do-it-yourself backsplash!

before...


this is for all you out there that would love to have a nice looking backsplash, but don't have 1. all the many supplies you need to do a tiling job 2. an expensive tile cutter 3. the know how
so here's how i did mine, you can use any modifications you'd like (my way of doing it was pretty ghetto, so i'm sure however you go about it- it'll work too)

first, i went to home depot and bought 10 sheets (99 cents a piece) of 12x12 LAMINATE tile and cut them (with scissors) into 9 4x4 squares. (you can do yours bigger or smaller depending on your preference and the pattern you choose). then i backed each of the tiles with craft foam from the dollar store to make them thick like real tiles. you can go online to get some ideas for patterns, but i just used my hot glue gun to temporarily stick them...that way i was able to try out different patterns until i found one that i liked (i also cut some of the squares into triangles for part of my pattern)
i didn't have a "spacer" so i used my ghetto straw, but you can get spacers at home depot. you'll also need some "liquid nails" (a glue that when it sets up, it's as strong as nails) to adhere them to the wall. it takes a full day for the glue to set up, so i also put a dab of hot glue on each tile to help it stick while it was setting up. so putting the tiles up took me a full 8 hours, then i let it set up overnight. the next morning i grouted it just like they were regular tiles.
so there you have it...anyone can do it! don't look too close at the pictures though, it was my first job:) we actually have a tile cutter, but i wanted to try out my idea to see if it would work/look good. honestly, you can't even tell that the tiles are laminate...even close up. let me know if any of you try it, i'd like to see how it turns out!