warmer than real tile, but how often does someone touch your laundry room backsplash? And even if they do, does anyone care? Lol. This really is such an easy project that anyone can do and makes such a big difference!
Post and tag me on Instagram (@with.love.mercedes) if you end up adding these tiles somewhere in your home – I want to see!
With love,
Mercedes ♥
With Love, Mercedes 
Hi Mercedes ~
You’ll smile as I tell you I live in Michigan! Hastings, to be exact…..half way between Battle Creek, and Grand Rapids. I grew up here. Moved to Sryacuse, NY in 1961, to live with my aunt. Got a job, and married a sweetheart of a young man.
When he retired from A.T.&T. in 1990, we packed up our dear little house full of collectibles and such, and moved back to Hastings! (Half the snow of Syracuse.) Our three sons had found places elsewhere, but it was still huge of them to give us “permission” to leave also. The years of raising them were the best ever.
In our lifetime, we did 3 bathrooms. One in NY and two here in MI. Each one was done from scratch. Each one, eqiuipped with a clawfoot tub, pedestal sink and, get this…a pullchain toilet. We put hex tile on the first two floors…..I just love them! However, in this house, the dye was cast…….hardwood throughout.
In the kitchen, I chose to have the counter tops tiled with subway tile, in shades of pale grays and off whites. It takes diligence to keep the pale gray grout clean. (It’s OK but If I had known about soapstone, I’d be a lot happier today!)
So, here we are. I was thinking maybe I would be in love with the countertops if I had those hex tiles as a back splash and beneath all the cupboards. I finally decided to look for those tiles…..and found YOU and yours! And now for the big loaded question….how do you think that would look? Especially if the grout was kept the same lt gray.
I just went out and measured: 15ft.8in. length. 18in. wide. How much would that cost? I’m sure I could do it myself. I wish we lived next door! You sound like a lot of fun. We too, are believers.
It’s time to let you go but I have to say, your laundry room looks wonderful! So clean and such a good job! My washer and dryer don’t match either, so I can relate to that shelf connecting them as it does. Mine aren’t even the same color. so, I put silver decals on the white washer, and withe ones on the dryer! I think we agree it makes us smile to use what we have and make it seem planned.
Take care. Thanks so much for letting me chat.
Wilna Bertrand
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I think it would look great, but I would be hesitant to do plywood countertops in a kitchen! I think you’d be happier spending a little more money and investing in butcher block, which is specifically made to be used in kitchens. Just make sure to do your research on how to properly care for them.
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oops….I just realized the tiles you used don’t require grout!! No problem there!
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