DIY home renovations are easier than ever these days. There are so many products out there to suit every need and thanks to the Internet, you can get inspiration from any number of other fashionable homeowners. Design ideas come a dime a dozen, thanks to bloggers and apps such as Pinterest and Instagram. Backsplash installation is a great example of a DIY project that you can take on with minimal fuss, as many people have found ways to upgrade their kitchens without the use of a tile saw.

Adhesive Tiles

Peel and stick tiles, or adhesive tiles, are the DIY homeowner’s best friend when it comes to upgrading a backsplash. You can pick up a range of different colours and styles from your local tile suppliers or even online, which means you can get a classy-looking upgrade for a fraction of the effort of a traditional tile installation. For instance, you can get adhesive versions of glass tiles and metal tiles which come in finishes like bronze, copper, gold and pewter.

Adhesive tiles generally don’t require the use of a tile saw, unless you have odd corners and ends that require you to cut down a tile to custom specifications. Another benefit is they can be applied onto most surfaces, which means you don’t have to deal with demolishing your existing backsplash. It’s pretty much as easy as peeling off the back of the tile and sticking it onto whatever surface you’re looking to redo.

Well, almost that easy. Preparing the surface is an absolute must. Adhesive tiles can be installed over drywall, plaster and smooth non-porous tiles, such as glazed or porcelain tiles, but the surface has to be extremely clean… This is because adhesive tiles are extremely sticky and one misstep means you’re going to have a heck of a time trying to pry them off.

Make sure that the surface is free of dust and debris, and that it has absolutely no trace of grease, grime, wax, soap suds, water, etc. As long as the surface is smooth, clean and dry with no uneven or damaged areas, your tiles should have no problem sticking. If you skip this step and run into problems, most warranties on your adhesive tiles will be voided.

Modern Rustic Backsplashes

Now that the modern rustic look is in style, some people have gone the route of using wood, bricks and stone for their backsplashes instead of tiles. You can pick these items up at your local home hardware store, but it can be practically cost-free if you make use of found materials, such as old wooden pallets or even planks of plywood, and natural stones from a beach. Just make sure to clean everything properly and read up on proper guidelines to prepare, install and maintain such a backsplash. You can even contact bloggers who have done this to ask for their advice!

Mosaics

Mosaic patterns are another great way of avoiding the tile saw while adding creativity to your backsplashes. The web is full of DIY examples of mosaic backsplashes, made with everything from broken mason jars, tiles and china. You can buy all these things from a second-hand store for next to nothing if you don’t already have extra jars and plates on hand. Plus, there’s the added satisfaction of getting to smash stuff for a good purpose! Just make sure you sort everything by colour and/or by style before you start breaking things, that way you don’t have to sort through a bunch of glass and pottery shards as you make up your mosaics.

Paint and Wallpaper

Paint and wallpaper are tried and true options when it comes to getting a new kitchen backsplash, especially if more permanent options like tiles are out of the question for those of you who rent your homes. You can get creative and use blackboard paint for your backsplash, or make use of funky paint or wallpaper patterns.

Mix and Match

Mixing and matching tiles can be a cool way to upgrade your kitchen. Visit a couple tile suppliers and go crazy with your choices. Try to create focal points in order to add some element of orderliness to the chaos. You can play with different tile sizes, colours and styles for a really fun look, in the same way you would do with mosaics. That said, if you want something more “grown up”, try playing with small thin tiles in two or three neutral shades.

Beadboard

Beadboard can make for an excellent choice when it comes to installing a new backsplash. You can have the supplier cut it down for you to the right size. It can give your home a nice country-cottage feel with not much more effort than any of the other more creative backsplash options. If you’re not down with the classic white, you can even add some paint and sand it down after, which will still maintain the rustic look with a splash of eye candy.