How To Prepare Your Wall For Backsplash Installation
Posted on: 26 February 2015
Backsplash, or the process of covering a part of a painted wall with tiles, is an excellent way to hide drywall that has been discolored or protect parts of the wall. People tend to install backsplash around the walls that surround a bathtub for about two feet in order to protect the wall from the water damage that could result from being near the shower. Backsplash also tends to be easier to clean, so it's an excellent decorating maneuver if you have young children. Follow these steps in order to get your wall ready for backsplash installation.
1. Get the Paint on the Walls Ready
Most of the time, backsplash is installed by using adhesive that is painted onto the wall. In order for the backsplash to be fully effective, it is important that the adhesive sticks to the walls properly. To make sure that the adhesive sticks, take some sandpaper to your painted wall and roughen the paint job. This will allow the paint to stick more easily to the adhesive. This roughness can be accumulated by simply rubbing the sandpaper in jagged lines over the paint until it is rough to the touch. It is recommended that you use 80 grit sandpaper.
2. Find Your Room's Focal Point
In order for backsplash to be effective, it is necessary that it falls directly behind the focal point of the room. The backsplash should serve to tie the room together. In order to find the room's visual focal point, measure the length of the wall. Note if any furniture will be blocking parts of the wall. If there is, measure the length of each of those pieces of furniture and subtract it from the total length of the wall. Then, divide that length in two. This will allow you to determine where the focal point is, with regards to your furniture. If there is no furniture, find the middle of the wall. In either case, mark the focal point with a pencil. This is where you will start the backsplash.
3. Draw Your Starting Line
Take a 2-foot level and mark a line from the bottom of where your tiling is going to begin to the mark you have drawn on the wall. Make sure that the line is parallel with the other lines on your wall or the corners of your house. Use a pencil to draw this line.
After you have marked your boundaries and roughed the paint, you are ready to start tiling your wall. Talk to painting contractors for assistance.
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