The most visible tile in your house, done in a day or two, with every cut around outlets, windows and the range hood planned before the first tile goes up.
Tile with Style handles tile backsplash installation in Greenville, SC and across the Upstate. Most backsplashes take one to two days: the tile goes up on the first day, grout and silicone on the second, and your kitchen is usable every evening.
Since 2011
15 years in Greenville
Family-owned
The owner is on every job
Licensed & insured
In South Carolina
Free estimates
Written, no obligation
What does backsplash installation cost?
Backsplash installation is priced by the length of the wall, the pattern, the tile and the number of outlets, windows and corners it has to go around. Taking off an old backsplash first adds time, and so does any drywall repair behind it.
Pattern: straight subway is the fastest; herringbone, chevron and picket mean more cuts
Tile: glass, natural stone and handmade-look tile need more care than ceramic
Obstacles: every outlet, switch, window return and hood edge is a set of cuts
Height: full height behind the range adds area and layout work
Old tile: removal and wall repair come before the new tile
Can you tile a backsplash directly on drywall?
In most kitchens, yes. A backsplash is a dry area, and sound, flat drywall is an accepted base for it once it is clean and prepared for the setting material. If the drywall gets damaged when old tile comes off, we repair or replace that section first.
What we check is flatness. A wall that bows shows up as uneven tile edges, especially with glass or large tile, so we straighten it before we set anything.
What goes behind a tile backsplash?
Behind the tile there is the prepared wall, the setting material that bonds the tile to it, and around the edges, silicone instead of grout where the backsplash meets the countertop and the cabinets.
Those edges are where two surfaces move differently through the seasons. Grout there cracks within the first year; a flexible sealant does not. It is a small detail you notice every time you wipe the counter.
What backsplash patterns can you install?
We install running-bond subway, stacked, herringbone, chevron, picket, hexagon and mosaic sheet, in ceramic, porcelain, glass, marble and handmade-look tile. The pattern changes the tile count and the labor, so we settle it before you order.
Running-bond subway: the classic, and forgiving on imperfect walls
Stacked: modern, but it shows any wall that is out of plumb
Herringbone and chevron: striking, with more cuts and more waste
Picket, hexagon and arabesque: the edges need careful planning
Glass and mosaic sheet: need a white setting material and a very flat wall
Do you tile behind the stove and around outlets?
Yes. Outlets, switches, range hoods and window returns are where a backsplash gets judged. We cut around them so the tile lines stay continuous and the cover plate hides the cut cleanly.
Behind a range, stain resistance matters more than anywhere else in the kitchen, so we talk grout choice with you there, not just color.
Illustrations
Backsplash pattern ideas
Illustrations to help you picture a pattern. These are not photos of our finished projects.
Chevron in blue, sage and terracotta
Hand-painted mosaic
Interlocking shapes with dark grout
Glossy textured relief tile
Who does the work
Written by the team at Tile with Style, a family-owned, licensed and insured tile installation business working in Greenville, SC since 2011. Work is carried out by Javier Rincón and his crew.
Updated:
How the job runs
From first call to final walkthrough.
01
Free Estimate
We measure the wall, count the outlets and corners, and give you a written estimate and a tile quantity.
02
Tile & Pattern
We settle pattern and layout with you before you order, since it changes the waste and the cost.
03
Prep & Set
Counters and cabinets protected, wall checked for flat and plumb, tile set to the planned layout.
04
Grout & Finish
Grout, silicone at every edge, outlet plates back on, and the kitchen cleaned and handed back.
Backsplash Installation · FAQ
Questions we get on every job
A simple subway backsplash on a flat wall is one of the more realistic DIY tile jobs. Where it gets hard is the layout around outlets and windows, keeping lines level across a long wall, and finishing the edges. Those are the parts people notice.
No. We need the counters clear along the wall we are tiling and access to the outlets. We cover the countertops and cabinets, and we clean up at the end of each day so the kitchen stays usable.
Sometimes, but we usually advise against it. It adds thickness that changes how the tile meets outlets, window returns and cabinet edges, and it doubles the weight on the wall. Taking the old tile off is a small part of the job and the result is cleaner.
Yes, and people ask for it often. A full-height wall behind a range reads as a feature. We plan the layout from the hood downward so no thin slivers end up at the top.
Yes. Glass needs a white setting material so the color reads true through the tile, and a very flat wall, because glass shows every high and low spot. We correct the wall before we set it.
Serving Greenville, SC and the Upstate within 60 miles: Simpsonville, Five Forks, Mauldin, Greer, Taylors, Travelers Rest, Fountain Inn, Easley, Spartanburg and Lake Keowee.
