Tiling the Kitchen

Since I'm in this weird period of time (just graduated, but with weeks off before work starts, and pregnant, but not so pregnant that I can't move around easily) I decided it was a great opportunity to take on a few home projects. Project #1: tiling the kitchen. According to various DIY (do-it-yourself) videos I watched on-line, this looked like it would be a simple task. Ha!

Here's a "before" photo, taken a few months ago:



The tile I bought came on 12"x12" mesh sheets. I measured how much I needed, cut the mesh and laid the tile out on the counter:



Next, I spread the adhesive to the wall and pressed the tile in. So easy! Wish I could've stopped with this step...



The grout. Let's just say grout is the bane of my existence. Ok, so it's my own fault. I didn't read enough about how to grout before attempting to grout the ENTIRE kitchen. Later, while researching how to fix the upcoming fatal flaw, I would discover that this is the step most newbies mess up. Awesome.

Mistake #1: mixing the grout to the wrong consistancy. Mistake #2: Don't mix an entire bag of grout and spread it over the entire kitchen otherwise it dries too quickly on the tile.



Mistake #3: Wipe the tile clean of the grout BEFORE it dries!



Result of mistakes 1-3: I spent an entire day using a putty knife to remove grout off of the tile and it looks a little worse for wear (though thankfully I chose a nice matching colored grout so at least it blends in well). Then I got sad and moped around for days, consulting various friends for second opinions, and staring at the tile while the kitchen remained in disarray.



Mistake #4: Note above how the outlets are now too deep to sit flush with the new wall plates I've purchased, an unforeseen, yet obvious, consequence of adding anything to a wall. I addressed this issue with 2 methods. A "box extender" elevated two outlets appropriately, but was not small enough for the others. So then I added nylon "spacers" to the screws behind the outlets, making them jut out more. Thank god I didn't tile over the outlet hardware...

Voila!


Troubling thought #1: I turned off the correct fuses and still managed to shock myself three times (how is that possible??). Luckily the only immediate complication was a stream of curses and mild toe tingling... long term complications TBD...

The home run: Caulking around the tile was simple enough since I re-caulked our bathroom tubs recently. Lastly, I painted a sealer on the tile and grout to protect it from water, mold, and food damage. Then, I installed the new wall plates and cleaned the whole place up.

Before


After


In summary: was saving $100-150 worth the days of labor, frustration, electric shocks, and slightly less-then-professional tiling job? I think so. Overall, I really enjoyed the process of learning something new, using my hands and getting dirty with adhesive, grout, and caulk. Did I wish I did a better job? Definitely. But now I feel like I could tile a bathroom or a floor with more confidence and skill. Lastly, I can walk into my kitchen and appreciate the difference I've made, thankful that the fridge and oven partially obscure a splattered mess of grout and adhesive...