Kitchen Herringbone Backsplash in Columbine
This kitchen backsplash project in a Columbine ranch home replaced a painted drywall surface with white 3x6 subway tile set in a 45-degree herringbone pattern. Herringbone requires every tile to be cut at 45 degrees on the saw, which increases labor time compared to a straight or offset layout, but the result has a directional energy that works particularly well in galley-style kitchens like this one. The tile runs from the countertop to the underside of the upper cabinets, with a clean cut line at the cabinet base where a small piece of tile was scribed to fit the slight variation in cabinet height.
The substrate was standard drywall, which is acceptable for a kitchen backsplash area that does not see direct water contact. We applied a skim coat of thinset to level minor surface variations before setting tile. White unsanded grout was used to keep the joints tight and the overall look clean against the quartz countertop. This is a Columbine home with a typical 1970s ranch kitchen layout.
Project Details
- Area
- Columbine
- Materials
- White 3x6 subway tile, white unsanded grout
- Scope
- Residential kitchen backsplash
- Timeline
- Single-day install
What We Did
- Cleaned and lightly sanded the existing drywall surface; applied skim coat to level high spots
- Established the 45-degree reference line from the center of the backsplash and cut all field tiles on the wet saw
- Set tile in white polymer-modified thinset, maintaining consistent 1/16-inch joints with spacers
- Grouted with white unsanded grout, cleaned, and caulked inside corners at the countertop and cabinet base
This backsplash is a good example of how a pattern choice can change the character of a surface without changing the material.
